Collars

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 7:59 am

Some of the educators at my dog club have lots of good ideas: one of them organized a half-day workshop on May 1st to teach us how to make collars for our dogs using Paracord. She ordered the cord for us (there are hundreds of colours to choose from!) as well as all the other things we needed, and after a cup of coffee and croissants at her place, the small group of club members who had enrolled started working! Quite easy to do once you've understood how to plait and knot the cord. I am rather proud to show you the result of my efforts!!! Very Happy

The red and brown is for Foxie, and the purple and grey for Miss You of course.

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 10:45 am

They look great, very smart.

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:10 am

What a good idea, they look really nice Very Happy

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:16 am

They are lovely! Smile

Any chance of the written instructions - all in the interest of international relations you understand? Laughing

Friend for Life Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 8430

Wow Nina - those are really attractive and useful looking! If I had a dog, I would beg you to make me one...very very nice, and hard-wearing, I bet, too

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 3:21 pm

Nina, they really do look lovely. I would love to know how to do the basics, then could make my own taggies, exactly how I like them.

Perhaps we'll have to meet up again so you can show me. Very Happy

Xx

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:31 pm

Ooh .. there's lovely. Well done they look great.

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 5:24 pm

As I certainly don't want to jeopardize international relations (see Shirley's post Laughing

), I did some research on the Internet, I think I've found quite a good tutorial with easy to follow instructions and photos, but there are lots of others, including Youtube videos too.

http://paracordcentral.org/how-to-make-a-paracord-dog-collar/

Just one thing: for the length or paracord needed, our educator recommended 15 times our dog's neck circumference for each of the chosen 2 colours, and it was just what was needed. For example, for Foxie, whose neck circumference is 43 cm (measured with a tape, not too tight but not too loose either), 43 x 15 = 6.45 metres, so I bought 7 metres of red paracord and 7 metres of brown paracord (to be on the safe side).

In the explanations on the website above, they omitted to explain this: after attaching the middle of the cord folded in two to one side of the buckle, insert the 2 loose ends of the cord into the other side of the buckle and make the buckle slide along the cord until you get the required length of your final collar, using a tape and including one side of the buckle in your measurement: measure the size of your dog's neck circumference + approx 1 inch. Then fold and attach the cord to the other side of the buckle at that point, and start making the knots as explained.

Also, when you have finished knotting the cord, cut the remaining lengtth on each side to maybe 2 mm from the collar, and melt the remaining stubs with a lighter.

There are lots of websites selling paracord as well as rings, buckles, etc, everything you need! And it isn't very expensive either, as you will see (for Foxie's collar I spent approx £5 and for Miss You's approx £3.5).

I hope you will show us photos if you do decide to try it!

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 6:36 pm

Many thanks for that extremely useful information. I have already had a trawl through the internet for possible books on the subject but your info looks much better. I will be on to the paracord ordering tomorrow as I just can't wait to have a go! Zebo is already on to his third collar, the first was a knitted one, as he keeps on growing!!!! A matching collar and lead will soon be being produced, hopefully just in time for when he starts Puppy Prep School on 17th May.
Pics will be put up as soon as I get started. Very Happy

I have a lot to live up to after seeing your wonderful products! Perhaps we should have a kind of FBC uniform one!!!!

Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 7:09 pm

Excellent! I can't wait to see your pics of Zebo wearing his new home-made collar and lead! If you have any problem while you'ra making your collar, don't hesitate to ask, I may be able to help if you make the same model as I did.

Posted: Thu May 04, 2017 7:46 pm

Love the look of the silver and purple one; well done Nina. Very Happy

Posted: Thu May 04, 2017 10:05 pm

Nina07 wrote:

Excellent! I can't wait to see your pics of Zebo wearing his new home-made collar and lead! If you have any problem while you'ra making your collar, don't hesitate to ask, I may be able to help if you make the same model as I did.

Lots of investigations done today and I am left with two questions -

Is your cord 3mm or 4mm? As Zebo is still very little I do not want the collar to be too 'intrusive' for him as when his identity medallion is on it will add even more bulk.

What size buckle did you use?

So exciting I can't wait to get started!

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 5:47 am

The cord we have used here is Paracord 550 Type III, 4 mm in diameter.

As your Zebo is still a puppy, maybe you could start by making a collar similar to the one I made for Miss You, which has a single layer of knots and is therefore much lighter than the one I made for Foxie, and then, in a few months' time, make a bigger heavier one? (the knotting method is exactly the same for both collars, the only difference being one single layer of cord for the small one and 2 layers for the big one, knotted one upon the other in exactly the same way.

If you decide to make the smaller type of collar, a 2mm wide buckle will be sufficient (2.5mm buckle for one like Foxie's), and the D-ring to attach his lead should be the same width. You will of course only need to order half the length of each cord compared to a 2-layer bigger collar.

By the way, we didn't do it during our workshop, but of course it is possible to include a second, smaller ring, either round or D-shaped, closer to the buckle, to attach your dog's medallion (or you can choose to fix it on the D-ring too).

If you decide to make a small 2-colour collar like Miss You's, the simplest solution in order to have a 2-colour cord to knot is by melting (using a lighter or a match) one end of one of the cords, then very quickly melt one end of the other cord and press them firmly together (with scissors or the blade of a knife, pressing them down on a table for example), then quickly present the joint to the lighter again, to make it even stronger.

Good luck and enjoy your creation(s)!!!

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 6:46 am

Nina, thank you for that very detailed and helpful information. Today is 'ordering' day as I can't wait to get started! Cheers.

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 7:02 am

What colours have you chosen?

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 7:13 am

I think it is going to be the purple and silver grey.

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 7:20 am

Lovely colours! Miss You's collar is lavender and a kind of chevron pattern grey.

Posted: Mon May 08, 2017 9:52 pm

Love the collars and the colours Nina - you are clever.

Posted: Tue May 09, 2017 6:18 am

They look really great Nina, well done you'll have to go into business!! Very Happy

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 1:32 pm

No no no Pam, retirement suits me very well!!! Very Happy

However, it is true that I could make some money selling those home-made collars: I have seen some for sale on various websites, exactly the same as the one I made for Foxie, and they were priced at approx £45! Shocked

Friend for Life Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 8430

Aw Nina - see? You have a gift. Now, get to making a gazillion collars so you can hire a private jet and come over and see us all Smile

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 9:32 pm

Nina07 wrote:

No no no Pam, retirement suits me very well!!! Very Happy

However, it is true that I could make some money selling those home-made collars: I have seen some for sale on various websites, exactly the same as the one I made for Foxie, and they were priced at approx £45! Shocked

They probably copied yours Nina, copyright??? Wink

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 6:23 am

I love the idea of the private jet to cross the Channel! Very Happy

Friend for Life Joined: 29 Jun 2008 Posts: 8430

Well, get weaving, girl! Very Happy

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 8:51 am

Anyway, have you received your Paracord and buckles, Shirley? Looking forward to seeing Zebo's collar!