Who knows, this recession might come to an end at some point, sparing some of us the necessity of wearing a sweater made out of our pets. Alternate title: Shed Your Dignity As Your Pet Sheds His Hair. Most people are shocked at the idea of using dog wool, but, as Sanke explains on her website, Knit Your Dog, it’s a wonderful material that’s entirely natural, clean and odor-free and humanely harvested, especially when considered how aggressive other animal-shearing methods can be. In order to work, a dog’s hair must come from its undercoat, not the glossy overcoat, and it cannot be cut. It must be harvested with a brush, comb, or rake.

The longer the undercoat, the better it spins. Chow Chows, Samoyeds, Golden Retrievers, Newfoundlands, Kuvasz, Keeshonds, Afghans, Bernese, Great Pyrenees, Pekingese, Briards, bearded and rough Collies, and other long-haired undercoated breeds spin very well. Huskies and Malamutes spin well if the undercoat is long enough (if a hair shaft is 1.5″ or longer); if it’s a shorter coat, it will need to be blended with a longer fiber to ensure that the wool remains intact. If your pet is suffering form hair loss, visit ukmeds.co.uk and look for the best treatment for your dog’s specific condition so that it’s healthy, strong, and shiny for when you’re ready to prepare it for knitting.

Companion book: Do-It-Yourself Coffins: For Pets and People

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