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My son has had a difficult year. He dealt with some school issues and two of his friends passed away in the spring. He’s 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’s 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. Enjoy this easy sewing tutorial for a snuggle blanket with sleeves.
DIY Dog Snuggle Blanket Tutorial
Supplies
queen-size fleece blanket
yardstick
pen
paper
scissors
straight pins
sewing machine
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.
Directions
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.
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.
October is Pet Month
Cooper was a shelter dog. He needed a home and my son really wanted a dog. October is Pet Month, which means Sam’s Club and PEDIGREE® are teaming up to help dogs in need. Whenever a PEDIGREE® product is purchased at Sam’s Club this month, PEDIGREE® will donate a bowl of food to a dog in need. We purchased the PEDIGREE® DENTASTIX™ Dog Treats, Variety Pack. You can be a part of this “You Buy. We Give.” initiative by purchasing these dog treats or PEDIGREE® dog food at Sam’s Club.
Check out more of my Dog DIY tutorials~
Dog Cooling Pad
No-Sew Dog Bed
Personalized Dog Bandana
posted 3 Oct 2016
Cut a hole on the bottle about an inch or two from the bottom, depending on how deep you want your water. Cover the hole with your finger, fill with water, replace the lid, then set the bottle into the water dish. 
The water will fill the bowl until the hole is covered and won’t overflow. 
The vacuum pressure in the bottle keeps it from filling too much. As the water level goes down, the bottle will automatically fill until the hole is covered again.
Use a fan – We bring a dog crate with us for Copper to rest or sleep in. we set it up in the shade and then blow a fan on it. This was very effective in the heat of the day.
Frozen Ice Treat – Cooper loves to frozen treats. I create them for him out of items that are safe for dogs. I created a small treat in an old food container for this trip that he had a lot of fun gnawing at. You can get directions for how I make these 
Walk during cooler hours – Make sure to walk your dog during the cooler times of the day, which are morning or evening hours.
Cooper has a tendency to get a seizure when he is overheated. I’m happy to report that we’ve kept him cool and he’s been seizure free for years.
Do you take your dog out camping, hiking or to other activities? How do you keep your pooch cool?
