In the cold season, clothes are needed not only for people. Dogs also need warming so as not to catch a cold when walking through puddles and snow. It is important to choose a convenient option for the four-legged pet, so that it is easy to put on, and it does not constrain movement. The most popular option is a vest for dogs, a pattern for which is easy to make with your own hands.
When did the dog clothes appear
In modern pet stores you can see various types of clothing for dogs, but they came up with it many centuries ago. Even the paintings of artists in the Renaissance depict pets in horse blankets. Protective vests for dogs were invented even earlier when they were used as fighting animals. Since the 19th century, such clothes began to be mass produced. This is due to the fact that in the countries of Europe a fashion for small short-haired dogs has appeared.
Now fashion designers are working on clothes for small dogs, developing entire sets for the owner and pet, which are made of the same fabric in the same style. Such models are exclusive and have a high price. However, even with a small budget, you can provide the doggie with warm and fashionable clothes, you only need to study the instructions for independent sewing, build a pattern for the dog’s vest and choose the right fabric.
Which dogs need clothes
Walking is very important for four-legged pets. And you need to walk the dog at least 2-3 times a day, regardless of the weather on the street. If the dog has a thick coat, then frosts are not terrible for her, but pets with a short coat, without special clothes that protect them from moisture and wind, are in danger every day. Due to elevated body temperature, even a slight cooling outside can lead to serious illness. More than others, the following breeds need a warm vest:
- Russian and English toy terriers;
- Pekingese
- Pomeranian Spitz
- chihuahua;
- Prague rats;
- Yorkshire Terriers;
- dwarf pinchers;
- Chinese crested;
- short-haired rabbit dachshunds;
- papillons;
- toy fox terriers.
These dog breeds do not have a special mechanism of protection against low temperature, their body is most sensitive to such changes. Without additional warming, joints, general immunity and the digestive system are most affected, so veterinarians recommend buying a warm vest for a dog or making it with your own hands.
Varieties of dog clothes
For autumn and winter walks, there are different types of clothing. Among them are sweaters, blankets, overalls, vests. Before sewing the first kit for warming a pet, you need to decide on the type of clothing. Many dogs refuse to wear one form or another because of the stiffness of their movements at a time when they want to run and play. Such clothes include insulated overalls that are difficult to put on a pet alone.
The most comfortable variety are vests. They are universal, cover only half of the body, so they can be worn both in winter and in autumn. There are also light vests that are worn instead of harnesses in summer. In addition, dressing up your pet is much easier - you just need to thread the front legs into the sleeves and fasten the buttons or zipper.
How to make a vest pattern for a dog
When choosing a sample, you need to consider that this clothing may have a zipper on the stomach or on the back. To build the correct scheme on paper so that the finished thing sits well, only a professional seamstress will be able to. However, you can take a ready-made pattern of a vest for a dog with a convenient cut on the Internet. It is recommended to measure the distance from the tail to the neck and divide the resulting by 10. This value will serve as a support for further calculations.
Some patterns posted on the Internet are divided into squares. This is done in order to make it easier to transfer the pattern. 1/10 of the distance from the neck to the tail is the length of one side of the square. Now you can start drawing the pattern. A grid is applied to a large sheet of paper and the exact pattern is transferred along the cells. Having cut the sample with scissors, you can draw it on the fabric that is selected for sewing the vest. For dogs with a long neck, a stand-up collar can be made. Its length is equal to the neckline. A button is sewn to the edge to fix it.
How to take measurements for a vest
To do this, take the following measurements from the pet - the length of the back, the circumference of the neck, chest, abdomen, paws. If the zipper is located on the back, then the distance between the paws is measured. It is necessary to carry out all measurements at a time when the dog is standing on a flat surface, for example, on a table or a hard sofa. The girth of the neck is removed with a raised head. It is most convenient to measure the doggie together, when one person will hold him in the right position, and the other will take measurements.
Tools and materials
Before you start sewing, you need to prepare all the materials and tools. For insulated clothing you will need:
- bologna tissue;
- lining material;
- Zipper or fasteners.
To make a vest for a dog with your own hands, you will need a sewing machine that has the function of processing the fabric with a zigzag. Without this tool, it will be difficult to sew clothes that can withstand active walks. Hand sewing without using a machine will take much longer, but this option is also suitable.
The lining fabric intended for a warm vest for a dog should be quilted with a synthetic winterizer, then it will be easier to sew. Instead of simple buttons or rivets, it is recommended to take a zipper so that the dressing process goes faster. It is better to choose metal, it will last much longer than plastic. The back closure will be longer than the one on the stomach. If this type of clothing is supposed to be made, then you should also measure the distance from the neck to the tail.
What fabric to choose
When choosing material for tailoring a vest for a dog, you need to consider the conditions under which walks will take place. For the southern regions of our country, a fleece that is not blown by the wind is perfect. However, this fabric is hygroscopic and with frequent walks in damp will get wet, endangering the pet. Knitted fabric is very warm, besides it looks stylish. But, unfortunately, it is too easily soiled, so it can only be worn in dry, calm weather. In more northern areas, it is necessary to use an additional layer of insulation. A sintepon in 4-6 mm is suitable.
The top layer is usually made of Bologna or dirt-repellent fabric. You just need to make sure that the vest for the dog is not too warm, otherwise the pet may overheat and receive heat stroke, which is just as dangerous as hypothermia.
Sewing tips
After transferring the pattern to the fabric, you can start sewing the vest for the dog with your own hands. When cutting parts on all sides, 1-1.5 cm is added. If a lining is provided, then 2 layers can be chipped with English pins and cut them at the same time. Another technique for quick transfer to the fabric is to bend the pattern and fabric in the middle, combine all parts, circle and cut. Then both halves of the product will be symmetrical. In this case, the top and lining are circled and cut separately. All work on tailoring a vest for a dog is performed according to the instructions:
- Cut parts from fabric.
- Sew shoulder and side seams.
- Sew the zipper first to the top, and then to the lining from the inside.
- Unscrew on the face and stitch, departing from the edge of the fabric 2 mm.
- Sew the edges with a zigzag stitch.
- From the front of the sleeves, bend the edges of the fabric inward, bait by hand, and then flash it on the machine.
- Handle the bottom of the dog vest in the same way.
- Iron finished seams.
After the shoulder and side stitches are sewn, you can perform a preliminary fitting - put on a vest on the pet and see how it sits. If the armholes of the sleeves are too narrow or the collar does not fit snugly around the neck, then the pattern can be expanded or reduced. Wide armholes are easy to fix if you build a wide oblique trim.
Additional fixtures and accessories
Even when using the standard pattern taken on the Internet, it will turn out to perform a beautiful individual thing. More experienced craftswomen can experiment with different colors of fabrics, combining them in the product. However, in this case it will be much more difficult to fit the parts.
A simpler way is to take multi-colored buttons with letters or numbers for decoration, to make original embroidery with the name of the pet on the clothes for a small dog. Special rhinestones that are glued with an iron are now sold. These and other thermal stickers will help make the product exclusive. And if you add protective elements and army attributes, you can create a tactical vest for the dog, similar to what is used for animals in the police.
If you attach strong material to the collar with a ring in the middle, you can use clothes instead of harness, attaching a leash to it. Owners of especially mobile dogs that have already run away repeatedly attach a moisture-resistant capsule to the vest. It contains doggie data recorded on paper - phone, address or other information.
Clothing Care Tips
As a rule, small dogs are very active. Walking with them often turns into running with obstacles, so outerwear is often messed up. Constant washing after each walk will result in quick wear of the vest. For autumn, it is recommended to make 2-3 vests so that you can walk several times a day. Clothing for dogs made of Bologna cloth is perfectly cleaned of dirt with a sponge. After that, it remains only to dry it on the battery.
If after a walk it is necessary to wash the vest for the dog in the typewriter, it is better to use baby or household soap, previously grated or finely chopped. Such a detergent will not cause an allergy in the pet and will perfectly remove any dirt.