How the 4 Legged Bodysuit Began
In New York City, parks are where dogs and their owners walk, run and meet with friends. Our first Italian Greyhound Rescue, Matisse, came in summer 1998. We went to the park every day. By fall, I learned how much weather affected him. Windy days in September were hard. In chilly October Matisse shivered. By December, Matisse was too cold to go out, even to do his business quickly.
Dog clothes were hard to find and coats didn't fit. They came in 3 generic sizes and only covered the back. Matisse's chest wasn’t covered, and his thin legs were exposed and freezing. What to do?
A costume designer friend, Deborah, and I worked out what Matisse needed: full coverage, warmth and ease of movement. Deborah designed a heavy fleece suit sized and shaped for him. It covered his whole body, including the chest and legs, with a harness opening on the back. The suit stretched sideways, so there was no need for zippers, velcro or buttons. We called it a “Bodysuit”.
Matisse wore his Bodysuit outside for the first time in January. He was warm and protected from the weather. And he was incredibly happy- going for long walks, playing with other dogs, running in the snow. He didn’t notice if it was freezing, windy or snowing.
A friend asked if we could make a Bodysuit for her mini Dachshund, Lucy. We measured Lucy's length, girth, neck and leg length, and Deborah designed a suit cut to Lucy's shape. She loved it! Lucy and Matisse were the warmest dogs in Riverside Park.
Other owners asked if I could make Bodysuits for their dogs. Like us, they couldn't find clothes that covered enough of the body, fit right, stayed on and were warm. Bodysuits were made for Pugs, Whippets, and even a Teacup Yorkie.
Matisse was still growing, so when he turned one we made a larger size. As other Italian Greyhound owners asked for suits, I measured their dogs and used the AKC breed standards as a starting point. Dogs of the same breed share a shape but come in different sizes, so each breed line is sized the way a dressmaker sizes a client: by length, girth, neck and height. Every new pattern is cut, sewn and tried on, then refined.
Then, an idea came. Why not start a dog clothing company with fitted clothes sized and shaped for the breed?
In a class for manufacturing and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology, students laughed at the idea of a dog clothes line. There wouldn’t be any demand, they said. My teacher, Mary, who worked in marketing for a major fashion designer, thought it was a great idea. She took me all over the garment district to fabric suppliers, label and tag producers, pattern makers, cutting rooms and sewing rooms, taught me how a garment is manufactured, and put me in touch with a great pattern maker. Houndz in the Hood was born!
In May 1999, Houndz in the Hood was launched online. By 2000, we made fitted Bodysuits, Overcoats, Raincoats, and Jammies for many different breeds. Customers told us about their needs, so we added Sweaters, Sweatshirts, Lightweight Shirts, Rompers and medium weight fleece bodysuits for fall and spring. In 2007 we started making Hooded Bodysuits as well.
Today, the dog clothes industry is booming. Most clothes are still generically sized, but ours are shaped and sized to the breed. Houndz in the Hood clothes are made in New York City’s garment district, where our patterns are printed and our fabric is cut, sewn and packaged, and they will always be made in the USA. Every garment is checked at the sewing room and again by me before it is tagged, folded and bagged. We use the finest fabrics and sewers for clothes that are functional, fashionable and made to last. My Iggys wear Houndz in the Hood clothes, so they have to be great.
Houndz in the Hood is very proud to have been making the 4 legged Bodysuit and clothes fitted to the breed since 1999. We have Matisse and Lucy to thank, because the creation of this company was inspired by them. That is why you will see the icon of a Dachshund and an Italian Greyhound everywhere on our site!
Terri Goodwillie
Founder, Houndz in the Hood