Spinning With Dog Hair

Many breeds of dog have hair that can be spun.

Have you used dog hair for spinning fiber? Do you plan to? What breeds have you tried, and what problems have you encountered? Share your experiences here.

Tags: dog, hair, spinning

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 28, 2011 at 11:48pm

Are you a dog? (I won't use the female form of dog, although female dogs are great!) As long as you aren't pulling your hair out because of a project!

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on January 29, 2011 at 5:45am

No... I'm not, but I am continually shedding hair... always have... and I have a thick full head of hair just the same.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 29, 2011 at 8:45am

The never-ending supply! My hair is pretty fine, but it's thick.

Permalink Reply by Janet on January 29, 2011 at 6:10pm

I don't have that problem with my hair, I lost all of it last Sept due to full brain radiation, lol. Now I am getting hair back in on the sides and back. My hubby told me this morning that I am getting my Dad's bald spot on top of my head. He always did the famous comb over to try and cover the spot, lol.

Hugs

janet

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on January 29, 2011 at 8:58pm

I'm sure I've been called a female dog on more than one occasion.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 29, 2011 at 10:06pm

I'm sure they (the female dogs) consider it a compliment!

Permalink Reply by cherylbwaters on January 29, 2011 at 11:47pm

RRGG

Permalink Reply by KnitterGirl39 on February 3, 2011 at 12:28pm

I'm sure I have not only knitted my hair into my projects but also spun it into my fibers as well. :)

I am always shedding and finding my hair all over the place.

Permalink Reply by Paula Haskell on January 29, 2011 at 9:57am

I have a golden doodle (or so we were told) and I have to shave her every month or so. If I don't, she starts to look like a creature from a Star Wars movie. My husband & I have joked about if only I could spin her hair, since a lot of it reminds me of a sheep. But what about the smell if it gets wet? What are your suggestions on this front?

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 29, 2011 at 10:21am

It needs to be clean before you spin, and then you should wash the finished yarn, of course. I don't know about breeds besides poodle, but I have read on Ravelry that it's fine once it's off the dog and clean. It won't smell like wool, though, but it shouldn't have an unpleasant smell. Poodles don't smell like wet dog when they get wet, although if they swim in muddy water, that will leave a smell. With a golden doodle (poodle/golden cross), the dog inherits characteristics from both breeds. You don't really know which you're going to get from each. I know several of them, and they are very different from each other. If you shave her once a month, you will get very short cuts. It will need to be mixed with something else, best done with hand carders or a drum carder. If you let your pup turn into a Wookie dog, you will have spinable fiber, but that will require frequent brushing. I think of my pups as companions, rather than fiber animals, so ease of care is my primary concern. I do look longingly at their hair, though! Maybe if my groomer retires, I'll let them grow out just once and keep them brushed until it's long enough to spin, and then do the "shearing." It will be interesting to read what others have to say about your question.

Permalink Reply by Elaine Wenger on January 30, 2011 at 8:03am

As you can see in my picture we have four lovely shelties. I am collecting clean hair as I brush them. They are double coated, so when you brush you are getting the soft fluffy undercoat. When my spinning skills improve I plan to make a hat or scarf using their hair. At the last Spinners Guild meeting, one of the members was completing a scarf knit from sheltie. She did not blend it with anything, it was pure sheltie, a soft cream color. I swear it looked like angora, very soft. She said if she makes another she would blend it with some wool. She said it was a little prickly against her bare neck.

Permalink Reply by Peggy Stuart on January 30, 2011 at 11:59am

Good incentive to brush the pups!