Dog Cold? Warming Blanket for Dogs: Simple Solutions!
Okay, so, my little chihuahua, Peanut, gets super chilly in the winter. I mean, shivering chilly. I felt so bad for the little guy, so I decided to make him a warming blanket. I'm not exactly a master seamstress, but hey, how hard could it be, right?
First, I gathered my materials. I dug through my fabric stash and found some super soft fleece – one side was a fun, paw-print pattern, and the other was just plain, cozy red. Perfect! Then, I needed something to make it warm. I opted for those microwavable rice packs. You know, the kind you heat up for sore muscles? I figured I could sew a few of those into the blanket.
Making the Rice Packs
- I grabbed some plain cotton fabric (old pillowcases work great for this).
- I cut it into small squares, about 6x6 inches. Seemed like a good size.
- Then, I sewed three sides of each square together, leaving one side open. Kind of like making tiny little pillowcases.
- Next, I filled each pouch with plain, uncooked rice. Not too full, though! I wanted them to be flexible.
- Finally, I sewed the open side shut, making sure it was nice and secure. No rice escaping!
Putting the Blanket Together
I laid out the two pieces of fleece, right sides together (so the paw prints and the red were facing each other). Then, I arranged the rice packs on top of one of the fleece pieces. I spaced them out evenly, so Peanut would get warmth all over.
I pinned everything in place – the two fleece layers and the rice packs sandwiched in between. Gotta keep it all from shifting around! Then, I started sewing around the edges. I left a small opening, maybe about 5 inches, so I could turn the whole thing right-side out.
Turning it right-side out was a little tricky, kind of like wrestling with a furry burrito. But I managed it! Then, I tucked the raw edges of the opening inward and sewed it shut. I used a simple stitch, nothing fancy, just making sure it was closed up tight.
And that was it! A homemade warming blanket for Peanut! To use it, I just pop one or two of the rice packs in the microwave for a minute or two (depending on the microwave's power), then tuck them back into their little pockets in the blanket. Peanut loves it! He curls right up on it and looks so cozy. Success!
