While a chihuahua may start to shiver at temperatures of 40 degrees, an American Staffie won’t start feeling the chill until it dips to 30 degrees," Simon says. First, you need some measurements. Get out your measuring tape, and measure the spots on your dog to fill in the printable. I recommend being generous with your measuring—don’t make the measuring tape too tight. I sewed with a 3/8″ seam allowance here and didn’t add it to my pattern because I knew I measured loosely. Dogs fluctuate in weight just like humans do, so it’s nice to have a little bit of space to be able to adjust. Write all those measurements down in the spaces provided.

How to Make Ginger Tea.It is rare for a fall or winter day to go by without my drinking a giant pot of ginger tea. It is so spicy and soothing. I hit up my fabric stash to find the fabric for the coat, and then I headed to my local Meijer store to get all the notions. Did you know that Meijer has an amazing craft section including tons of sewing supplies? The Gooby Padded Vest has a built-in D-ring leash connection at the top making it a vest and harness in one. "Not having to add a harness underneath or on top saves time and makes it much easier to get my dog ready for walks," shared our tester.Each of the animals gets one big, special present each year, too. This year, our special present to our dog Ivy is a homemade custom dog coat! According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, short-haired and short-legged breeds are more likely to have a lower tolerance for cold, while young dogs, senior dogs, and pets with health conditions may need more help regulating their body temperature. This amount of fabric will work for most dogs. If you have a tiny dog, you’ll have quite a bit left over, and if you have a very large dog, you’ll need to get more. My philosophy is that it’s always better to err on the side of having too much fabric than not enough. In general, dog coats don’t need to be washed that often. “Dogs don’t sweat, and their coats tend to stay clean on the inside,” says Simon. “However, they should be washed a few times each season, especially if your dog is keen on rolling in grass or lying on mud.” Next, using the measurements you just took, recreate the shape at the bottom of the printable to scale on a large sheet of pattern paper, wrapping paper, newsprint, or any other large sheet of paper. This shape will look very boxy.

No matter the breed or character of your dog, your loyal companion deserves the absolute best you can give them. For many of us, treating our dogs well means taking them on plenty of walks to give them sufficient exercise, as well as providing them with a healthy diet and making sure they have a good selection of toys. While this is an excellent start and a sign of a great dog owner, making sure dogs stay warm and protected from poor weather and cold conditions while they are on a walk should be an additional priority for owners, but this can often be overlooked.

Quilted waterproof dog coat with built in harness

But other breeds aren't as prepared for cold weather, with some smaller dogs even at risk in relatively mild cold. Fold under the unfinished edge from the hole you left open and pin. Then topstitch to close the opening, and continue to stitch all the way around the coat about 1/4” from the edge of the fabric to finish. If you are stitching by hand, you can skip the topstitch for the entire piece (it’ll take you ages), and instead use a ladder stitch to finish the open end only.