11 Easy Tips for Making Blankets for Animal Shelters (Sizes)
Making blankets for abandoned dogs is a very good charitable act. You get to feel like you are making a positive contribution and the animal shelters get some of their needs met. Animal shelters are very stressful places and a good blanket helps those dogs immensely.
One easy tip for making blankets for an animal shelter is to check their websites. The web pages should list the size requirements and other specs. Plus, checking to see if they have the storage capacity will help determine how many you or your group make at one time.
To learn more about how you can make a great contribution to abandoned dogs at animal shelters just keep reading our article. It goes through tips, sizes and more information to make sure your contribution is accepted and welcomed.
Making Blankets for Animal Shelters 101
Tip 1: The best thing to do before trying to make a blanket for an animal shelter is to ask what kind and what size they need. Sizes vary so make sure before you get started.
Tip 2: It is not only the size of the blankets that varies. Some blankets go for dogs, some for cats, some need to be single layered while others need to be doubled layer fleece. The needs of the animal shelter vary.
Do Animal Shelters Need Blankets?
Yes, they do. They do not always have the funding to purchase the blankets and towels they need. Some animal shelters are not picky about what they receive. They are grateful for all the donated items they receive.
But others request that you do not donate comforters or similar blankets with stuffing inside. Some dogs like to chew even in a shelter and can make a horrible mess.
The best way to find out about their needs and sizes that are wanted, just give your local animal shelter a call.
Tip 3: Make sure to wash your blankets and towels before donating them. The shelters want clean items. Dirty items either eat up cleaning resources or are just dropped in the trash.
How Big Should a Dog Blanket Be?
Dogs come in all sizes and animal shelters have some say in what size of dog graces their establishment. There are animal shelters that cater to Golden retrievers only. That means that your blankets and towels should match the size of the dog the animal shelter houses.
Check with your local shelter to see what size of dog they take care of. If it is small dogs only, then they only need blankets that fit small dogs comfortably. There is no one size fits all donations.
While smaller dogs can use larger blankets, bigger dogs cannot use smaller ones.
Tip 4: To make a donation, you should call first. Some animal shelters are not open to the public and you may need to make an appointment to drop off the items you want to donate.
Dog Blanket Sizes
For toy dogs, you are not looking at creating or donating very large blankets. Their minimum size can be between 7 1/2 inches to 10 1/2 inches square. Toy dogs do not need a lot of space.
Then for small dogs, the minimum size can be between 9 1/2 to about 18 inches in size. Not all small dogs are the same size and need a little extra room just in case. For medium-sized dogs, the blanket should be between 16 and 24 inches square, while large dogs would need a blanket 23 and 33 inches.
Larger sized dogs would need larger blankets than that. Puppies would need smaller blankets.
Tip 5: You do not have to sew new blankets to donate to animal shelters. You can make great tie fleece blankets that require no sewing. No-sew tie fleece blankets are smaller than the no-sew fleece blanket.
Cat Blanket Size
Cats are a little easier to deal with as their size does not get them as large as most dog breeds. The cat species is a bit limited when it comes to size and generally you are looking at kitten and adult sizes only.
The good news is you do not have to go very large when it comes to donating a blanket for cats in animal shelters. In fact, you may even get away with cutting the blankets down to fit several cats.
That would help the animal shelters save a little time.
Tip 6: To make snuggle type blankets their size can be 12 by 12 inches for small dogs, 24 by 24 inches for medium-sized dogs and 36 by 36 for larger dogs. One foot per size of dog and toy dogs can use the small dog size.
How Much Fabric do I Need for a Dog Blanket?
A lot will depend on the size of your dog and the size of the blanket you are making. Also, the shape of the blanket needs to be considered. For a nice burrowing blanket for a small dog, you would need about 1/2 a yard of fabric or less.
If you are making a no-sew fleece blanket, you would need two layers of fleece per blanket. That size would depend on the above criteria. Large dogs would need about 2 yards or less of fabric to make a nice large blanket that keeps them nice and comfortable.
Tip 7: You can always make adjustments to the size of your blanket depending on the need of the animal shelter but a 2 by 3-foot blanket is a good size to start with.
How do You Make a Dog Blanket
There are several styles you can choose from. With a new sew tie blanket, all you need to do is cut the selvedge off that is holding the brand name. Then cut a 3-inch square out of each corner. The top of each square is for the fringe length guide.
After you have done this, you can cut the fringe around each side of the blankets. The width of each fringe piece can be between 3/4 to 1 inch in size. Next, you can finish by tying, braiding, or weaving the fringe. This option is up to you.
Finally, tie to adjacent pieces of fringe together so that it all stays in one piece.
Tip 8: It is not just the size that matters. The blankets you donate should be soft, comfortable and in good shape. Old, ragged and tattered blankets are not good for donations.
What is The Best Material for a Dog Blanket?
One of the top fabrics used for pets is a coral fleece. The reason for this is that this fabric is very breathable. That design helps your dog stay well ventilated and cool throughout the heat.
Next would be a sherpa style blanket. While it is not good for aggressive chewers, it is light, cool and comfortable. Third, on the list is the microfiber fabric. These blankets are usually nice and thick as well as fluffy. They provide a lot of comfort to dogs.
Following that is the snuggles blanket which is made from a soft light fleece material. The material is selected because it cleans up nice and is machine washable. If you have a shedding dog, then avoid the microfiber and cotton fabrics. A woven fabric is best for those dogs that like to share their fur with everyone.
Tip 9: Since all dogs are not the same it is wise to donate blankets made from a variety of fabrics. Some fabrics work for shedding dogs and others for non-chewers. Tougher fabrics are needed for dogs that like to chew a lot.
Fleece Blankets for Animal Shelters
These are very good blankets to give to an animal shelter. They are usually lightweight, easy to use and they clean up well. Most fleece fabrics are machine washable and that makes it a lot easier for the animal shelter to use.
Also, animal shelters are not known for their air-conditioned suites. The breathable fleece helps all their dogs stay warm yet well ventilated so they don‘t overheat. On top of that fleece can make a good snuggle blanket when the dog wants to get comfortable by burrowing deep under the cover.
Tip 10: If you do not have a lot of money to spare, a cheap dog blanket made from inexpensive plush fabrics will help out a lot. The sizes can be 30 by 20 for small dogs and 41 by 31 for larger dogs.
Are Fleece Blankets Safe for Dogs?
Yes, they are. In fact, the coral fleece is one of the best fabrics you can choose to make a top-quality dog blanket. The coral fleece helps your pet stay well ventilated and helps to prevent any overheating.
All of that is done without sacrificing any comfort. The coral fleece is still a comfortable fabric to use. That goes for a variety of fleece fabrics that can also be used for dog blankets.
Also, the fleece, depending on its construction material, can come in a variety of colors. Whether the dogs notice the difference or not doesn’t matter. The variety of colors help brighten up the animal shelter.
State Farm Neighborhood of Good asks people to come down and help make a good fleece blanket for a dog in an animal shelter. So answering the question again, yes, fleece is a good fabric to use when you want to make or donate a dog blanket to an animal shelter.
Tip 11: If your blankets and towels have holes in them, just cut the fabric so the holes are gone then sew together several pieces to make a quality blanket for the animal shelter.
Do Dog Shelters Take Old Blankets?
The answer to that question would be yes. But there would be a few requirements to meet before donating them to the shelter. First, they should be in good shape. Blankets with holes and rips are not good donation material and may end up in the trash since they cannot be used.
Then the old blanket should be cleaned first. Wash it before taking it to your local shelter. Then if you live in a region of the country where there are 4 seasons, thicker warmer old blankets will help keep the dogs from getting too cold.
A variety of blankets are good as well. While comforters have padding, some shelters will accept them. The thick padding is good for outdoor kennels some shelters use. Many city shelters may not be able to accept pet beds. So check first before donating those items.
Do Dogs Like to be Covered With a Blanket?
This will depend on the breed of the dog and their individual personality. Not all dogs of the same breed will like to be covered by a blanket while others like to burrow underneath to stay warm.
The key to covering your pet with a blanket is to make sure your pet still gets plenty of airflow. A covered pet may suffocate, overheat or choke if the air is cut off. That is why some pet owners dislike covering their dog with a blanket.
Also, the dog may feel a bit uneasy if covered so be careful. Ease their stress and let the dog cover themselves if they feel too cold. Or just cover enough of your pet keeping their head and nose uncovered so they can relax and breathe normally.
Some Final Words
The sizes of blankets you donate to an animal shelter should vary. But if the animal shelter only takes care of one size of dog, then your donations should match that size. Also, before you donate, you should call the shelter you want to make the donation to and talk to them about their blanket and towel needs.
There is no point in giving the shelter something they cannot use. If you want to make a blanket for the dogs, then fleece is the top fabric you want to make it out of. It is a comfortable blanket that allows the dogs to breathe.
