The holidays are is the perfect time to try out a new festive look! Here’s how to make a quick, easy bow for pets of all sizes.
Important note: Avoid putting bows on pets who are prone to eating things!
Ribbon, tulle and rubber bands can all become foreign body ingestions if your pet swallows a bow. Keep a close eye on bows when in use, remove them when you can’t be there to watch and store all craft materials away from pets when not in use.
Making a fancy little bow for your dog (or long-haired cat!) is easy. You can quickly and easily make bows with 2-5 different layers using some basic household items.
Materials:
Instructions:
Layer your ribbon-making tulle to be as thick and poofy as you’d like (between 2-5 layers is standard). To be extra fancy, you can fold it accordion style to make perfect little pleats—alternately, you can run your hands down the tulle in a tube shape to make a playful, laid-back look. Be creative and have fun!
Once you have your layers, make a figure-8 with a rubber band around your finger and thumb. Stretch the rubber band around the tulle by wrapping these fingers around it, then grab one end of the band from off your thumb with your other hand. You’ll pass that end of the loop through the other loop and pull it through until it’s nice and tight over the bundle of tulle. This will create a center knot.
Here’s a nice demonstration of the technique from Size Matters Dog Grooming on YouTube.
Repeat this process and space rubber bands over the length of your tulle bundle until you reach the end (you can make them as big or small as you like). After all your rubber bands are placed, grab a pair of shears, and cut apart the bows between each rubber band. Fluff apart the layers of tulle so they’re nice and poofy. Each cut makes a bow.
To put it on your pet, open the hemostat and position a clump of hair through the elastic, then let it close (be sure the fur isn’t being pulled by the band).*
*Bows should only be attached on hair, never on the ear itself!
Making an extra-small guinea pig bow using the technique above is possible but may require a lot of very small touches. Luckily, you can easily find small, pre-made bows with hair clips at pet stores, craft stops and many general retailers.
Once you’ve chosen the perfect bow for your guinea pig, take the top of your pet’s hair and hold it so it sticks upward. Avoid using rubber bands, as they tend to pull on the hair and make the bow uncomfortable for your pet. Finally, slide the hair through the clip and release—and your guinea pig is all set for the holidays!
Select a long ribbon that will go around your pig’s belly and tie a bow on top of their loin. Easy as that—your pig is all set for festive fun!
Follow @NationwidePet on social media and share pictures of your pets in bows using #OnYourSideMoments for a chance to get featured.