Starting school in August is a thing now, well it is if your name is Norman and you’re a one year old Pug who needs to get to puppy school to learn some manners!! Just like everything else this spring, Covid changed our plans for enrolling Norman in puppy socialization classes and because of the isolation, he has had no chance to be around strangers and other dogs! Now as we are in this new “normal” way of life and are venturing out into safe situations outside of our 4 walls, we’ve noticed some personality traits in him that are not necessarily positive ones but he is such an awesome dog, we’re absolutely sure they are simply the result of this whole crazy situation and will be rectified by some sessions with a Professional dog trainer and not just me trying to teach him all the things I’m finding on YouTube!
You may be asking yourself what does all of this have to do with a sewing Blog? Well, you didn’t think he’d head off to school without a handmade new outfit did you??!??
Here he is, looking all spiffy in his new harness! Since Pugs belong to the brachycephalic breed of dogs, wearing a collar with a leash attached is not the best solution as they can cause pressure on their larynx if they pull on it while walking, making breathing difficult and in turn putting a lot of strain on their respiratory system. Norman walks pretty good on a leash and doesn’t pull too much but I still don’t risk it and always put a harness on him. We purchased a plain little adjustable harness for him when he was a wee puppy and it has been great but I always see other dogs in these fun fabric harnesses and I told myself that once he was done growing, I’d get him one, but then I got thinking, why can’t I make him one?? I already have all the fun fabrics so all I needed was a pattern!
After finding 2 very similar ones on Etsy that I liked the best, I ultimately chose the DIY Dog Harness Sewing Patten by Pugs & Kisses UK. What I liked about this one was that it included all the sizes from Extra Small to Extra Large for $9.19 whereas with the other pattern, each size is sold separately for $4.34 or you can purchase a bundle of all sizes for $22.38. The patterns seemed identical except the other one did give you options for with or without binding, but that is something I’m comfortable adding on my own if I chose so I didn’t think it was worth the extra price for me. The cute picture of the Pug on the front of the pattern was just an added bonus lol!
After following their measuring guides, I determined that I would make the Large for Norman who definitely has that big Pug chest and neck! The fabric recommendations are cotton for the exterior and fleece for the interior to give it some padding. However, since we are right smack dab in the middle of a sweltering summer, I just couldn’t imagine using the fleece! I really wanted something breathable that wouldn’t add extra warmth but would still be sturdy and soft against his skin. I considered just doing 2 layers of cotton for a summer version but then as I was at work the other day, I saw our Stay-Dri Wicking Fabric and thought I’d give that a try! It’s not as sturdy as I was thinking I needed but I think I like the idea of it drying quickly and keeping moisture away from his skin! We’ll see how it works!
As I said, the fun fabrics are easy when you work at Funky Monkey Fabrics! My pattern piece is approximately 15″ tall so a 1/2 yard of each of these fabrics will be plenty for 5 new harnesses (that’s enough for 5 weeks of classes đŸ˜†)!
Webbing: Aqua, Lime Green, Purple, Red 
Silver D Ring, Buckle
We have a wide selection of colours of webbing so it was easy to find some to match fabrics! We also carry the buckles and the D-ring, the only thing I had to find in my bag making supplies at home was the strap slide, which I had previously purchased from Amazon!
Since the fabric I chose is mostly white (very practical for a dog’s harness right lol!), I decided to add bias tape around the edges to add a bit of colour and make it a tad bit sturdier.
I had to use this fabric though, I didn’t have a choice lol! These are the rules I’m trying to impress upon Norman as he heads off to school so why not have it displayed right there on his chest!
What things have you made for your pets…please tell me I’m not the only one that regularly makes things for their fur-baby lol!
Have a great week of sewing everyone…and wish us luck at Puppy School!
Shawna
funkymonkeyfabrics.home.blog 