How to Make Your Own Sweater for a Teacup Chihuahua

Teacup chihuahua is a term used to refer to the smallest dogs of the chihuahua breed. Though not a breed of their own, these dogs are typically the runts of a litter, and mature to a size between one and three pounds. Due to their small size and lack of a thick, natural coat to insulate and regulate body temperature, teacup chihuahuas often need a sweater to keep warm in cold climates. Although you can knit or crochet a teacup chihuahua sweater, this version requires no sewing or yarn skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Old baby/toddler clothing
  • Scissors
  • Measuring tape
  • Fabric pen
Show More

Instructions

    • 1
      Cut one sleeve off a baby or toddler outfit.

      Cut one sleeve off a baby or toddler outfit. Select an outfit with a pattern that matches your taste, and in a size that will allow the sleeve of the clothing to comfortably fit over the dog's body. Old baby clothes can often be purchased inexpensively at garage sales or thrift stores.

    • 2
      Measure the dog for the sweater.

      Stand the dog on a safe, level surface, such as a table, where you can comfortably reach him to take measurements. Measure the circumference of the dog's chest and neck using a soft measuring tape. Continue by measuring the length of the dog from the collar area to the tail, the distance between his two front legs and the distance from the collar to the top of his front legs. Make a note of your findings.

    • 3

      Lay out the cut sleeve and measure the opening where the arm would normally slip through to ensure that it will comfortably fit the dog. If not, cut the sleeve further down to make a neck opening that matches your dog's neck measurements. From this point, measure out the distance recorded from the neck to the legs, as well as the distance between the two front legs, and make a mark on each side. Cut out a leg hole suitable for the dog at each mark.

    • 4

      Measure out the distance recorded from the dog's neck to the tail and mark the measurements on the sleeve. Cut the sleeve to size, making a tapered cut to allow room for the dog to use the bathroom without removing the sweater.

    • 5

      Try the sweater on the dog in a quiet, comfortable environment and make adjustments to the size of the leg holes, and length as necessary.