With all the snow and cold this winter, lots of people are on the hunt for a dog snowsuit. We understand the need – especially for dogs with long, soft fur who get matted with snowballs on their fur.

The problem for dog clothes manufacturers is which dogs to fit: a Miniature Dachshund and an Italian Greyhound can have a similar length of back (how dog clothes are sized), but the lengths of their legs is drastically different. Do you go short or long? Choose a medium that fits no one well? Most makes simply choose to avoid the issue and make dog coats with no, or minimal sleeves.

Custom dog snowsuit

Fortunately, here at Golly Gear, we’ve figured out a way to turn any dog coat into a custom dog snowsuit. It’s easy, it doesn’t cost much, and anybody can do it. Better yet, our solution works for any size dog, because you customize it for your dog!

The first thing to do is figure out how long your dog’s legs are. This sounds easier than it is, depending on the dog. The best way we’ve found is to have your dog stand on a hard floor (wood, or tile) next to a yard stick. All you need is a good estimate, so don’t worry about being too precise. 

Next you need to go shopping. There are two things on the list, socks and reusable Velcro cable ties. 

Go shopping!

The socks you get depend on your dog’s legs. You’re going to use them as leggings for your dog, so they have to be long enough to cover the majority of the legs. If you have a little dog, look in the infant/baby/toddler/children sections. You’re going to need at least eight socks, so look for the multi packs. One set of four socks will be drying off while you use the next four. 

The reusable Velcro cable ties (also called cord wraps) will secure the socks at your dog’s ankle if needed. Most dogs’ legs are skinnier than children’s so you’ll probably need them. 

When you get home with your stash, just cut open the toes of the socks. Voila! Leggings for your dog’s snowsuit. One on each leg, secure with the cable ties if needed, and you’re ready to go! 

Since the socks are soft and light, most dogs will adjust fairly easily to wearing them. To be sure your dog is okay with them, put one on a back leg and play for a few minutes to let your dog adjust. Then try one on the opposite front leg and let her get used to it. Then you should be good to go.

Safe from matted snow 

While leggings and a coat will stop the majority of snow from balling up on your dog, we don’t know of anything that allows the dog to stay snow-free and “do his business.” This is the best solution we’ve found. Let us know how it works for you!