With the advent of cold weather, we increasingly notice dogs on the street dressed up in bright overalls, pants, hats and even socks of the most unusual styles and colors. Some of them are so original that it is impossible to resist a smile. Doggie in such clothes looks unusual and attracts everyone's attention. Miniature toy terriers and charming Yorkies with a funny crest on the top are the most prominent representatives of dog fashion. "Girls" flaunt in flared skirts, and "boys" in hilarious checkered pants or "real" jeans.
Whim or need?
Watching the mod’s eyes on a leash, sometimes you involuntarily ask yourself the question: “Do these bright clothes need representatives of the animal world, which nature supplied with its own wool?” Where is the need, and where is the fashion? And do you need to buy such clothes to your four-legged friend?
Turns out needed! Most of the representatives of decorative breeds, artificially bred by humans and spending life in the comfortable conditions of urban apartments, are little adapted to the harsh domestic climate, especially short-haired ones.
Overalls for small dogs we see most often, as representatives of medium-sized breeds in the cold season on the street, as a rule, freeze. These charming pets have a thin skeleton and do not differ in large muscle mass. Overalls for dogs of medium breeds are less common, but still popular.
If the dog has long hair
Shaggy long-haired friends of a person have their own problems, they need constant care and combing. When there is dirt and slush on the street, every exit from the house becomes a test. Having walked, washed and combed once or twice a furry friend, willy-nilly you will think about what can be done here to make life easier for yourself and your pet.
To walk a long-haired dog in inclement weather, it is best to purchase a waterproof jumpsuit. He will protect from the cold, and from the dirt. Having returned home, you do not have to wash your four-legged friend from head to toe ..
In winter, such windproof warm overalls for dogs will serve as reliable protection for representatives of short-legged breeds with thick hair - sky-terriers, Pekingese or long-haired dachshunds.
In the summer?
In the warm season (summer and early autumn), owners often take their pets out of town - to the forest, to the cottage. Four-legged ones often have to suffer from bites of mosquitoes and horseflies, ticks and thickets of burdock lie in wait for them. To save the pet from troubles, it is enough to sew a summer jumpsuit from light fabric that allows air to pass through.
At the same time, the material must be durable - not tear, accidentally clinging to thorns, slippery - so as not to cling to a burdock, and bright - so it is easier to detect a tick. Before going to the forest, such clothes should be treated with a special repellent for animals.
Summer overalls for medium-sized dogs are also relevant, as are clothes for small dogs. Indeed, mosquitoes, ticks and spines suffer all our four-legged friends, without exception.
We buy or sew?
Of course, on sale you can find many dog ​​clothes for every taste and size. As a rule, they are very expensive. Their cost is not inferior to the cost of children's clothing, and sometimes even exceeds. In addition, many dog ​​owners want their pet to wear something exclusive, original and tailored in a single copy.
In this case, it is best to sew the overalls for the dog with their own hands. This is not at all as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Work will require minimal skills in cutting and sewing. The pattern of the overalls for the dog is quite simple, and you can take almost any fabric, for example, use an old unnecessary jacket or cloak.
Let's try to sew a jumpsuit for a small dog with our own hands. Overalls for dogs of large breeds are sewn according to the same patterns (taking into account the size, of course), but a pair of elastic bands may need to be sewn to the part that is intended for the abdomen and chest. And you should also make sure that your product does not hamper the movement of the animal.
Where to start?
So, we need a pattern of overalls for a dog. First of all, take measurements. Do not be alarmed - you will not have long laborious measurements. The size of overalls for dogs depends mainly on only one parameter. This is the length of the back of the animal from the beginning of the neck to the base of the tail. In this case, we place the centimeter tape exactly along the line of the vertebrae. After measuring, divide the found number by 8. Then, on paper, build a grid of squares with a side equal to the resulting figure.
For a more accurate fit, however, you can still measure the circumference of the body in the widest part and the circumference of the neck. These measurements will be needed mainly for those who are interested in overalls for dogs of large breeds.
Separately, draw a sketch of the model you like. The styles of dog "clothes", with all the variety, are quite simple, and any pattern of overalls for a dog differs from the other, as a rule, only in details. Most often, they consist of the overalls themselves, their part with sleeves (if any), the lower part intended for the chest and abdomen - sometimes it can be whole-cut, as well as the fastener and edging valve, which processes open sections (mainly the neck)
The novice master should gain mastery on the simplest model, without sleeves and “legs”. For example, lightweight open overalls with armholes for paws. Subsequently, having understood the principle of cut, you can easily sew an insulated, closed product for winter colds. Jumpsuits for large dogs require some sewing skills.
We are building a product drawing
To get an accurate pattern, you should transfer the existing sketch to a sheet with a grid. Of course, in proportion. The control measure in this case is the measured length of the back. Then the resulting pattern of overalls for the dog is cut out and placed on the fabric. Edges should be cut obliquely.
For each of the parts, be sure to provide an allowance for the seams. Now you can cut. Carefully sweep away all the parts between each other, having previously folded the front sides with each other.
In order for the jumpsuit to fit well on your pet, it must be sized to fit. This will require fitting or even a few. The lesson is not easy, especially if you have a nimble, nimble “client”. But without trying all your work can go down the drain.
Shutdown
Fit individual parts exactly in size, we shorten them together. If the design includes a belt, for it you will need to sew a drawstring. Then we process sections of the neck and back of the edging and, if necessary, insert the elastic.
Then we sew on the valve for the fastener to the finished product. The fastener itself is best made from wide Velcro. With it, the fabric will not be folded. For convenience, the jumpsuit can be equipped with handles for holding an excessively frisky pet and even pockets in which these handles can be hidden. To precisely adjust the size of the product, insert a thin cord into all seams.
Overalls for an average dog, as well as for a small one, can be made whole-cut, while the treatment of seams will be minimal. This model is best suited for dogs of different sizes with a "square" silhouette. The length of the legs, if you plan to sew them, should be adjusted according to the height of the pet.
Useful Tips
How to find the start point of the neck? Put on a dog a collar and measure from it. In this case, the collar should not be tightened.
Since our jumpsuit is a symmetrical product, the pattern should be done only for one half, placing it on the fabric with a fold. You need to connect the parts according to pre-set marks in the form of crosses or dots to avoid skewing.
The first fitting should be carried out, sweeping the base (body), even before sewing on the sleeves. This is the part that will cover the dog’s body. Having achieved a good landing, you can go to the "sleeves".
If you have a product with "sleeves" and "trousers", then it is better to put the bottom on an elastic band. It should not be tight so as not to interfere with movement. You can decorate the finished product with patch pockets and fashion accessories.
Jumpsuit for winter
Comfortable and warm jumpsuit will protect the doggie from wind, rain and wet snow. For reliability, you can make it two-layer - the upper is made of raincoat fabric, the lining is made of soft flannel. And even better - three-layer, laying inside as a heater a layer of syntepoma. The zippers you use in sewing must be fully detachable. For long-haired dogs, a piece of fabric should be sewn under the zipper so that the hair does not fall between the cloves.
You can come up with a model with a hood, just make sure that it is not too tight, otherwise the dog will refuse to wear it. It can also be done with an elastic band or even with a visor, which is cut out from two parts (upper and lower), turned out and the rounded part is treated with a border seam. In good weather, the visor can be bent, increasing the view of the pet.
Subtleties of tailoring technology
When sewing "clothes for the dog" should take into account some nuances. When drawing a sleeve pattern, be aware that it is very similar to the sleeve pattern of human clothing, both for the front and hind legs.
The top of the armhole must pass along the hip (upper) joints of the dog's paw. If you violate this rule, the sleeves will slip, which is very inconvenient for the dog. Make the sleeves and panties spacious, about twice as wide as the legs. But the jumpsuit itself should fit snugly to the body and not fidget. However, for dogs of large breeds this rule is not so strictly observed.
The bottom of the legs is made at a height of one or one and a half centimeters below the knee joint. Otherwise, the foot will constantly fall into the leg. Especially if your pet strives to constantly demonstrate a hunting stance - this is how terriers often behave.
You understand that the back pants are not sewn along the entire armhole, so that the dog can do what he is walking on.
About fasteners and fasteners
The fasteners of dog overalls can be very diverse - with buttons and loops, with zippers (certainly detachable), buttons, Velcro or decorative ties.
When choosing a fastener option, consider the comfort of your pet and your own - the jumpsuit should be easily and quickly put on and taken off, otherwise the fees for a walk will turn into a torment. The fastener must be reliable so that at the most unexpected moment the dog is not suddenly stripped.
In addition, it should be combined with the overall style of the outfit. Remember that for long-haired dogs, Velcro is not suitable, and the buttons are very uncomfortable.
Do not forget to sew on the dog’s overalls a fastener to which the leash will be fastened. One little ring thrust into the neck is not enough - when a snatch, the dog simply jumps out of the neck, leaving the jumpsuit on a leash. You will need to make a construction like a harness by stitching a strong braid into the fabric around the chest and paws. The leash should be attached to it.
Knit jumpsuit for dogs
If you do not want to bother with taking accurate measurements, you can use elastic fabrics - knitwear, angora. They are easy to fit, do not require a careful fit and look very elegant. The only problem sometimes is the processing of slices.
Another option is to knit a sweater or jumpsuit for the dog with knitting needles or crochet. A warm fluffy sweater will warm your short-haired pet perfectly in winter weather. If you knit a sweater for the dog from the remains of the same yarn from which the sweater on the hostess - success in society, you and the pet are guaranteed!
To tie such a sweater or jumpsuit for a dachshund or other medium-sized dog is quite simple. You need to stock up with 2.5 - 3.5 mm knitting needles, a 100 gram skein of yarn of any bright color (this amount is enough for a dog the size of a dachshund) and a detachable zipper. We select its length depending on the size of the finished product.
How to knit a sweater for a dog?
The sweater is a seamless knitted fabric with elastic bands at the neck and back and openings for the paws. We start to knit from the neck. We collect about 54 loops and knit from 6 to 8 centimeters with a simple rubber band. The volume can be clarified by first linking the sample and measuring the neck circumference of the collar. Knitting continues from the neck to the tail.
Below the neck, we begin to knit the "chest" part, going to facial knitting and adding a pair of loops on both sides every few rows. Having tied about 5 cm, we go to the part in which there are holes for the paws.
To do this, divide the width of the knitting into three parts in proportion to the size of the "client" and then (for about five centimeters) we knit the jumpsuit for the dog in three separate parts. The middle, the widest part will be the back of the product. As you work, periodically try the blank on the dog so that the paw holes are in place.
Continue work
In the middle part we reconnect all three parts into one, knit about 7 cm. If the dog has a thin “waist”, we gradually reduce the loops when knitting and return to the original volume. We finish the bottom with the same elastic band as for the neck, its length is determined by fitting.
If our model is with sleeves, then we knit two rectangles as wide as twice the length of the provided hole, and in length, depending on the size of the paw. To do this, you need to dial about 25 - 35 loops on the knitting needles. We connect the finished rectangles into small cylinders and sew them into the holes.
Sew the zipper to the free edge. Another option is to make a fastener on hinged hinges with large buttons.