When I got my dog, I promised to never be one of those dog owners who dressed up their pets in ridiculous outfits. But Cooper the schnoodle got spayed the other day, and promptly began licking her stitches. To avoid having her wear a cone (an Elizabethan collar), I decided to see if a body suit would help keep her away from opening up her incision.

I grabbed an old long-sleeved shirt and cut it according to her body length and appendage locations. For bigger dogs, sweat pants might be a better fit. I folded it so that the seam would land in the chest area, and the extra fabric of the shoulder would end up at the head. I cut holes for the arms and the legs and made some adjustments around the tail area for maximum comfort.

Voila, a perfect fit. She doesn’t seem to mind it and I think she even enjoys how cozy it feels. I like how it’s loose around the neck so it’s comfortable, and that it has a kind of droopy cowl neck appearance in the back. It definitely kept her away from her stitches. I might even consider getting her a sweater in the winter. Oh no! I’ve turned into one of them!

This photo is just here for a dose of Cooper love: