Crochet Project with Pattern: Dog Sweater-Jacket

For awhile now I've been considering the idea of crocheting a sweater for my guide dog, based on the design of his winter coat. Earlier this week I finally undertook the project and I tried to take down a basic pattern for what I did, in case in anyone else wants to make a sweater-jacket like this for their dog too.

SKILL LEVEL/RATING:
beginner/easy

MEASUREMENTS:
I designed this for my large-breed dog, but it could be made for any size/shape of dog since each section of the sweater is dependent on the specific measurements of each dog.

Before you begin, you need to carefully measure your dog:

• Length: base of neck to base of tail
• Width: side to side over back (to as far down as you want the sweater to hang on the dog's sides)
• Belly: side to side under dog behind front legs + at least 2” for button hole
• Chest: shoulder to shoulder above front legs

My guide dog is a 60 pound male English Chocolate Labrador Retriever and his measurements were approximately 25” in length, 22” wide and 9" belly (29" in total girth + 2" for the button hole work), and 12” chest.

NOTE: My pattern is just a rough guide. If your dog is not similar in size/shape to my Labrador Retriever, you will likely have to do a fair amount of customization to get the sweater to fit your dog correctly.

SUPPLIES:

• Measuring Tape
• Yarn: Approximately somewhere between 650 - 1,000 yards of worsted weight yarn if you work it double-stranded like I did, if you're dog's measurements are similar to mine. I worked with a double strand of black + red/white/gray variegated yarn and worked in half-double crochets, which are thicker/fatter stitches for more warmth. However, this could easily be worked with 1 strand of any kind of yarn (which would require less) or any size of hook and your favorite stitch. You’d just have to make adjustments to the number of stitches/rows to fit your dog's measurements.
• Hook: 9.00mm (M/N)
• Darning Needle

GAUGE:
Mine was approximately 8 hdc or 7 rows = 4 inches. Since this pattern is wholly dependent on the measurements of each dog, gauge isn't really important - any weight of yarn and any size hook can be used – you’ll just have to work whatever number of stitches/rows needed to achieve the correct size for your dog.

STITCH GUIDE:
st = stitch
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
hdc = half double crochet

NOTE: the chain 2 at the beginning of each row does NOT count as a stitch in any of the parts of this sweater.

BACK PANEL:
ch 52.
Row 1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (50 st)
Row 2: ch 2 turn, hdc in each hdc across (50 st)
Row 3 – 40?: Repeat Row 2 until desired length is reached (Alternate back shaping: If I made this again I might be tempted to gradually round off the back - by decreasing at edges - after about the middle of the back rectangle, since the back of the sweater may not really need to be as wide or hang as far down on the dog’s body at the hips as it does at the shoulders)
Fasten off. (optional: I put a rim of hdc around my rectangular back panel for a more finished look, but it’s not absolutely necessary)

CHEST PANEL:
ch 13.
Row 1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across (11 st)
Row 2: ch 2 turn, hdc in each hdc across (11 stitches)
Row 3: turn (do not chain), sl st in 1st hdc (thereby decreasing by 1 stitch to shape for neck), hdc in next 10 hdc (10 st)
Row 4: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (10 st)
Row 5: turn (do not chain), sl st in 1st hdc (decreasing 1 stitch for neck shaping), hdc in next 9 hdc across (9 st)
Row 6: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (9 st)
Row 7: turn (do not chain), sl st in 1st hdc (decreasing 1 stitch for neck shaping), hdc in next 8 hdc across (8 st)
Row 8: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (8 st)
Row 9 & 10?: Repeat row 8. (these rows may need to be repeated more or left out all together to achieve the correct size for your dog, so be sure to keep track of your measurements)
Row 11: ch 2, turn, 2 hdc in first hdc, 1 hdc in next 7 hdc (9 st)
Row 12: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (9 stitches)
Row 13: ch 2, turn, 2 hdc in first hdc, 1 hdc in next 8 hdc (10 st)
Row 14: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (10 stitches)
Row 15: ch 2, turn, 2 hdc in first hdc, 1 hdc in next 9 hdc (11 st)
Row 14: ch 2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (11 st)
Fasten off. (optional: again I rimmed the piece in hdc for a more finished look, but it’s not necessary)

BELLY STRAP:
ch 10.
Row 1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook and across (8 st.)
Row 2: hdc in each st across (8 st)
Row 3-9?: repeat row 2 until approximately 2 inches before desired length has been reached.
Row 10: turn (do not ch), sl st in 1st hdc, hdc in next 6 hdc, sl st in last hdc (6 st)
Row 11: turn (do not ch), hdc in next 6 hdc. (6 st)
Row 12: ch 2, turn, hdc in next 6 hdc (6 st)
Row 13: ch 2, turn, hdc in next 3 hdc, ch 2 (for button hole), 1 hdc in the next 3 hdc, sl st in last hdc. (6 st)
Row 14: ch 2, turn, hdc in next 3 hdc, 2 hdc in ch-space, 1 hdc in next 3 hdc (8 st)
Fasten off (optional: once again I rimmed the piece in hdc for a more finished look, but it’s not absolutely necessary)

ASSEMBLY:
With darning needle sew wide ends of chest section onto end of back section
Sew belly section onto one side of back section, leaving space for dog's front legs in front of strap.
Sew button onto opposite side of back section – aligning it with the belly strap button hole end.

NECKLINE: (optional)
I added 2 rounds of hdc around the circle created from attaching the chest section to the back panel, so it would fit up a little closer around my dog’s neck to better keep out the cold. I found that adding some rounds in the neckline also gives the garment better structural integrity, helping to avoid over-stretching of the chest panel.

Weave in ends, and you're done!

I just took rough notes as I made the project and typed them up here, so please let me know if there are any mistakes. And if you use my pattern to make a sweater for your dog please let me know (we'd love to see pictures!). :-)



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