About

How it All Began

Hi, I’m Jill Bartlett — pattern designer, educator, and founder of Thank Dog We Made It, a Canadian-based learning portal for dog wear designers and creative entrepreneurs.

This all started with my first dog Scout — a scruffy little rescue who changed my life. I began sewing raincoats and hand-knit sweaters for her, which turned into requests from friends, which turned into a business. In 2016, I launched Scouter Wear, a boutique dog wear company selling handmade coats and sweaters both in retail stores and online worldwide.

Designing new pieces for Scout always turned into something I wanted to share with others. That spirit of sharing—of helping others make things for their own dogs—has driven everything I’ve done since.

Scout Saved My Life!

When Scout came into my world, she pulled me out of burnout. I had just left a successful 12-year career as the co-owner of an eLearning company, where I built training for clients like TransLink, Metrolinx, and the World Resources Institute. While I loved the work, I was craving something hands-on and creative. Scout helped me reconnect with that part of myself—and in the process, sparked a whole new path forward.

Thank Dog We Made It Launches

In 2020, I launched a membership program to teach people how to sew their own dog clothes. It combined my love of dogs, handmade products, and online teaching. That eventually grew into Thank Dog We Made It — a learning platform offering patterns, tutorials, and courses to help people create everything from dog coats and sweaters to meals, treats, beds, collars, and leashes.

Today, I focus on:

Digital dog wear patterns (for both sewing and knitting)
Step-by-step tutorials to make things easier
Online courses that walk people through the process of digitizing, grading, and selling their own dog wear designs

Looking Ahead

As the platform grows, I’m excited to begin collaborating with other dog product developers and creators. My goal is to expand the range of patterns, tutorials, and expertise available—so that Thank Dog We Made It becomes a go-to resource for makers and petpreneurs everywhere.

Let’s stay connected: