There’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing a cute little puppy snugly dressed in a crochet sweater. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of crocheting a dog sweater specifically designed for precious puppies. Whether you’re an experienced crocheter or a beginner, this step-by-step tutorial will help you create a cozy and stylish garment that your furry friend will love.
Puppy Crochet Sweater Inspiration
Hi Folks!
I am so pleased to bring you my quick and easy crochet dog sweater pattern for puppies today.
I designed it for the newest addition to our family, Odie, a Havanese Shih Tzu mix, when he was only 8 weeks old.
He weighed about 2-4lbs and was about 6-inches long.
So, this pattern should work for other fur babies of similar size.
Now, this pattern is actually just a smaller version of my quick and easy small dog sweater pattern.
A pattern I designed for my two precious Yorkshire Terriers, Jack, and Jake, and which has been one of my most popular posts for years.
However, suddenly, I have had multiple readers email me in the past few months asking for a smaller version of this pattern.
And s
So, I made some quick mathematical changes to the pattern based on sweaters my Yorkie’s had worn around 8-weeks of age and sent it off to the requesters.
The caveat was that the pattern was untested as I did not yet have an 8-week old puppy to try it out on, but all requesters were happy to receive the pattern anyway. 😃
And then… about a week before Thanksgiving, we welcomed baby Odie into our home.
He was an 8-week old ball of fluff and simply adorable!
I knew this was my opportunity to test out the modified quick and easy small dog sweater pattern.
So, I quickly whipped the pattern up, designed a little plaid bowtie to place on the neck, and put it on Odie.
And to my most pleasant surprise, it fit!
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How to Crochet a Small Dog Sweater for Puppies
**THIS IS AN ORIGINAL PATTERN. Please see my Copyright Statement for details.
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This pattern is available as a large print, ad-free, printable PDF pattern.
Summary:
This quick and easy small dog crochet sweater for puppies is warm and stylish. Embellished with a handsome plaid bowtie (pattern included) your little fur babies will stay fashionable and cozy during the chilly autumn and winter months. Plus, it’s super easy to put together! Even the newest of crochet beginners can do it, I promise. 🙂
Difficulty level: Level 1 – Beginner
Finished Dimensions:
- Back measures about 7 1/2-inches from neck to end. See adjustment notes below for a shorter back.
- Chest measures about 4 to 5-inches from neck to belly.
Gauge:
13 stitches and 4 rows = 4 – inches in double crochet
Materials:
- Crochet Hook size J-6mm (I use a hook made by Nelsonwood)
- Medium 4 worsted weight yarn. I used Red Heart Super Saver Black.
Total yardage: less than 100 yards
Abbreviations:
Stitch (St)
Single crochet 2 together (Sc2tog) – This is called making a decrease and it is actually very easy to do! So, please don’t be put off by this. You can do it! Click the link for the tutorial.
NOTE: Pictures for tutorial below shown in Red Heart Super Saver – print Bon Bon.
Back:
~ Start at the neckline and work towards the tail.
Chain 27
Row 1: DC in 2nd ch from hook working in the BPO and then across (26 sts).
Rows 2: Ch 2, turn work, DC in 1st DC from hook and then across (26 sts)
Row 3: Repeat row 2.
~ Do not bind off. Fold collar in half lengthwise, SC through both halves across the bottom to seal the collar. when you reach the end, do not bind off, simply go ahead to row 4.
Row 4: Ch 2, turn work, DC across.
Rows 5 –13: Repeat row 4.
ADUSTMENT NOTE: If you need a shorter sweater, then you need to reduce the number of rows here to meet your specific measurements.
Row 14: Ch2, turn work, Sc2tog the first two stitches, Dc across, Sc2tog the last two stitches. (28 sts)
~ Each time you Sc2tog it reduces your stitch count by one. Since you did it twice in row 14, your stitch count should now be 24 sts.
Row 15: Repeat row 14. (26 sts)
Row 16: Ch 2, turn work, Dc in the next 12 stitches, Sc2tog the next two stitches, Dc in the last 12 stitches. (24 sts)
Chest:
~ Start at belly end and crochet towards the neck.
Chain 10
Row 1: DC in the 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across. (9 sts)
Rows 2 – 5: Ch 2, turn work, DC across.
Rows 6 – 8: Ch2, turn work, Sc2tog the first two stitches, Dc across, Sc2tog the last two stitches.
~ Remember this reduces your stitch count by two for each row because you have Sc2tog twice.
Row 9: There should be only 3 stitches left. Sc together these last 3 stitches.
~ The chest piece should essentially be a triangle shape.
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Assembly:
****For a detailed photo tutorial on the assembly, please see Nessa’s Ruffle Butt Small Dog Sweater. Full assembly photo tutorial is included in pdf pattern.
- Place chest piece in the center of back pieces with right sides together. The tip of the chest piece should be at the base of the neck. So that when the chest piece is seamed in, there will a slight opening in the neck.
- Use slip-stitch (slp st) to seam together the slight opening in the neck.
- Use slip-stitch (slp st) to seam in the chest piece.
- Leave about a 1 to 1.5-inch hole on each side for legs.
~ I used Odie as a model to figure out where to make the holes. I placed
NOTE: Sweaters are machine washable, but do not exceed 400C water temperature.
Embellishment:
Plaid Bowtie Pattern
Difficulty level: Level 1 – Beginner
Finished Dimensions:
About 4-inches long and 1.75- inches wide (at the ends).
Gauge: 16 stitches and 8 rows = 4-inches in half double crochet
Materials:
- worsted-weight (4) yarn: 3 colors, one dark, one light, and one medium. The medium shade should be a blending of the light and dark shades. I used Red Heart Black, Soft Navy, and Blue.
- Crochet Hook size I/9 5.5mm (I use a hook made by Nelsonwood, see my complete review HERE)
~ Total yardage for this pattern is less than 1 yard.
(Click HERE to find my favorite crochet tools & resources)
Abbreviations:
The pattern is written in US terms.
Stitch(es) (st/s)
Instructions:
This pattern uses the plaid stitch. Please see the Simply Chic Plaid Headband if you need help with this stitch.
With Dark Shade, Ch 14
Row 1: Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. (12 sts)
Rows 2: Turn work, ch2,
Row 3: Turn work, change to light shade, ch2,
Row 4: Repeat row 2.
~At this point, your project should be a small flat rectangle.
Finishing:
- Cut a piece of yarn about 12-inches (or longer if needed) in length.
- Tie the yarn around the middle of the crochet rectangle.
- Trim the remaining yarn ends or use them to add the bows to your other crochet projects.
Last, but not least, put the sweater on your puppy and be sure to monitor him while wearing the sweater to ensure safety and comfort.
More Crochet Dog Sweater Patterns
- Jack’s Small Dog Hoodie Sweater
- Quick & Easy Small Dog Sweater
- Ruffled Small Dog Sweater
- Medium Crochet Dog Sweater
My other Crochet Resources
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The first day we got Odie, we decided his signature color would be blue, which is why I wanted to do it little plaid bowtie in shades of blue.
I thought the sweater color that would go best was black because I really wanted the bowtie to pop.
However, you can do the coat in any color you choose.
You can also make any number of color variations for the plaid bowtie as well, or simply make a plain bowtie like in this tutorial: How to Make a Basic Bowtie.
The combinations are endless!
Remember, crocheting a dog sweater for puppies allows you to showcase your creativity while keeping your adorable fur baby cozy and stylish.
Enjoy whipping up your version of Odie’s Crochet Puppy Sweater and create a one-of-a-kind garment that not only warms your puppy’s body but also warms your heart.
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Until next time… Happy crocheting!
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