Dog Hat Knitting Pattern with Ear Holes | Easy DIY for Small Dogs

There is something undeniably charming about a small dog wearing a handmade hat. Whether you are prepping for a chilly morning walk, a holiday photo session, or just want to spoil your furry companion with something cozy and custom-made, knitting a dog hat with ear holes is one of the most satisfying projects you can take on as a beginner or intermediate knitter. This guide walks you through everything you need to know — from choosing the right yarn to casting off the finished piece — so you can create a snug, stylish, and comfortable hat your small dog will actually tolerate wearing.

Why Knit a Dog Hat with Ear Holes?

Before we dive into the pattern itself, it helps to understand why ear holes matter so much in dog hat design. Many commercially sold dog hats are essentially little tubes that sit awkwardly on a dog’s head, flatten their ears, or slide off within minutes. Dogs rely on their ears not just for hearing but also for balance and communication, so a hat that pins their ears down flat can feel uncomfortable and stressful.

A hat knitted with intentional ear holes lets the ears poke through naturally. This means the hat stays in place better, your dog can hear and respond normally, and the whole experience is far less distressing for them. For small dogs especially — breeds like Chihuahuas, Dachshunds, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Shih Tzus, Miniature Pinschers, and Toy Poodles — a well-fitted ear-hole hat can become a genuinely wearable accessory rather than a novelty item that ends up in a drawer.

What You Will Need

Getting your supplies together before you start is the key to a smooth knitting session. Here is what you will need for this pattern.

Yarn: Choose a soft, washable worsted-weight yarn. This weight works up quickly and gives you enough structure to hold the hat’s shape without being too stiff. Avoid anything scratchy or rough, since the yarn will be sitting directly against your dog’s skin and fur. Merino wool blends, cotton-acrylic blends, and superwash wool all work beautifully. If your dog has sensitive skin or you live in a warmer climate, a cotton or bamboo-cotton blend is a gentle choice.

Needles: You will need US size 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles, a set of five. If you prefer knitting small circumferences on circular needles using the magic loop method, a 32-inch US size 7 circular needle will work just as well.

Other supplies: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends, a stitch marker, a measuring tape, and scissors. A pompom maker or small piece of cardboard is optional but fun if you want to top the hat off with a decorative pompom.

Sizing Your Dog’s Hat

Measuring your dog’s head before you start knitting will save you from frustration later. Grab a soft measuring tape and measure the circumference of your dog’s head just above the eyebrows and ears, which is generally the widest part. Then measure the distance from the top of the head down to just past the ears.

For most small dogs, the head circumference falls somewhere between 10 and 15 inches. This pattern is written for a 12-inch circumference, which fits a typical small dog well. Instructions for adjusting the sizing are included throughout the pattern so you can customize as needed.

A good rule of thumb: knit the hat about half an inch smaller than your dog’s actual head measurement. Knitted fabric stretches, and a slightly snug fit means the hat stays on rather than sliding over one eye the moment your dog shakes their head.

Understanding the Pattern

This pattern is written for knitters who know the basics: how to cast on, knit, purl, knit two together (k2tog), and use double-pointed needles. If you have made a hat for a human before, you will find this very familiar. If you are new to knitting in the round, this is an excellent beginner project because it is small, fast, and forgiving.

The hat is worked from the brim up to the crown. After knitting the brim, you will work the body of the hat and then create the ear holes using a simple bind-off and cast-on technique. From there, you finish the top and optionally add a pompom.

Gauge: 18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch with US size 7 needles. Always knit a small gauge swatch before starting, especially if you are adjusting the size.

The Pattern: Dog Hat with Ear Holes

Casting On and the Brim

Using your double-pointed needles (or circular needle for magic loop), cast on 54 stitches. Divide the stitches evenly across four needles if using DPNs — 13, 13, 14, 14 works fine. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist your cast-on edge. Place a stitch marker to mark the beginning of the round.

Work in 1×1 ribbing (knit 1, purl 1) for 10 rounds. This creates a stretchy, neat brim that will grip gently around your dog’s head without being too tight. If your dog has a particularly wide or flat face — like a Pug or French Bulldog — consider working an extra 4 to 6 rounds of ribbing so the brim has more coverage.

The Body of the Hat

Switch to stockinette stitch (knit every round) and work 8 rounds even. At this point the hat will look like a simple tube, and that is exactly what you want. The ear holes come next, and having this section of plain stockinette helps the hat sit comfortably between the brim and the ears.

Creating the Ear Holes

This is the step that turns a regular dog hat into a well-fitting ear-hole hat, and it is simpler than it sounds. You will work two ear holes symmetrically on opposite sides of the hat.

Round 1 of Ear Hole Setup: Knit 7 stitches, bind off the next 7 stitches loosely, knit 19 stitches, bind off the next 7 stitches loosely, knit the remaining 14 stitches to end of round.

You will now have two gaps in your knitting with bound-off sections on each side of the hat. The 7-stitch bound-off creates an ear hole that is roomy enough for most small dog ears without being so wide that the hat loses its structure.

Round 2 of Ear Hole Completion: Knit to the first gap. Using the backward loop cast-on (also called the e-wrap cast-on), cast on 7 new stitches over the gap. Continue knitting to the second gap and cast on 7 more stitches over that gap. Knit to the end of the round.

You now have your ear holes. The cast-on stitches bridge the gaps and keep the stitch count consistent, while the openings give your dog’s ears a natural place to poke through.

If your dog has very large ears or particularly erect ears — like a Chihuahua with those impressive sail ears — you can increase the ear hole to 9 or even 11 stitches. Just remember to adjust both ear holes equally and adjust your subsequent rows accordingly to keep the stitch count balanced.

Continuing the Body After the Ear Holes

Work 6 more rounds in stockinette stitch. This section above the ear holes closes up the top of the hat and gives you enough fabric to work the crown decreases.

At this point, take a moment to hold the hat up and check that the ear holes are sitting at the right place. The hat should look like a little dome with two symmetrical openings on the sides. If the holes seem too low, work 2 to 4 more rounds of stockinette before beginning the crown decreases. If they seem too high, you may have added too many rows after the ear hole section — but this is easy to adjust on your next knitting session.

Crown Decreases

The crown decreases shape the top of the hat into a neat dome. You will work these over several rounds, decreasing stitches evenly until only a few remain, which you will then draw together to close the top.

Decrease Round 1: Knit 7, k2tog — repeat this to end of round. You will have 48 stitches remaining.

Rounds 2, 4, 6: Knit even (no decreases).

Decrease Round 3: Knit 6, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 42 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 5: Knit 5, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 36 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 7: Knit 4, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 30 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 8: Knit 3, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 24 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 9: Knit 2, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 18 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 10: Knit 1, k2tog — repeat to end. You will have 12 stitches remaining.

Decrease Round 11: K2tog — repeat to end. You will have 6 stitches remaining.

Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail through your tapestry needle and draw it through all remaining 6 stitches. Pull snug to close the top of the hat. Weave in the end on the inside.

Finishing Touches

Weave in all your ends neatly on the inside of the hat using your tapestry needle. Take a moment to run your fingers along the ear holes and make sure there are no tight or rough edges that could irritate your dog’s skin. If you used a backward loop cast-on at the ear holes and the edge feels a little loose or loopy, you can tighten those stitches individually with the tip of your tapestry needle before weaving in the end.

Block the hat lightly if you are using a natural fiber yarn. Simply wet it, gently squeeze out excess water, and lay it flat or stuff it with a small ball of yarn to hold the dome shape while it dries. Acrylic yarns don’t technically require blocking, but a light steam or spritz of water can help even out the stitches and give the hat a more polished look.

Adding a Pompom

A pompom on top is entirely optional but adds a lot of personality. You can make one using a pompom maker, or simply wrap yarn around two fingers about 50 times, tie the bundle tightly in the middle with a separate piece of yarn, and cut the loops on both sides. Trim the pompom into a neat sphere, then use the long tails from the tie to attach it securely to the top of the hat.

If you are knitting a hat for a dog who plays hard or rolls around a lot, make sure the pompom is very firmly attached. You can reinforce it by threading the tails through the crown multiple times before knotting and trimming.

Tips for Getting Your Dog to Wear the Hat

Even the most perfectly fitted hat means nothing if your dog refuses to keep it on. A little positive reinforcement goes a long way. Start by letting your dog sniff the finished hat before attempting to put it on. Hold it near their face and reward them with a treat just for approaching it calmly.

Next, gently place the hat on their head for just a few seconds, then remove it and reward them generously. Repeat this several times over a few days, gradually increasing the time they wear it. Most dogs will accept a hat relatively quickly when the experience is always associated with praise and treats.

Keep the first few wearing sessions short and stay upbeat. Never chase your dog to put the hat on or force it to stay on if they seem genuinely distressed. The goal is a dog who tolerates — and maybe even enjoys — their little hat moment.

Choosing the right moment also helps. Putting the hat on right before a walk, when your dog is already excited and associating gear with good things happening, tends to work better than trying to put it on a dog who is just settling in for a nap.

Pattern Variations to Try

Once you have mastered the basic ear-hole dog hat, there are so many fun directions to take it. A simple color change at the ribbing creates a two-toned look. Knitting the entire hat in ribbing gives it a chunkier, more textured appearance. You can work a small cable panel up the center front for something more decorative, though this requires knowing how to work a basic cable cross.

Seasonal variations are especially fun. A red hat with a white ribbed brim becomes a Santa hat. A green hat with a simple slip-stitch pattern in the body looks like elf wear. Adding two small knitted cones on either side of the crown before the ear holes makes a convincing witch’s hat silhouette, perfect for Halloween.

You can also experiment with colorwork using a simple two-color stranded pattern in the body section. Fair Isle dog hats with snowflakes, bones, or paw prints are a big hit and are not as complicated as they look once you get the hang of carrying two yarns at once.

Caring for Your Dog’s Knitted Hat

Handmade items deserve proper care so they last through many wearing seasons. Always check the care label on your yarn before washing. Most superwash wool and acrylic yarns can be machine washed on a gentle cycle in cold water, which makes life much easier when your dog inevitably drags their hat through mud.

For natural wool that is not superwash treated, hand wash gently in cool water with a small amount of wool wash or gentle dish soap. Do not wring or twist the hat. Gently press out excess water, then reshape and lay flat to dry.

Store the hat somewhere dry and clean when it is not in use. If you are storing it long-term between seasons, placing it in a zip-lock bag or a cedar-lined storage container will help protect against moths if you used a natural fiber.

Final Thoughts

Knitting a dog hat with ear holes is one of those projects that delivers a huge amount of joy for a relatively small amount of effort. The entire hat can be knitted in a single afternoon for most people, and the result is a functional, adorable accessory that fits your small dog properly and stays in place. The ear holes make all the difference — both in terms of your dog’s comfort and in how the hat looks and performs.

Whether you knit it in a classic heathered gray, a vivid holiday red, or a playful rainbow stripe, the time and care you put into a handmade hat comes through in every stitch. Your dog may not know what a knitting needle is, but they will benefit from the warmth and thoughtfulness behind every round you worked.

Now grab your yarn, find a cozy spot, and get knitting. Your small dog’s head is waiting.