ADVICE: Making Dog Costumes
QUESTION:
Does anyone know how to make a costume for a dog? Not where to buy one.?
I have googled it, and I only found where to buy one.
REPLY:
I've worked in the Fashion Industry and with Costume Designers. Although it isn't with Pets, the best place to start would be by using a the methods of a Human Being as a template for that of an animal.
If you're going for a full body costume for an animal, you'll have to take into account the hindquarters, which could get complicated. However, if you restrict yourself to the coat or top portion, you'd most likely use a tape measure for the arms and measure the breadth of the chest.
To be on the safe side, I'd measure the width of the forearms and then add about 1.5 - 2 inches for a medium size dog like a Labrador. If it's Jack Russell Terrier or a Chihuahua, probably about an inch.
The reason why you leave room is so that the seams won't strain under the pressure. You want to have enough room for the coat to breath and allow movement with the legs so that it's not restricted.
Choose a fabric that is resistent to dog hair. It will look tacky if you choose a material that attracts dog hair like lint. Depending on the color of your dog's hair, you could cheat a bit by choosing fabric that is light for a dog with light hair or dark if the dog has dark hair.
Take into account that dogs scratch their ears and roll around. When you sew the material, you'll want it to be able to resist regular wear and tear as well as be machine washable when your dog gets it dirty.
If you want a professional opinion, go to the tux shops and tell them about your situation. Ask them how they go about measuring the chest, arms, and legs of men that go to their store.
Sales staff and store managers at those tailor shops will understand your plight if you tell them that there are no animal seamstresses and where you have to sew it by yourself. They'll be able to give you advice and tips on what how they tailor clothes for humans and you can apply the same model for your dog.
If your dog has never worn a costume before, you might want to get it used to wearing clothes. It would be a shame to put in all that work into making a costume only to have your dog shun wearing it.
You can prep your dog by getting it used to wearing clothes. If you're experienced at sewing, you can practice by going to the local Salvation Army and buying tops such as sweaters or pullovers that you can alter yourself and practice tailoring to fit your dog.
Take the dog's measurements. Then go to Value Village, Salvation Army, or whatever used clothing store. Go to the children's section or teen section and pick out old clothes that you can take home and adjust using the measurements that you took from your pet.
This is good way to practice with old clothes and get the look and feel before you take on the task of making a dog costume.
Who knows? If you play your cards right and you become proficient at making "dog clothes," you can open an online store and run your own business.
If you need help with that, look me up. I work with a Pet Stores that sell high quality merchandisefor Pets and there are a lot of Celebrities that would love to dress their animals in pet gear.
Does anyone know how to make a costume for a dog? Not where to buy one.?
I have googled it, and I only found where to buy one.
REPLY:
I've worked in the Fashion Industry and with Costume Designers. Although it isn't with Pets, the best place to start would be by using a the methods of a Human Being as a template for that of an animal.
If you're going for a full body costume for an animal, you'll have to take into account the hindquarters, which could get complicated. However, if you restrict yourself to the coat or top portion, you'd most likely use a tape measure for the arms and measure the breadth of the chest.
To be on the safe side, I'd measure the width of the forearms and then add about 1.5 - 2 inches for a medium size dog like a Labrador. If it's Jack Russell Terrier or a Chihuahua, probably about an inch.
The reason why you leave room is so that the seams won't strain under the pressure. You want to have enough room for the coat to breath and allow movement with the legs so that it's not restricted.
Choose a fabric that is resistent to dog hair. It will look tacky if you choose a material that attracts dog hair like lint. Depending on the color of your dog's hair, you could cheat a bit by choosing fabric that is light for a dog with light hair or dark if the dog has dark hair.
Take into account that dogs scratch their ears and roll around. When you sew the material, you'll want it to be able to resist regular wear and tear as well as be machine washable when your dog gets it dirty.
If you want a professional opinion, go to the tux shops and tell them about your situation. Ask them how they go about measuring the chest, arms, and legs of men that go to their store.
Sales staff and store managers at those tailor shops will understand your plight if you tell them that there are no animal seamstresses and where you have to sew it by yourself. They'll be able to give you advice and tips on what how they tailor clothes for humans and you can apply the same model for your dog.
If your dog has never worn a costume before, you might want to get it used to wearing clothes. It would be a shame to put in all that work into making a costume only to have your dog shun wearing it.
You can prep your dog by getting it used to wearing clothes. If you're experienced at sewing, you can practice by going to the local Salvation Army and buying tops such as sweaters or pullovers that you can alter yourself and practice tailoring to fit your dog.
Take the dog's measurements. Then go to Value Village, Salvation Army, or whatever used clothing store. Go to the children's section or teen section and pick out old clothes that you can take home and adjust using the measurements that you took from your pet.
This is good way to practice with old clothes and get the look and feel before you take on the task of making a dog costume.
Who knows? If you play your cards right and you become proficient at making "dog clothes," you can open an online store and run your own business.
If you need help with that, look me up. I work with a Pet Stores that sell high quality merchandisefor Pets and there are a lot of Celebrities that would love to dress their animals in pet gear.