STARTING A TREND
The spinning of dog hair into yarn is not a new idea…native Americans used dog hair to weave blankets and make clothing, long before sheep were introduced to North America. Dog owners today are realizing that the beauty of the color and texture of their dog’s long hair can be utilized in a manner similar to sheep’s wool.
Dog hair (called chiengora) is warmer than wool, easy to care for, and has an angora-like fluffy texture. The yarn is cleaned so the oils and dust are removed. No doggie odor!! The process I follow is the same as for spinning wool, angora, alpaca, and other animal fibers. The finished yarn is then knitted or crocheted into a unique, “pettable” keepsake, or gift...a tribute of your dog.
Using the same techniques as wool, alpaca, or other animal fiber, Fran takes the hair to the spinning wheel to make the yarn. She promises that it won’t smell like a wet dog, because the yarn is specially cleaned and dust and oils are removed. The clean yarn is then expertly crafted into ornaments, scarves, hats, mittens, teddy bears, and more. The finished products are warmer than wool, and the fluffy texture resembles angora.
There are some guidelines to obtaining the best and softest yarn possible from brushing your dog. Hair must be 2 inches or longer for best results. Hair should be clean and dry, with no grass or debris in it. Brush the hair from the longest, softest parts of the dog, saving only this hair. It is the undercoat you need, and not the coarse top coat. Take the hair off the brush and save it in a paper bag. Paper allows the fiber to “breathe” and not be trapped with oils in a plastic bag. It takes about 6 ounces of hair to make a scarf, mittens or hat…some projects require less, or more. The Rover’s Comb website has a catalog with photos of the many things that can be made using your dog’s brushed hair.
I have found that blending with merino wool is usually necessary to obtain quality yarns with Golden Retriever, Malamute, Huskie and German Shepherd hair. Top picks for spinning include Samoyed, American Eskimo, Great Pyrenees, Sheltie, and Standard Poodle. These fibers are long, soft, and luxurious. Others, such as Bearded Collie, Belgian Tervuren, Newfoundland, Old English Sheepdog, Chow, and other mixed breeds, also work very well.
How can one describe the experience of having something made from your dog’s beautiful long hair? A customer told me: “It is like holding your kids.”
“SAVE THE HAIR" is what I tell dog owners when I see them walking their long-haired dogs. They need to know that the hair they collect on the comb can be transformed into beautiful keepsakes they will treasure long after their pet has left this world...things they can take with them in the form of scarves, mittens, hats, ornaments, and much more. I discovered an interest among dog owners that want to use their dog’s hair for some useful purpose. Dog owners now have the opportunity to have something special made from your pet’s long hair that is comforting, beautiful, and useful.
