How to Make Your Own Dog Shirt

Are you a big fan of man’s best friend?  If so, you might want to make your own dog shirt to express your passion.  There are dog lovers everywhere, and the internet is making it easier and easier to connect with them for meet and greets at dog parks or shows, or just for family barbecues where their canine companion is welcomed as part of the family.  However you share your life with your pet, specialty attire will certainly let the world know.

To make your own dog shirt using old pictures, scan them into a computer and use a photo editing program to clean up the image, especially if it has started to fade.  Then again, maybe you like the grittiness of that aged feel.  Either way, scan it, make your edits and print it on special iron-on paper.  You can find this at your local craft store, or online.  Take the paper, place it on the shirt you wish to use and press with heat.  The image will transfer onto the fabric and you are done!  It’s quick, easy, and an inexpensive process. It’s a great way to spend the afternoon with your family!

You might make your own dog shirt to spread the word about a lost pet.  It is an effective way to get the word out about your canine runaway because you become a walking, talking sounding board, but it can help boost the morale around the home.  Children who miss their favorite pet will enjoy being creative, working with their hands, knowing that their efforts will help bring little Scruffy home.

Maybe you need to make your own dog shirt to support a cause like animal rights.  Putting a face to a cause or a charity has always garnered better results than a petition or pamphlets because it relies on the caring of others to identify with the image (and who can’t relate to a cute little puppy?!).  It has a profound impact on the people whose support you are trying to receive because it humanizes your organization by discussing the inhumanity of animal abuse.  Also, it rewards them for giving, which is one of the most overlooked strategies in philanthropy.

If you don’t want to or don’t have the resources make your own dog shirt, but perhaps you need one for any of the reasons we just discussed or something else, you also have several options available to you.  You could take your family photo down to a local boutique or small clothing designer/distributor that can scan, print, and apply your screen to whichever fabric you choose. 

You could probably also scan the image yourself and send it to online manufacturer/retailer that specializes in customization.  I would recommend the latter as it is often much cheaper since online companies have less overhead and are always looking for new ways to market their business.  They will offer you premiums service and prices to earn your business and ensure you keep coming back for all your future projects and custom apparel needs.