Domestic dachshunds get cold in the cold season and need good warm clothes. Of course, stores selling pet supplies offer a large selection of equipment, and online stores offer a huge range of items for all occasions and seasons. But there are not always funds for this. Making clothes for a dachshund with your own hands is quite simple, you just need time and a little desire. Well, we’ll tell you how now.
How to take measurements
Sewing any product begins with a pattern, and the pattern is built according to the measurements taken. In order for the item to be sewn correctly, fit well on the dog and not interfere with it during a walk, you need to take the correct measurements.
The most important rule is that we take all measurements when the dog is in a “standing” position.
Need to measure:
- The neck circumference is where a dog usually wears a collar.
- Chest circumference is the widest part of the chest. The measurement is taken behind the front paws.
- The tummy circumference or “waist” is the thinnest part of the body. Measure in front of the hind legs.
- The volume of the front paw at its widest part.
- Distance from the neck (first measurement) to the front paws along the chest line.
- Distance from the neck to the beginning of the tail.
- The distance between the front paws along the chest (a centimeter parallel to the floor).
Based on the measurements taken, you can begin to build a pattern for the future update of your favorite dachshund. On a piece of paper we draw a line equal to the length of the back plus 8-10 cm. Then we draw a line down equal to half the volume of the chest plus 3-5 cm and build a rectangle. On this line we mark the distance from the neck to the front paws and set aside half of the distance between the front paws (our last measurement). This will be the slot for the paws. If you are confused, there are detailed diagrams below.
Attach the pattern to the dog and adjust it if you want the item to fit tighter. If it’s the other way around and the clothes should be looser, add a few more centimeters when transferring them to the fabric. Do not forget about seam allowances, at least 0.5-1 cm.
Fabric selection
The type of material for sewing dog clothes depends on the specific product:
- Bologna is suitable for a raincoat;
- For lining it is better to use plush, padding polyester, or fleece;
- polyester is a good option for overalls;
- 100% cotton is suitable for all other types of clothing.
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Note. In order not to make a mistake with the amount of fabric, first you need to make a pattern of the model on paper. Another point: sewing clothes from a plain material is easier, since the fabric with a pattern needs to be adjusted to the pattern. For the same reason, you will need more multi-colored material (about 50 cm) than regular (one-color) material.
DIY dachshund blanket
The simplest and at the same time convenient, practical and functional thing for a dachshund is a blanket. Sewing it with your own hands is not at all difficult. This will require a minimum of time and consumables:
- a piece of fabric measuring approximately 75*75 cm;
- about 3 m of bias tape for edging the edges (you can cut it yourself, but it’s easier to buy ready-made);
- accessories for fastening - Velcro 25-30 cm or several buttons;
- pattern.
You can sew either on a sewing machine or by hand. The process itself is simple, but in the second case it will take a little longer.
Transfer the pattern and sew the blanket
Fold the piece of fabric in half with the right sides facing in. Place the paper pattern so that the middle of the back is on the fold of the fabric (in this case, the back will be without a seam). You will get 1 back piece and 1 breast piece. From the remaining fabric, cut a rectangle about 11*17 cm - this is the collar for the blanket.
Sew the back to the chest, sew on the collar, and trim the free edges with bias tape. The seams can be finished with an edge stitch to prevent fraying. Sew Velcro or buttons onto the collar and sides of the blanket. New clothes for your dachshund's wardrobe are ready.
No sewing
Even if the owner of a dachshund does not know how to sew and knit, this is not a reason to leave her pet without fashionable clothes. To make an original outfit, children's clothing, an old sweater, and a sock are suitable.
To make warm clothes for a small dachshund, a terry sock or stocking will do just fine.
It is enough to mark the places for the puppy’s paws and tail on the unfolded toe, make holes and cut off the heel - and half the job is done. All that remains is to process the cuts and decorate the resulting sweater as desired.
The sleeve of a warm jumper will make a great outfit for a dachshund, which can be made in one to two hours. Cut off the sleeve, remove the excess based on the length of the dog and 7–10 cm, which will go to the collar. The algorithm of actions is simple - cut out holes for the paws, crochet them and you can dress up the dog. For the winter version, additionally sew on sleeves for the paws.
Knitted clothes for a little pet can be made from an old sweater, hat or even scarf.
If you first wash the sleeve in the washing machine at a hot temperature several times, it will shrink and resemble a felted item. A sweater made from such a sleeve is suitable even for severe frosts.
Since dachshunds are characterized by having a rather short coat, which is not able to protect the pet from the cold, clothing for them is not an ordinary luxury, but a necessary attribute of everyday life.
You can make a sweater from an old hat in a similar way - the main thing is that the product is long enough for a dachshund. Holes for the paws and head are cut out in the same way as before. To prevent the product from unraveling, the cuts are processed - and this is where the work on making an excellent vest ends. You can try on a new outfit for your dachshund.
DIY overalls for dachshunds
Sewing overalls for a dachshund is not difficult even for novice needlewomen. You just need to slightly adjust the existing pattern for the blanket:
- If necessary, extend the line of the back.
- Cut the back in two parts, since in overalls it is better to fasten at the top. Velcro or zipper are suitable for this purpose.
- Make the sleeves one-piece, modeling them directly on the pattern, or set-in, cutting them separately according to previously taken measurements. The length of the sleeve depends only on your preferences.
- Add 2-3 cm to the length of the sleeve so that you can make cuffs and insert an elastic band into them.
- Pay attention to the length of the chest - for a boy it ends just above the waist, for a girl you can extend it further so that almost the entire stomach is covered.
To begin, transfer the pattern onto a plain, thin fabric and baste it so that you can adjust it on your dog if necessary. For the final option, choose a durable and dense material, preferably waterproof, but not too rustling. Loud rustling of clothes can irritate the dog and cause discomfort, and walks will turn into torture.
You may be interested in - clothes and shoes for dogs: how to choose the right one or sew it yourself
Fashion ideas for different occasions
A dachshund’s personal wardrobe is needed not only to protect the animal from bad weather and cold. With the help of clothing, the owner shows the personality and charm of his pet.
Exhibition options
At the exhibition it is especially important to demonstrate your pet in all its glory. And a beautiful outfit may well serve this purpose. Dog owners can decorate their pets with unusual clothes, bought in a store or made with their own hands.
A fashionable wardrobe for a dog may include:
- overalls;
- blankets;
- sweaters;
- coat;
- jackets;
- vests;
- trousers;
- tunics;
- caps and hats;
- smart shoes.
For winter
For cold, snowy winters, overalls with high-quality insulation or a fur coat are perfect for dachshunds to wear. Your dog should have several warm clothes in his wardrobe in order to wash them.
Fur shoes will be a good addition to your winter wardrobe. Warm boots will protect your delicate paw pads from frostbite.
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Knitted clothes for dachshunds
If you know how to handle knitting needles and balls of thread at least a little, try knitting clothes for your pet. Every knitter always has leftover yarn from previous projects. You will need about 200 grams of thread and knitting needles of suitable thickness. Knitting a sweater for a dachshund is a simple and quick activity:
- Always start from the neckline, knit the first 10-12 rows with an elastic band. If you want a collar with a turn-up, double the number of rows.
- If you want the sweater to fit tightly, decrease the loops from the middle of the fabric to the waist according to the dog’s measurements.
- The sleeves can be knitted on circular knitting needles, picking up stitches from the product, or knitted separately and sewn to the finished sweater.
Beginning knitters can get by with simple stocking stitch or stockinette stitch, decorating the finished item with buttons, appliques or a brooch. More experienced craftswomen will delight their pets with sweaters with braids, plaits and other original patterns.
When choosing threads, give preference to natural yarn or one that contains at least 40% natural wool or cotton fibers.
Knitting
The most common type of knitted clothing for dachshunds is a sweater.
Knitted sweater
To create an item you will need:
- Prepare knitting needles, yarn, zipper.
- Start knitting from the neckline. It can be of two types: with or without a lapel. With each new level the number of loops increases. This is necessary so that the dog’s chest is completely covered with fabric.
- Having tied the product to the front paws, they move to the back. The number of loops decreases as you approach the tail.
- Next, knit the holes for the paws, and then the bottom of the sweater. The bottom of the product is made with a simple elastic band (the same as the neck).
- The next stage is the sleeves. To do this, you need to knit 2 rectangles and connect them along the edges, creating cylinders. They are then sewn to the holes of the sweater.
- A fastener is attached to the free edges of the product.
Creating clothes for Dachshund dogs is not an easy task and requires certain skills. However, the time and effort spent more than pays off with an excellent result - because now the pet has its own unique clothes, thanks to which the dachshund will feel comfortable in any bad weather, and will also stand out from other dogs.
