Greyhound collars prevent your dog's cone-shaped head from slipping out by slightly tightening when your dog tries to back out of it. Wide greyhound collars exert pressure over a greater area and are, therefore, gentler than thin collars. Leather strips can be purchased in a variety of colors; use your imagination to give Lucky or Bandit his own unique style of collar that's truly his own--at a fraction of the cost for a commercial collar.
Instructions
Make a Pattern
1. Place a sheet of newspaper in front of you, right side up. Fold in half from the top to the bottom. Fold in half again, from the left to the right.
2. Draw a 10-inch by 1-inch rectangle running horizontally along the top left-hand side of the folded newspaper, with the 1-inch side at the top and the 10-inch side running vertically. Starting halfway down the rectangle, taper the rectangle to 5/8 inches at the bottom, so your shape resembles a thin chopping knife:
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3. Cut the shape out from the corner of the newspaper. Cut a curve (instead of a 45-degree angle) where the "blade" meets the "handle" of your knife-shape.
4. Unfold. You should have a symmetrical dog collar pattern, wide in the center and tapered at two ends.
5. Cut 1 1/2 inches from one end and cut a small mark where the buckle will go. On one end cut away 4 cm. (1 1/2 inches) and prepare a slit for the buckle.
Make the Collar
6. Pin the paper to the leather with dressmaker's pins.
7. Cut the collar shape out of the leather with a craft knife.
8. Mark a slit for the buckle in the leather and remove the pattern.
9. Insert the short end of the leather strap through the D ring so that the curved edge of the "D" faces toward the end of the collar.
10. Place the buckle in the slit and secure with a rivet. Use a second rivet to secure the D ring in place.
11. Place on your dog and measure where the collar holes should be. Punch one or two holes.
Tags: Fold half, leather with, slit buckle