DIY with Irene: Dog Collars

Whats in this story

Wandering through the pet store with my best bud who presents himself as a tiny yorkie, the t-r-e-a-t aisle tends to be one of his favorites. However, the pet clothes aisle was always one of mine. Truthfully, Oliver doesn’t always love getting all dressed up as much as I do. May it be a dog thing or a guy thing, he just never really enjoyed it. So, I settled with a more subtle form of expression: a nice dog collar. Easy enough, right? There’s always a pretty good selection.

But whether it be the fit, the price, or the quality – we never felt like anything was exactly right.  We decided to take matters into our own hands and create something better suited for his playful and loving personality…

What you’ll need:

      Paracord

      D hooks

      Buckles

      Scissors

      Measuring tape

      Lighter

      Tape

      Charms/loops (optional)

Step 1: Start out by measuring your dogs neck (or a collar he already uses).  Use one foot of paracord for each inch. (For example, Oliver’s neck measures 13 inches, so I used 13 feet of paracord)

Step 2: Fold the paracord in half and insert it through one end of the buckle to form a knot.

Step 3: Insert the other end through the other buckle and use your dogs neck measurements starting from one end to the other.

Step 4: Taping down the collar will make the process a lot easier. Begin by taking the string on the left and go under your two center strings. Then wrap the right string over the center and through the resulting loop. Those two center strings will remain in the center, unmoved the whole time.

Step 5: Repeat step 4 on opposite side and continue!

Step 6: When you’re about a third of the way complete, insert a D hook. Do this by starting a knot and pulling the D hook through (make sure it’s on the outside of the collar), you may need to hold it in place. Position it where you’d like and tighten the knot!

Step 7: Trim the ends and light them on fire! Yes, take a lighter to the trimmed tips for about 10 seconds or until they melt (this will ensure the collar doesn’t fall apart). Wipe off any excess with a towel. (Careful! It may be hot.)

Step 8: Add charms! For the final step, open the loops up, slide on your charms and hook them onto the collar. Easy! Add a name tag, a flower, your pets zodiac sign, whatever you (and your dog) prefer!

These personalized dog collars are so fun and easy to put together! It’s just like making friendship bracelets as a kid, but even better! Your furry friend will definitely enjoy the love and care that come from one of these DIY dog collars.