So this was my very first attempt at making a dog sweater. Every single pattern I have found is meant for smaller dogs, but our dog Maya is a 14 1/2 year old Chocolate Lab, and it just snowed a few inches here, and this was her first time getting to wear her too-big-for-me-so-I-have-to-wear-it-with-a-clippy sweater I knitted for her!
On the plus side I now have a better idea of what information I will need to have (as far as measurements are concerned) to create my own sweater. I used this FREE pattern from Ravelry. I measured like she said to do and used the appropriate corresponding guides, but everything didn’t match up and now Maya looks like she just lost 50 pounds and just put on an old sweater that used to “fit too snug.”
I personally think she is stinkin’ adorable and she had way too much fun in the snow!
[CENTER][/CENTER]
Here is another one just for funsies. Our dog Molly (the 4 1/2 year old Corgi/Heeler mix) is wearing a sweater that was knitted for her from a much more experienced knitter.
[CENTER][/CENTER]
… and this is my most favorite picture that I took of them the other day. John (my boyfriend) said that they look like they just saw Santa Clause. lol
Does anyone else have free dog sweater patterns that love to use or have tried?
Thank you! I can see now why there are a bunch of smaller dog patterns. It took me about a week to complete it and my hands were definitely painful afterwards, but now I know how to make the next one better!
I thought Maya’s face was perfect in that picture for “seeing Santa.” It was almost like she was saying, “Oh my god, noo waaay!” hahah
Awww…cute doggies. I haven’t personally knitted a dog sweater but I can tell you that in my pre-knitting days I bought some pricey hand-knitted sweaters for our two medium sized dogs (40 and 50 pounds). We live in Truckee, California, which often has the US’s coldest morning temps in the winter (today the low was -9). Did the sweaters stay on the dogs? For maybe 2 minutes! Once she rid herself of the sweater, the smaller dog snatched it up and ran off into the woods with it, and it was never seen again!
We still have one of those thankless animals, and a new furbaby who is a black lab mix, and needless to say, I’m not in a hurry to knit anything for them, lol!
The sweaters look very good on your dogs and, they like them! Great pictures, too.
Jinx, I love your story. My dog would have done the same (shrugged out of the sweater and then “lost” it). Not one for a sweater, he preferred snowballs hanging off his own coat.
hahaha My old dog Duke (golden retriever I had to put to sleep in 2009 from cancer of the tongue :() wasn’t a fan of clothing either. My old Heeler mix (that I had to put to sleep in 2002 because someone poisoned her with anti-freeze… people are really crappy sometimes) had a neck phobia and couldn’t handle collars, so I had to use harnesses on her - not a fan of clothing either! My Corgi/Heeler and John’s lab ADORE clothing, so I have waaaay too much fun!
Maya gets little snowballs on her mouth when she eats the snow. Thanks for the compliment on the pictures! I love photography.
Beautiful coats, and beautiful doggies too. Although I had to laugh at other peeps doggies not liking their efforts to keep them warm! What a shame about your Heeler, I’d like to say something much stronger about the person who did that, but this is a nice forum!!
I said a lot of “stronger” things while it was happening, but most importantly I had to be strong for her. Poor dog. My dogs are my kids (so far) and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them
… and yes, everyone else’s “get this crap off of me” dog reactions were perfect!
Thank you! Maya is our old lady. She reminds me of a 90 year old, old lady walking around with a walker with a smirk on her face telling everyone, “I’m doing it, I’m doing it, I’M STILL WALKING PEOPLE!”
Yep. When they don’t have to wear their collars or sweaters (same with my cats), then they’re having “naked time.” They don’t have to wear their clothing right now. Silly, nudists.
I’m a new knitter and I just started on a hoodie for my dog. I really like yours. I can already see in the pattern that I am using that I am going to need help when I get to the leg holes. I don’t really understand that part.
When you run into things you don’t understand, go to the How-to Questions forum and ask away! If your pattern is online, please be sure to include its link; if not giving its name and where you got it is helpful. A few lines from the pattern is sometimes what’s needed. This seems to be the most confusing part for dog sweaters.
[/CENTER]
[/CENTER]
[/CENTER]
I can see now why there are a bunch of smaller dog patterns. It took me about a week to complete it and my hands were definitely painful afterwards, but now I know how to make the next one better! 
tugging at my heartstrings. And a Corgi/Heeler, nice dogs and the sweaters look great on them.