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Every winter we have a dilemma with our indoor Cocker Spaniel: if we leave him hairy, he's too hot for indoor life and walks around panting and drinking water incessantly. If we shave him, he's too cold when he goes outside.
This winter I solved the dilemma: I shaved the hair off his back and belly and part of his legs, then used his own hair to make a coat for him. His hair was needle-felted into a tailored wool coat that he can wear outdoors and be toasty warm, then take off when he comes back inside. Problem solved!
How to felt a dog hair coat.
You will need:
Water and soap
Grooming shears
A piece of wool or craft felting fabric
Hook and loop fastening tape
Scissors
Straight pins
Needle and thread
A felting brush
A felting needle (preferably a multi-needle gadget)
This winter I solved the dilemma: I shaved the hair off his back and belly and part of his legs, then used his own hair to make a coat for him. His hair was needle-felted into a tailored wool coat that he can wear outdoors and be toasty warm, then take off when he comes back inside. Problem solved!
How to felt a dog hair coat.
You will need:
Water and soap
Grooming shears
A piece of wool or craft felting fabric
Hook and loop fastening tape
Scissors
Straight pins
Needle and thread
A felting brush
A felting needle (preferably a multi-needle gadget)
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Signing UpStep 1Get Some Hair of the Dog
Almost any animal fur is good for felting. Using your own dog's hair to make a felted coat for him is ideal. You can't get a better color match!
However, getting your dogs hair can be tricky. Dog's don't naturally take to being groomed. My main tips for DIY dog grooming are:
Put the hair in a bag and save for later.
However, getting your dogs hair can be tricky. Dog's don't naturally take to being groomed. My main tips for DIY dog grooming are:
- Wash your dog with soap or shampoo before grooming and dry him completely.
- Let your dog get used to the grooming shears over a couple days. Show him the shears, turn them on, and give him a treat. Repeat this until he allows you "access" to his fur.
- Always shave in the direction of hair growth
- Hold your dog with one arm if necessary while shaving with the other
Put the hair in a bag and save for later.
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Brilliant because who else would have thought of this
Embarrassing for the dog because think about how he/she feels if fort of his/hers doggy friends
I have a year-round shedder and have been brushing and saving my pup's fur for many years but never knew what to do with it. I have thought of spinning and making into a hat/scarf for me, needlework for the wall, or a crocheted likeness of him. The canine coat was one of my ideas, but with the same problem of a hot long-haired dog. However, I do like the idea of a coat for the other dog -- a short-haired lab mix.
I wish others would share their creative thoughts on this fun and abundant freebie!
That is both creepy* and awesome.
* Shades of that guy from the Hannibal Lecter stories. The one that skinned his victims and turned them into a suit...
brilliant, but a little creepy. lol
Should I be thankful that my dog has hair that's too short for something like this? And somehow manages to stay quite warm in the winter without a coat?
Nice job, anyway.
Alas, my wife said NOOOOOO thats gross and weird. I didn't think it weird at all, keeping in mind the other bizarre things that dogs do.
Now I know how to make it happen on my own!!!
I'm surprised by my dog's reaction to this coat. I thought he'd go into his usual "rejection mode" when I put it on--you know, freezing in place and shaking like a leaf. But once I got it on him, he scampered about like he was in his own skin. Probably because he was in his own skin. : )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSOh34982Vo
I actually considered having a cat freeze-dried, but it was WAY over my budget. In hindsight (now that the grief has mellowed), I'm glad I was forced to go with the more traditional pictures and flower patch. I was 1 cat over the legal limit at the time so I couldn't go out and adopt another which made it harder to move on.
There is a new show on TV - American Stuffers - that features a family of taxidermists that specialize in pet taxidermy. I feel for the clients, but I think in the long run a new pet to love is healthier and equally respectful of the bond they shared with their deceased pet.
Sorry for hhijacking the "pet coat" thread into a "pet grief" thread.
Kiteman is right, it does have a certain canine Buffalo Bill creepiness to it. But a cocker spaniel is the breed least likely to serially murder anyone. It was on an unaired episode of Dogs 101. The most likely breed? Bloodhound, obviously.