Dog hair (called Chiengora) can be spun, like sheep’s wool, alpaca, or any other animal fiber. The process is the same. Dust and oils can be removed from the spun hair, so there is no “dog smell.” Surprisingly, spun yarn is warmer than wool, easy to care for, and has a fluffy, angora-like texture. Until recently, most dog owners did not realize that the beautiful colors and texture of their dog’s coat could be used like sheep’s wool.
It really is as easy as brushing your dog. There are some guidelines to get the best and smoothest thread possible.
When you brush your dog, be sure to pick it up from the parts where the hair is longest and softest. This is the bottom layer. Hair should be 2 inches or longer for best results. Hair must be clean and dry, free of grass and debris. Brush the hair from the longest and softest parts of the dog, leaving only this hair. It’s the first coat you want, not the thick top coat. Clippings will not work well for spinning dogs that have double coats. There is too much guard hair and the quality of the yarn will not be as good as that of the pure undercoat.
Remove dog hair from the brush and store it in a paper bag. Keep hair completely dry and as clean as possible. (Don’t try to clean it after you’ve brushed the dog!) Bathe your dog first and brush when the coat is dry.
The paper allows the fiber to “breathe” and not get trapped with oils in a plastic bag. The best way to store brushing hair is in a paper bag, or cloth bag, like a pillowcase. Despite what your mother or grandmother used to do, NEVER USE COCK BALLS! Mothballs contain a toxic chemical that is dangerous to breathe in and it is impossible to remove the smell of mothballs from your hair.
How much do you save? It depends on what will be done with the finished thread. Most small projects use around 6 ounces of hair.
Processing dog hair into yarn requires a lot of time and care. First, the thread is evaluated for spinning. Depending on the length and how the yarn will be used, I determine if the hair needs to be blended with a soft merino wool. The blend minimizes shedding and produces a longer lasting yarn. Although most people want 100% of their dog’s hair used in a product, this is not always possible. You can still see the color of the dog and the fluffy texture is still present in the finished yarn.
From this point on, the process is the same as spinning sheep’s wool. I use a drum carder for the blending process. This carder has metal teeth that comb the wool so that the fibers are aligned and ready for spinning. The fiber is lifted from the drum carder, loosely wound, and pushed away by the distaff.
The thread is spun into individual strands on a spinning wheel and then doubled for strength. The yarn is then cleaned by hand, using a mild conditioning detergent or dog shampoo, and air dried. It is then wound into balls or skeins and is then ready to be knitted or crocheted into a scarf, hat, ornament and many other things.
Because it is handmade and personal, a chiengora gift is a sentimental keepsake. It is best to start collecting hair while your pet is healthy and young. People have often told me that having a scarf, hat, teddy bear, or other soft, “cuddly” item made from their dog’s fur is comforting, and that it brings back happy memories.