DIY Dog Snuggle Blanket
Come read about the special relationship between my son and our dog and learn how to sew a Dog Snuggle Blanket for you and your pet to cuddle under.
My son has had a difficult year. He dealt with some school issues and two of his friends passed away in the spring.
He is a pretty upbeat kid, but the deaths have taken their toll. Those young men and my son worked together at the local pool as lifeguards. He really missed guarding with them this summer.
During all these tough times, my son has really leaned on our dog, Cooper.
While he cannot provide words of comfort, Cooper has been able to provide love and support for my son.
Since they spend a lot of time snuggling on the sofa together, and it’s started getting colder I decided to make them a special snuggle blanket.
I wanted to create something similar to a Snuggie, but with a hole in it for the dog’s head.
I decided to use fleece because it is warm and the edges do not ravel. Working with fleece is great because it is very forgiving.
I’ve made several things with fleece over the years, so I know that the best value for a large piece of fleece is a blanket. I purchased a queen-size 90″x90″ fleece blanket for $12.
DIY Dog Snuggle Blanket Tutorial
See this easy sewing tutorial for a snuggle blanket with sleeves at the bottom of this post.
Check out my other DIY Dog Projects made with Fleece: Dog Cooling Pad, No-Sew Dog Bed, and Heating Mat.
Cuddle with a Dog Snuggle Blanket
Snuggle on the sofa or recliner with your dog’s head through the hole.
Think of it as a DIY Snuggie for Dogs.
I am pleased with how this dog snuggle blanket turned out. My son loves snuggling with Cooper in it.
I am glad that I made the dog hole on the big side because Cooper can jump through it when he gets excited by a loud noise or someone at the door.
Cooper has learned that it’s his blanket, so he will lay on it when my son isn’t around. They truly have a special bond.
DIY Dog Snuggle Blanket
Snuggle with your dog under this blanket that has a hole for his head
Materials
- queen-size fleece blanket
Tools
- yardstick
- pen
- paper
- scissors
- straight pins
- sewing machine
Instructions
- Gather your supplies.
- This pattern is meant to be a guide for where to cut your queen-size blanket.
- It is not meant to be printed out to actual size.
- Fold the blanket in half and lay out on a flat surface.
- Measure 24" up mark the fabric.
- Cut off along the 24" line.
- Cut that 24"x90" piece in thirds, to form three 24"x30" pieces. Two of these are the sleeves.
- Cut one of the thirds in half long ways to form two 12"x30" pieces. These will form the cowl neck for the dog hole.
- Take the piece of paper and fold it in fourths by folding half and then half again.
- Measure 3" from the center, fold the short way and 4.5" the long way.
- Using these points as a guide, cut out the 6"x9" armhole pattern piece.
- Fold the blanket long ways, leaving about five extra inches on one side. This is a centering line for the armholes, but it is off center of the blanket to leave room for the dog hole.
- Trace the oval onto the fleece.
- Pin both layers of the fleece together and cut out the armholes.
- Using that armhole piece as a guide, cut the hole for the dog. If you have a small dog, that size is plenty big. Cooper is medium-sized, so I cut a 8"x9" hole. I just slide the pattern piece over a little after tracing one side to form a wider oval.
How to Sew a Dog Snuggie
- Fold the sleeve piece in half long ways and sew the edges together.
- Repeat with the other sleeve.
- You can shorten the sleeve length if needed. You may also fold up and edge to form a cuff. I left mine as is.
- With right sides together, pin the sleeve to the arm. I had to do a slight stretching of the sleeve for it to fit.
- Sew the sleeve in place, removing pins as you go.
- Sew the 12" ends of the cowl neck pieces together to form one long rectangle.
- Measure the circumference of the dog hole to determine the length you need for the cowl neck.
- Cut the cowl length accordingly to form a circle. My dog hole was approximately 36" around, so I cut that length before sewing it together.
- Fold the wrong sides of the cowl together and pin to the right side of the dog hole.
- Stitch the cowl neck in place to complete the blanket.
Notes
machine washable
Thank you, Megan!
Aww, that is such a sweet and special bond. What a fun craft idea for your special boys! #MM
Isn’t this fun? Cooper just sleeps on it right cause it’s too hot to snuggle.
This shall be bookmarked! Can’t wait for winter. Summer sucks.
Thanks!
It would make a great gift.
Beasley is a cute name for a dog.
Your dogs will love it!
It’s definitely a beginner level.
Our dog likes to snuggle all the time. Even when it’s too hot.
He’s really been his best friend this year.
Thank you. Cooper is very pretty!
Yes. I used a really soft blanket.
Thank you, Liz!
I have two cats so I’d love to do it for them. Actually only one likes to be under covers, so it’s for her. This is adorable!
This is really cool! I will make two of this blankets! It looks so comfortable!
I could never make this.. but I do love how it brings our loved pets closer during those cold months. Beautiful dog you have!
What a sweet idea! That’s great that your son has such a special bond with your dog.
This is adorable! I so wish my dog liked to snuggle!
My puppy would love this snuggle blanket! If I only knew how to sew. You make it look so easy.
As a mom to two rescue dogs I would love one of these blankets!! So adorable and so thankful that you share directions to make it on your blog!
This has got to be the coolest thing! I know my Beasley would love to snuggle up after a good meal with me on the couch.
Oh my goodness… I have so many friends who would get a kick out of this blanket. Lots of them are dog owners so they would make very good use out of it!
This is sooooo cool! My son would love that! It’s a shame that my sewing skills are horrible!
I should have called it Pet & Me Snuggle Blanket!
That will be awesome, Ann!
It’s been quite a challenging year for a young man. He just turned 18 last week, so we are hoping that tough year is behind us.
He’s quite a ditzy dog, but very faithful and loving.
Just don’t let your dog hog it! lol
My son and dog love it!
Yes! It seemed to change from hot to cool overnight.
I’m thinking you need one with multiple openings so each cat can snuggle!
You need to make one for your goat!
This is great! I could use one of these, except for my cats. I have a couple of cats and they lay with me all the time. This would be perfect.
This is the perfect blanket for my sister. Her little dog loves to cuddle under the blanket. I will have to get the supplies we need to make one this weekend.
We are sorry to hear your son has been going through so much loss.
Dogs are great at providing “therapy” by their warm-hearted, bonding nature.
Cooper looks like such a great companion! I love your blanket idea. Nothing beats snuggling in comfort with your furry friend. 😉
I need one of these for the winter season. Cuddling with my pup is something I love
This is such an adorable idea. I love to snuggle and this would be perfect.
It’s finally cooling off enough to start thinking about blankets. Cute idea.
So freaking cute!
Awww, they look so cute all snuggled together. I love the idea. I would use it with my cats though. Although they might fight over who got to snuggle. heh. Such a great idea. It would be a lovely gift.
Thanks, Jennifer!
Yes, kitties would love it too. They’d just need a smaller hole.
Thank you! I’ll have to consider that.
I love when big companies give back, especially to shelter pets who need it the most. My dog is a snuggle pro, and with colder weather coming, I think I’m going to need to make this blanket. It looks super comfy!
OMG! How cute is this. I have two cats, but they are cuddly and I think they would love this, too! So cute!
What a cute idea! I can’t sew to save my life, but I love this! You should sell these I bet they would go fast!
Thank you, Kelly. It was fun to create. My son sure loves his pup! #CL
AMAZING! Such a wonderful idea. Sorry to hear your son has had a trying year for such a young man. What a wonderful bound him and his dog have though. #client
Cats, dogs, goats, whatever! Thanks for coming by.
That is adorable! This would work for cat owners too, right? You’d just have to make the hole for the cat a little smaller. Thanks for sharing!