Crochet Bunny Dog Snood Pattern: Long Ears, Warm Neck, 3 Sizes

ByIzzy Foxx Updated on

There is a particular joy in crocheting for long-eared dogs, and few projects capture it as completely as a snood topped with a pair of tall, upright bunny ears. On the dachshund in our photo — sleek red-brown coat, face framed by a cozy heather-grey hood — the two grey-and-white ears stand straight up over his own. It is instantly charming, endlessly photographable, and, just as importantly, genuinely useful.

A snood keeps long ears warm, clean, and out of the food and water bowls. This pattern is worked in one piece from the neck up in lemon peel stitch, comes in three sizes by neck measurement, and finishes with two flat bunny ears sewn to the crown. If you can work in the round and count stitches, you can make a bunny.

Dachshund in a bunny snood lying in a sphinx pose in a bright studio

Why a Bunny Snood Works So Well

The first advantage is ear protection. Dachshunds, beagles, basset hounds, and spaniels carry ears that drape well past the jaw, which means those ears catch grass, mud, kibble, and water all day long. A snug hood tucks them up into a soft, contained space and keeps the feathered hair clean and dry.

The second is warmth with gentle, even pressure. The lemon peel fabric is dense and insulating without being heavy, and a well-fitted snood settles around the neck and head the way a familiar blanket does — many dogs visibly relax into it. It is the same principle behind our Pom-Pom Hat, with the ears doing the protecting instead of a brim.

And then there is the obvious: two standing bunny ears turn a practical accessory into a showpiece — Easter egg hunts, spring garden photos, or just a Tuesday that needed improving. Because the ears stand up off the head instead of flopping around the neck, the silhouette stays crisp in every photo.

Choose Your Colors

Three bunny snoods in grey, blush, and honey on a craft table

The photo snood is heather grey with white inner ears, but the two-panel ear design takes new colors beautifully. Keep the inner ear pale — it is what makes the bunny read at a distance — and let the body color set the mood.

Before You Get Started

A started grey crochet ring on a hook beside a finished bunny snood in a studio

The snood is worked in one piece from the bottom up: a ribbed neck band in the round, a short body section, the face opening worked in turned rows over the back stitches only, a decreased crown that closes the top, and a neat single-crochet edging around the face opening. The bunny ears are made separately, in two flat panels each, and sewn on last.

Skills used are single crochet, double crochet, front- and back-post double crochet (for the ribbing), single-crochet decreases, and simple sewing. The body stitch is lemon peel — alternating single and double crochet — which gives the hood its nubby, shape-keeping texture. Any smooth worsted-weight yarn that meets gauge works; soft acrylic is kindest against the neck and washes easily. If you have made the Frog Snood before, you will recognize the construction — this pattern swaps the stalk eyes for ears.

Tools & Materials Needed

Size Info and Gauge

The finished circumference is a little larger than the neck range because the snood must pass over the head; the ribbed band is what holds it in place once it is on. The ears add about 4.5 inches above the crown in every size. For a flatter neck piece in the same yarn weight, the Buttoned Scarf is the natural companion pattern.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

ch chain  ·  sc single crochet  ·  dc double crochet  ·  sl st slip stitch  ·  st(s) stitch(es)  ·  inc 2 sc in one stitch  ·  dec single crochet 2 together (sc2tog)  ·  FPdc front-post double crochet  ·  BPdc back-post double crochet

Pattern Notes

Construction order: neck band, body, face opening, crown, face edging, then the ears.

Center back: the joining seam sits at the center back of the neck. The markers for the face opening are placed by counting from that seam.

Lemon peel rhythm: alternate sc, dc around. At the row turns of the face opening, the alternation may shift by one stitch — this disappears into the texture and is not a mistake.

Crown finish: the crown rounds switch to single crochet so the decreases stay smooth and even. The ears sit on top and cover the transition completely.

Pattern Instructions

Neck Band

Ch 48 (56, 64). Join with a sl st to the first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.

Body

Face Opening

Studio close-up of a dachshund face framed by the bunny snood opening

Count the back 32 (38, 44) sts centered on the joining seam and place a marker in the first and last back st. The front 16 (18, 20) sts between the markers form the face opening and are not worked in this section.

Crown

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Thread the tail through the remaining 6 (7, 8) sts, pull to cinch the top closed, and secure.

Face Edging

Bunny Ears (Make 2)

Close-up of bunny snood ears and crown under lamplight

Outer ear (heather grey), worked flat:

Inner ear (white), worked flat:

Assembly

Sew one white inner ear to the center front of each grey outer ear with small neat stitches around the panel’s edge — a slim grey border frames it, exactly as in the photo. Pinch the base of each finished ear so the two bottom corners meet at the back, and stitch that fold closed: the pinch is what gives the ear its gentle three-dimensional curve and helps it stand.

Sew the two ears to the front of the crown, bases about 2 (2.5, 3) inches apart and angled slightly outward. Stitch through several crown rows, not just the top row, so the ears stay upright when your dog moves. Weave in all remaining ends.

Finishing

Dachshund standing in a finished bunny snood in a craft room doorway

Weave in every end, checking the inside of the hood where little mouths explore. The snood needs no hard blocking — a gentle steam or a few hours folded flat will relax the lemon peel texture if your gauge ran tight, and you can shape the ears upright with your fingers while it rests. Try the snood on your dog before the first outing: it should slip over the head easily, the band should sit on the neck without sliding forward over the muzzle, and your dog should be able to open its mouth, bark, and shake its head freely. For a full cold-weather set, pair it with the Dandy Dog Sweater Crochet Pattern.

Customizing the Fit

Taller hood: for long-headed breeds like Greyhounds and Dachshunds, add 1–2 extra lemon peel rounds to the body before starting the face opening.

Wider face opening: for broad-headed breeds, work the face rows over 2 fewer back sts and leave 2 more front sts unworked — 30 (36, 42) back sts instead. The total stitch count, and the crown, stay exactly the same.

Taller or shorter ears: the ear height lives in the straight rows. Add or remove rows from Rows 4–12 of the outer ear to taste, and add or remove the SAME number of rows from Rows 4–10 of the inner ear so the panels still match. Stopping the straight section early gives the shorter, rounder ear; extending it gives the tall show-bunny look.

Frequently Asked Questions

Measure around the widest part of the neck, snug but not tight. Match the number to the size cards: 10–12 inches is S, 13–15 inches is M, and 16–18 inches is L. If you land between sizes, make the larger one — the ribbed band keeps it in place.

Long-eared breeds carry ears that extend past the jaw, so the ears constantly meet the ground, the food bowl, and the water dish — a recipe for mats, damp skin, and irritation. A snood tucks them up into a warm, contained space and keeps them clean and dry through meals and walks, and it takes the wind chill off those large, feathered ears too.

Soft worsted-weight acrylic is the practical choice: warm, machine-washable, and quick to dry. Cotton and cotton blends also work and hold the lemon peel texture beautifully, but they dry slowly and suit occasional wear better. Avoid very fuzzy or novelty yarns — they shed, mat against the coat, and hide the stitch texture.

Three things do the work. Work the ear panels with a firm, even tension so the fabric has body. Pinch and stitch the base fold closed, as in the Assembly section — that fold is the ear’s spine. And when you sew the ears on, stitch through several crown rows rather than a single row, angling them slightly outward. If an ear still leans, add a second row of stitches around its base.

Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle in a mesh laundry bag and dry flat, shaping the ears upright while it dries. Check the ear stitching after the first few washes and re-secure any loose thread.

Final Thoughts

There are more serious crochet projects in the world, and most of them are less fun than this one. The bunny snood takes an evening, a ball of grey yarn, and a dog willing to be looked at — and it pays you back every single walk, in warm clean ears, in smiles from strangers, and in photos you will keep forever. Underneath the silliness, it is a genuinely useful garment for long-eared dogs.

Make the first one in classic heather grey, like the photo. It is the version everyone recognizes instantly.

Then try a Blush or a Honey from the color cards — the hood never changes, only the yarn. That is the beauty of a good base pattern.

Izzy foxx on a vet tour in africa

Izzy Foxx

Izzy is an experienced ranch worker who has a passion for exploring nature and getting up close to wildlife. With her connections to various animal organizations, Izzy is well-versed in animal care and rehabilitation.

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