How to Make a Dog Jacket

By Michelle Powell-Smith

Overview

A lightweight dog jacket may be ideal for a sun sensitive dog, rainy weather, or a short haired dog on chilly fall or spring days. Making your own dog jacket allows you to customize the fit for your dog's frame. This is especially helpful for very small or large dogs. Choose fabrics suited to your climate and weather needs.

Step 1

Measure your dog's chest and neck. Write down both of these measurements. You should also determine how long and wide you would like your dog's jacket to be. A jacket for warmth or sun protection may cover less than one used for as a rain jacket.

Step 2

Draw a rectangle on your pattern tracing paper or newsprint. This rectangle should be the desired length of your dog jacket, plus enough additional length to accommodate the dog jacket neckband and 1 inch for seams. The width should match your desired dog coat width, plus 1 inch for seams.

Step 3

Round off all four corners of your rectangle, narrowing the neck end slightly more than the tail end. Mark a hole the size of your dog's neck allowing from 1 to 3 inches on all sides depending upon the size of your dog. Split the neck and add 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches to each side to allow for a Velcro closure.

Step 4

Cut your pattern out of both the inner and outer fabric. You should also cut a strip 2 inches to 4 inches wide by your dog's chest measurement plus 4 to 6 inches for a Velcro overlap.

Step 5

Place the inner and outer dog jacket body pieces' right sides together and pin. Sew using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Leave a 2- to 3-inch opening for turning. Turn right side out and press. Topstitch around the edges, closing the opening in the dog jacket.

Step 6

Press each long side of your narrow strip in toward the middle and press along the center. This will allow you to avoid turning the strip right side out after sewing. Topstitch each long edge. Press the short edges under and sew into place. Pin onto the body of your dog jacket along the chest so that it will close behind the front legs. Topstitch into place.

Step 7

Try the dog jacket on your dog and mark the placement for the snaps. Stitch the snaps into place on the neck and chest bands of your dog jacket by hand with a needle and doubled length of thread.

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