We don't take pictures of Rikka often. Atlas is the one who follows us everywhere and has a knack for getting into most of our pictures. But Rikka was our first dog, a ridiculously cute puppy abandoned at a stable. When she was a year old we got Atlas to be her companion. Despite being younger he has always been the leader. He's big, smart and good-looking. Rikka is his dimwitted sidekick.
We don't know her heritage, but the best guess is lab and Australian shepherd. She's got a thin coat, handy during hot summer days but not so great in Montana's coldest town. As the temperature drops she looks increasingly miserable when we put her out for the day. I built her a dog shelter to help her stay warm, but decided she needed a coat. With tuition and Christmas coming up spending money on a dog coat was not in the cards. Solution: make her a coat. I got out my old corduroy work coat that was too short and too wide for me.
It's a sturdy material and sheepskin lined, perfect for a dog coat. I'm not into sewing. On more than one occasion I have stapled my clothes down to the correct size. But I gave it my best shot and used the back of the coat for the body, the collar became the chest strap and I cut up one of the sleeves into a belly band. The result:
A warm dog coat that cost me $2.23 for velcro and bias tape. Rikka is not too sure about it so we've been making a big show of giving her treats for wearing it. Atlas wanted some treats so he had to "earn" them by wearing the jacket.
Good thing Malamutes don't need coats. Purple just isn't his color.
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