Here Come The Holidays -Part 2: Apparel

Many people feel that dogs don't need sweaters or jackets and in some cases, maybe most cases that's probably true. There are some dogs because they are very small and don't have much body fat to keep them warm that need some help keeping warm when the weather turns cold. Some dogs have very short haircuts that may cause them to shiver and some dogs are elderly or sickly and need some extra warmth.


Then there are those of us who just enjoy dressing our dogs up in those cute little outfits. My Lucy needed a sweater in cold weather. She got very cold and because she had some aches and pains from old age, she appreciated the help. She was also a diva at heart and thought she looked gorgeous in her little silver jacket with the fur collar.

The shirts above only fit Morgan now, though they were originally purchased for the pups. Morgan likes to wear a shirt or sweater when she's just had a haircut. I also use a shirt on her if she gets into one of her licking cycles and won't stop licking and chewing on herself. A shirt helps break the cycle and lets the skin heal.


This is Samba's sweater. She loves getting dressed up and likes being admired.


I love these little suede jackets with the fuzzy trim. They look so warm and soft.


This is my favorite dog jacket ever. I bought it for Samba at one of our breed specialties. It closes with velcro along the back. The dog just steps in and you close it up. It's easy to get on and off and it fully covers the chest so it's nice and warm. If anyone knows where to find jackets made like this, please let me know. I'd like to get some more.


There are lots of places online to buy dog apparel and I'll show a few of them.


These two styles
are from Sit Stay.






These are from Dog.com
Notice, Chan, that the first one come in both pink and purple.




The fancy holiday duds are from Pet Edge.




The two everyday styles are also from Pet Edge.









The four styles above are all found at In The Company Of Dogs. I love their jackets, but they tend to be a little pricey.



These three are sold by The Puppy Shop. As the name implies, they cater to smaller dogs, but their prices are great.

A lot of us are crafty and maybe you've been thinking about making a jacket or sweater for your dog.


There are lots of patterns for making cute dog clothes.


I have a number of knitting books for making dog sweaters. I've knit and sold a lot of them, but I've never knit a sweater for one of my own dogs. That's about to change. As soon as the holidays are over, I'm knitting some sweaters for my pups.


You don't have to buy a pattern to make your best friend a jacket. There are several online. This one can be found at Fleece Dog Sweater.


Directions for this little quilted number can be found here, Pretty Little Things.


These are found on Martha Stewart's site.

There are tons of knitting and crochet directions for dog sweaters on Ravelry and lots of other sites. Check the yarn companies such as Lion Brand. They have free patterns of all descriptions.

Try one and see what your dog thinks about it. You might be surprised at the reaction.