How To Make Dog Collars

Five Easy Steps for How To Make Dog Collars

1. Determine webbing needed: Lay the existing collar outstretched and measure end-to-end just inside the existing hardware. Add 4" to this measurement to get the length of webbing needed.
Cut the hardware from the old collar and set it aside so it can be re-used for the new collar. Measure for the width of webbing needed by measuring the space on the male portion of the buckle where the webbing will be threaded. If the existing collar is made of webbing, just measure the width of the existing webbing. Cut your webbing to length.
 

2. Fitting the male buckle assembly: Holding the male portion of the buckle assembly face up, thread the webbing through the end furthest away from the buckle prongs. The webbing will come from underneath the buckle, go up and over the bar between the two openings, and thread back down through the 2nd opening. Pull about 1 1/2 inches extra through the
bottom of the buckle. Stitch across the webbing as close to the end of the webbing as possible. Then stitch across the webbing again as close to the buckle as possible. Additional stitches may need to be added between these two rows for additional strength.
 

3. Female buckle assembly: Slip the d-ring on the unfinished end of the webbing and slide it to the male end of the collar to get it out of the way while the female portion of the buckle is added. Insert the webbing into the female buckle by holding the buckle face up, inserting the webbing through the top of the slot, then out the back side of the buckle. Adjust the webbing between the two ends until the measurement is the same as the original length (in step 1). This should also leave a bit of length for attaching the d-ring. Stitch as close as possible to the female buckle.
    
   
4. D-Ring: Take a quick fit on your dog to determine if any further adjustement is needed. If so, you can remove this row of stictching, adjust and re-sew as needed. Once you're satisfied with the fit, slide the d-ring up close to the stitching and add another row of stitching to create a 'pocket' for the d-ring.

 

5. Finishing the Collar: Trim any excess stitching and use a lighter or lit match to quickly burn the very ends of the webbing so that it doesn't fray. A bit of fray-check (available at craft and hobby stores) can also be used if you don't like the idea of burning the ends. Be sure to allow the collar to cool and/or dry bfore putting the collar on your dog.

Return from How to Make Dog Collars to Make Dog Collars

* Disclaimer: this design is for a fixed size collar for a fully-grown dog, and is not designed to be adjustable. It is not designed for dogs that pull excessively. Users accept all responsibility for the quality, durability and safety of their final product.