How To Crochet Puppy Booties

A combination of snow, ice, salt, and chemical de-icers can cause major discomfort to a dog's sensitive paw pads. Caring dog owners are wise to take the trouble to make their best friends a set of protective booties. These can be purchased for larger dogs, but are not so easy to find for small breeds. Crochet dog booties are not easy for beginners, but fashion-conscious, crochet-savvy dog owners can quickly put together a set of stylish puppy booties to protect those sensitive feet and help prevent those annoying ice balls from forming between their dog's toes.

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1. Measure legs and paws carefully

Before you crochet paw booties, measure your dog's legs and paws. Measure both the front and back of their legs and determine how tall you want to make the crochet dog shoes.

2. Make 10 single chains

Make a chain of four chain stitches. Join them at the ends with a slip stitch to make a loop. Start round one. Chain one stitch, make 10 single crochet stitches to form a loop. Join with a slip stitch to the first single chain. This makes 10 single chains.

3. Start the next round of stitches

Start round two. Chain one and single crochet into the same stitch. Make two single crochets into the next stitch. Single crochet into the next stitch and make two single crochets into the next stitch. Repeat. Join with a slip stitch into the first chain to make it round. This makes 15 single chains.

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4. Crochet round three

Crochet round three. Chain one and single chain into the same stitch and go around chaining into each stitch. Join with a slip stitch into the first stitch. Repeat this step twice to make rounds four and five.

5. Make a half double crochet

Start round six. Make a half double crochet (HDC) into the same stitch at each stitch all the way around. A half double crochet means placing the yarn over the hook, inserting the hook in the next stitch to be worked, placing the yarn over the hook, pulling the yarn through the stitch, placing the yarn over the hook again and pulling the yarn through all three loops on the hook. Join with a slip stitch to the first HDC. Repeat this for rounds seven and eight. Finish off this color yarn.

6. Crochet paw booties' second yarn color

Complete round nine. Join the second color yarn with a slip stitch into any stitch. Chain four. (This counts as the first HDC and chain two spaces). Skip the next stitch and HDC into the following stitch and chain two. Repeat this one time around. Join with a slip stitch into the third chain of the beginning of chain four to end up with eight chains and two spaces. This is the place through which you will thread the tie.

7. Repeat slip stitches

Crochet round 10. Slip stitch into the next chain. Begin a "cluster" in the same space as follows: Chain one, chain one in the next chain space, and chain one. Repeat all the way around. Join with a slip stitch in the top of the beginning chain one.

8. Keep crocheting dog booties

Make round 11. Chain two stitches. HDC into the same stitch. HCD into the next chain space. HCD in the top of the next chain one and HDC into the next chain space. Repeat all the way around. Join with a slip stitch to the first HDC.

9. Combine slip stitch with first chain

Complete the bootie with round 12. Chain one. Single chain into the same stitch, double chain into the next stitch. Repeat all the way around. Join with a slip stitch into the first chain. Finish off the work and weave in all the ends.

10. Weave crochet paw booties ties

Make a tie. Chain 41 in the first color. Slip stitch into the second chain from the hook and each following chain. Finish off and weave in the ends. Weave the tie through the loops made in round nine and use it to tie on the booties.

11. Let dogs test out their booties

Allow your puppy to become accustomed to wearing the booties before taking them outside. Don't tie them too tight or you may cut off blood circulation. Your dog may not like their new booties immediately, but wearing them will protect their paws.