It’s the blustery time of year when we all want to be warm—or warmer. If you own a Great Pyrenees, you may look at them and realize they seem to be comfortable in many kinds of weather. Their remarkable coats are the reason. It seemed like there was a time a few years ago when doing something useful with the fur like spinning and knitting was popular or at least being discussed. Now the discussion is on again with the reprint of a book from the 1990s, Knitting with Dog Hair. One correction, though. Great Pyrenees have “fur,” because unlike most dog “hair, the Pyrenees “fur” coat is made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat. This is called “fur” rather than “hair” due to the double-layered structure. It functions as very effective insulation in varying weather conditions—cold, hot and in-between. And, this is the reason why you should never shave your Great Pyrenees.
If you’ve ever wondered what to do with all the excess Pyr fur found around the house, spinning and knitting seems like a logical choice. It can, however, involve lots of work to get the fur into “spinable” shape—maybe one reason why interest in this craft waxes and wanes. Great Pyrenees are one of the breeds preferred for their fur, along with Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies and Golden Retrievers. If you own a Pyr, then you know how prolifically they shed, especially at certain times of the year.
There are detailed descriptions online about sorting the longer, more desirable pieces from shorter “guard hairs,” then washing, rinsing and drying to remove doggy smells. Dawn detergent can be used for washing fur, but agitation should be avoided as it stresses and mats the fur. Or, you can spin the hair right off the dog as our volunteer is doing. Because the fur is so light, as it is being spun the fur is blended with wool to strengthen it. Here the carded wool is taken from the cardboard box and blended with handfuls of fur from the dog.
Items crafted from Pyr fur will be extremely warm, another reason to blend the fur with wool. Doggy odor can be a major drawback to wearing garments outside. Even when fur is washed thoroughly, garments made from dog fur can retain a “doggy” smell. The odor can be especially strong when the items become wet, so you may want to check the weather forecast before venturing out in your “chiengora” clothes.
The romance of this ancient craft is depicted in a lovely audio clip by Australian producer Natalie Kestecher featured on our Care and Grooming page. Set aside a few minutes to be entertained by this charming voiceprint that traces this ancient art from 15th century Catalonia to contemporary practices in Australia.
If you want to pursue your interest in spinning or knitting with dog fur, there are many online resources or refer to the the classic book on the subject, which just been reprinted. Knitting with Dog Hair: Better a Sweater from a Dog You Know and Love Than from a Sheep You’ll Never Meet is available on Amazon or visit the author’s website.
