How to Make a Dog Shirt Out of an Old Sweatshirt

Some dogs easily get cold because they don't have adequate coats for their climate. If you own a short-haired dog who shivers when the temperature drops, you can make it a dog shirt out of an old sweatshirt. Choose a sweatshirt that's appropriately sized for your pet and use a pair of scissors to make the necessary alterations. The result will be a cute and cozy outer layer that keeps your dog warm.

Things You'll Need

  • Scissors
  • Marker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a sweatshirt that is close in size to your dog. If you have a small dog, use a child's sweatshirt. Put the sweatshirt on the dog to check for fit. If it is too long, use a pen to draw a line where you will cut to shorten it. Make a line on the sleeves right above the dog's elbow where you will cut to shorten them.

    • 2

      Remove the sweatshirt from the dog and cut along the lines you drew to shorten the sweatshirt along the dog's back and front legs.

    • 3

      Cut both sides of the sweatshirt along the seam, beginning from the bottom hem up to the armpit. Do not cut into the sleeves. The sweatshirt will be completely open along both sides, and attached only around the arms and neckline.

    • 4

      Open the shirt to make two flaps; the front and back. Make a total of four horizontal cuts --one on each side of the front flap, and one on each side of the back flap. Cut right in the middle of the flap, where the sweatshirt would normally hang across your stomach or the middle of your back. The length of these cuts depends on how much you need to tighten the sweatshirt around the dog. If it is already snug, make the cuts only 1 or 2 inches long. If the shirt is too large, adjust your cuts accordingly.

    • 5

      Make two more horizontal cuts right under the armpit that are the same length as the other horizontal cuts. You now have two sections on each side of the dog's body. Tie these sections together to create two decorative knots on the side of the dog as well as to tighten the sweatshirt against the dog's body.