Dogs for Spinning

That's right, you read that correctly. I have just been reading about Siberian Huskies and the most common comment that was negative was that they shed 375 days a year. Ha Ha! Yes they shed if you leave them to do so on their own. But I take mine to a dog groomer to be dehaired twice a year. Then I ask the groomer to save the down for me. I have never had trouble asking for this, and they usually are very interested in why I want the hair. When I tell them I spin the hair into yarn that I weave into dog beds, the looks on their faces are priceless.

Yes, I do spin and weave with dog hair! The best part is the dogs of all sizes love the finished product. They climb up on them, rotate a few times and then lay down for a long nap. It happened first when I made myself a handwoven purse. It was a real hit for toy poodles, terriers and other small breeds, especially the Maltese. What a hoot it was to see the owner apologize because their dog was laying on my purse and didn't want to move.

I got the idea to add the dog hair to the woven fabrics and then turn them into pet beds. Again, the success was amazing. I gave my first dog bed made of handspun dog hair to a friend who rescued a small mixed breed. The picture at the top of this blog is the recipient of my first bed. Her name is Sylvia and her "Mom" has to move the bed to whatever room she is in to keep her happy. It is her favorite spot in the house. It made her feel at home right away.

You might imagine that spinning dog hair is unpleasant because it would be scratchy. Far from it, it is the softness of a fine alpaca or cashmere. Some dogs even have a triple coat which makes it even warmer and softer. And it mixes well with other animal fibers and dyes well too. But the part that makes them good for dog beds is that the dogs can always detect even the smallest amount of dog hair in an item. After all they have a much better sense of smell than we do! Bigger noses must help. Smile!

I have a newly dyed Siberian Husky and Collie skein and have yet to use it so you will see it up close and it will give you an idea of the softness. If you are a spinner or a spindlier, if you haven't tried dog hair yet, it's well worth it to give it a shot. I really think you will enjoy the experience and the finished product may surprise you! I know it surprised me!

If you have spun dog hair, I'd love to see it and share it with my followers. Feel free to share it. We'd love to see what you have done.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for the new puppy post. More dog hair to spin. Yippee!