Dog sweater knitting pattern: calculated for your dog
Dogs come in every shape: a dachshund, a Frenchie and a husky won’t fit the same “size S”. So the calculator works the sweater out from four measurements of your dog and your yarn — from the collar to the tail, with leg openings.
What the pattern gives you
For a 30 cm neck, 45 cm chest and yarn at 22 sts per 10 cm: cast on 72 sts for the collar, increase to 108 sts around the chest, the chest panel between the legs is 22 sts, and 9 sts are bound off for each leg. Every section is written out, the increases round by round.
Worked example: dog sweater
This is real output from the builder for a dog with a 30 cm neck, 45 cm chest and 35 cm back.
Key numbers
- Cast-on (collar)
- 72
- Chest sts
- 108
- Chest panel between legs
- 22
- Bind off per opening
- 9
- Back between openings
- 68
- Opening rows
- 14
Finished garment
- Neck
- 32.7 cm
- Chest
- 49.1 cm
- Back length
- 35 cm
- Collar
- 4 cm
- Yarn (estimate)
- 250–320 m
How to measure your dog
- Neck — where the collar sits, plus a finger of ease.
- Chest — around the widest part, just behind the front legs.
- Back length — from the base of the neck along the spine to the base of the tail.
- Neck to front legs — from the collar down the chest to the legs.
Measure while the dog stands straight. If it won’t stand still, measure a sweater or coat that fits.
For boys and girls
The calculator has two options. Closed — one tube from the collar to the rib at the end, warmer. Shorter belly — the underside ends earlier so the sweater stays dry, and the back is finished flat with a rounded edge.
Which yarn to use
Dog sweaters get washed a lot, so choose machine-washable yarn: a wool–acrylic blend or superwash merino. Scratchy wool itches dogs just as it does people.
FAQ
How many stitches should I cast on for a dog sweater?
Neck plus 2 cm, times your gauge, in a multiple of 4 for 2×2 rib. For a 30 cm neck at 22 sts per 10 cm, that’s 72 sts.
How do I make the leg openings?
At the front legs, bind off a few stitches on both sides of the chest panel, work the chest panel and back separately for a few rows, then cast on over the openings and knit in the round again. The calculator tells you how many stitches and rows.
How much yarn does a dog sweater take?
It depends on the dog: for a 45 cm chest and 35 cm back, about 250–320 m of worsted-weight yarn. The calculator works it out for your measurements.