How to Knit a Sweater for Your Dog

Sweater on a dog

As the leaves change colours and it starts colder again, we have to pull sweaters out of the closet. Sweaters keep us warm and cosy, and that’s something our dogs can benefit from as well!

If you like to knit, why not pick up a new pattern and learn how to knit a sweater for your dog? Knitting sweaters for your dog and as gifts for other people can be lots of fun. 

Keep reading to learn about DIY puppy sweaters and how they can keep your pup warm during the colder seasons. 

Sweaters for Dogs

Knitting a sweater for your dog or as a gift for someone else’s dog is a fantastic way to show your creativity. As a knitter, you get to pick the stitch, the colour, and any additions you want, or you can take requests! Get your dog to choose the yarn by putting a few colours on the floor and see which one they go toward!

Learning how to knit a sweater for your dog can be fun, but you want to ensure it stays clean. You can prevent bacteria and germs from getting on the sweater by using a sanitiser like Alpha Tech Pet in their crate. This will keep it from carrying anything icky between washes. 

How to Measure Your Dog 

To measure your dog, you want to get the length of its back from below its collar to the base of its tail. This will tell you how long it takes to make the sweater. You should also measure the circumference of their neck and chest and the width between their front legs. Lastly, measure from their neck to where the leg openings will be. 

Once you have your dog’s measurements, it’ll be much easier to knit something that will fit them. You may want to wait until your dog is fully grown before knitting them a sweater because puppies grow rapidly!

Where to Find Knitting Patterns

There are a bunch of websites to find dog sweater knitting patterns. You can customize however you want and even add hoods with covers for their ears. 

You can also turn an old used sweater into a dog sweater if you want a more straightforward sweater project. All you need to worry about is making a few easy cuts. This will keep a dog warm as they wait for their cosy winter sweater.

Now You Know How to Knit a Sweater for Your Dog

Learning how to knit a sweater for a pet or loved one can be a great experience. Giving a handmade gift has so much sentiment and is almost always appreciated. If you live somewhere with harsher winters, you may want to consider getting jackets for dogs rated for much colder temps and just let your dog cosy up at home in their sweater.

Want more information on pets and pet clothing? You can find it all on our website. One of our most recent blog posts talked about keeping your dogs healthy. If that interests you, click on our blog!