Sewing Clothes for your Dog

Most pet stores sell clothes for dogs. Raincoats, coats for warmth, hunting vests for visibility, and reflective clothes for visibility on a night time walk are some of these items. You will also find clothing for the many breeds of hairless dogs, who often need them to maintain body heat. You will find that clothes for your dog are not difficult to make yourself, and you can be assured of a perfect fit.

Many websites have patterns for dog clothes that you can download, and you can also find patterns at fabric stores. You will still need to adjust these to fit your special canine friend. If you are a more experienced seamstress, you can start from scratch and make your own pattern that you can use over and over. Whatever the pattern, you will need to begin with taking your dog’s correct measurements. The neck measurement is made at the collar placement. Take the exact measurement around your dog’s neck, making sure it is not too tight, just a good collar fit is right. You will allow for stretch and seam allowances later in the garment construction. The next measurement you need is the back length. You will want to leave the tail free for wagging, so measure from the neck to just the base of the tail. Then measure around the dog’s chest, all the way around the thickest part just behind the dog’s front legs. These are the three basic measurements you need to size your pattern correctly.

Neck and chest closures on dog clothes are usually made to be adjustable, either with elastic, a buckle or buttons/snaps, or with velcro.