How to Make a Dog Backpack

Fashion and clothing trends for dogs have been popular for quite some time, and that does not discount dog accessories such as scarves and backpacks. Making a backpack for a dog requires some adjusting and resewing of a human's backpack.

Things You'll Need

• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Backpack appropriate for the size of the dog
• Cloth straps, 1 inch wide
• Scissors
• Measurements of the dog
• Measuring tape
• Writing utensil

Instructions

1. Measure your dog for an appropriate backpack size. Measure the distance between his front legs on the lower chest area. Take the measuring tape and wrap it from the dog's underarms in a loop, up onto the back. Record these measurements for the length of the straps.

2. Find a human backpack that matches the measurements of your dog. For smaller dogs, children's backpack size is appropriate; for a larger dog, a woman or a man's backpack can be used. Make sure to get a backpack that has a strap that goes across the chest, besides the two arm straps. Also try to find a backpack that is fairly simple and does not have a lot of pockets, straps or zippers.

3. Cut off the two arm straps from the backpack cleanly. Take the purchased straps, and mark out the measurements that you took from around the dog's underarms to the back. Cut out the straps.

4. Use the sewing machine, or the needle and thread, and attach the new straps to the backpack. Loop them around the dog's underarm, up to its back, to see where the ends of the strap rest comfortably. Set the backpack up by these strap ends to see where it should be secured. Mark it with the writing utensil, then sew them onto the backpack. Trim any excess threads or edges.

5. Place the dog's left foot through the left strap, then the right through the right strap. Make sure that the straps fit securely, take the chest strap from the backpack and snap it shut across the dog's lower chest or upper stomach. Tighten it slightly to make sure it is a secure fit, but do not tighten it too much so that it is still comfortable for the dog. If the straps don't fit, take off the backpack, retrim and then resew.

Tips & Warnings

• Add designs, embellishments or a name tag to the top of the backpack to personalize it for your dog.

• Supervise your dog closely while it wears the backpack to make sure it is comfortable and does not tangle the limbs.