H being a dog in a bag model
One of the guys that I walk with on a morning when I take my JRT, Max, out has a little lhasa apso called Tilly.
She is 14 years old and although she seems incredibly fit for her age, she suffers quite badly from arthritis.
get me outta here!!
This isn’t helped by her dense and curly coat which holds all the moisture in this wet and windy weather and doesn’t dry at all quickly.
The damp adde to the soggy coat makes her very stiff, achy and miserable in the cold and wet weather.
I have already suggested that she is towelled down before she goes in the car for the trip home but having seen how she objects to being messed about with (and let’s face it, she has earned her objections at 14), I can see just how tricky it is to manage that.
No point in the little lady suffering unnecessarily, so I have made her a towelling drying bag for her trip home in the car.
The idea is that the ‘bag’ dries the dog as they rest or travel and it keeps them warm at the same time (key for little Tilly).
Couldn’t be simpler to create either:-
1 cut the decorative edge from your recycled towel
take an old towel (this is one that my mum donated to us) which I have dyed (Dylon Woodland Brown) a practical and serviceable colour for using on the dogs when they have been out getting dirty…….
1 – Cut the decorative finished edging off the towel (this one is about 70cm x 110cm – and the size of towel needed for a small dog).
2 – Fold the towel length ways
3 – cut a triangle off one corner 10cm down (on both layers)
4 – sew the short seam (this forms the front)
5 – sew the opposite straight seam (this forms the back)
6 fit zip down back
6 – fit the zip along the back (allowing enough space for the towelling loops so they don’t catch on the zip teeth). I happened to have a chunky brown zip that had been taken out of something. It is an open bottomed zip and not the full length of the bag but sewn in to fit.
towelling loops need to clear zipper teeth
7 – forming corners
7 – fold open (right sides facing) and sew bottom corners to give depth to base of the bag
trim corner once sewn
8 – turn collar over to allow for threading cord or a ribbon on inside and sew, thread ribbon for tightening.
8 – tie ribbon inside in case the neck needs to be pulled a little snugger
Tada!!!
I have added a few extra details such as a towelling tab over the bottom of the zip so it softens the edge in case it comes into contact with a soggy doggy.
zip end sewn into bag
stitching tab over base of zip
zip tab finished
I have yet to find out if Tilly objects to this method of drying as much as a rub down but we have tried.
I hope it works for the little lady and helps with her aches and pains.
I suppose I ought to be making one for my own mutt too!
tinyinc 