How to Create and Personalize Stylish Dog Collars

Why spend money on stylish dog collars when you can purchase a less expensive nylon collar and personalize it for a fraction of the price? With a little creativity, and a few supplies, you can make a one of a kind collar for your beloved pooch. Simply gather some materials and follow the steps below to make a collar that fits your style and the dog’s personality.

Step 1 - Measure

To get started, you need to measure the dog’s neck. Purchase a plain nylon collar in the appropriate size and the color of your choice for your pooch. You can really use any type of collar you would like, but a nylon collar will be the cheapest and the easiest to attach your embellishments to. A leather collar will typically have a longer lifespan.

Step 2 - Decorate the Collar

Thread the sewing machine with coordinating thread. Plug in your hot glue gun so it can heat up. Measure and cut the desired amount of decorative ribbon. Choose any beads, tags or other embellishments you want to use on the collar. This is your chance to shine and to be extremely creative. You can find cute beads and tags shaped like dog biscuits, paw prints and other canine related items. Add rhinestones, pearls or any other decorations that will suit your dog.

Next, pin the ribbon to the collar with the straight pins. Sew the ribbon to the nylon to secure. Lay the collar flat on a hard surface such as the table or countertop. Using your hot glue gun, attach the beads, jewels, rhinestones or other decorative items as you desire. Sew the ribbon on first, if you are going to use it, and then add all of your decorations on top of that.

To attach the smaller stones, apply dots of glue from the glue gun and press the stones into the glue. You may want to use a stone setter if you have one, that will set the stones in a more permanent prong setting.

Step 3 - Paint

If beading is not your style, decorate with fabric paints. Make sure to keep the collar flat while the paint dries. You can use various acrylic paints to make a bone or paint the name of your dog. Use stencils to help you to create your designs if you are not very good at drawing the items yourself. You will find all of the paint supplies you will need in most local craft stores. Give it 24 hours to dry completely and your personalized and stylish collar is ready to be used.

Step 4 - Embroidery

You can also do little embroidery if you know how to work with threads. Your dog's name on the collar will look good. Additionally, you can add fancy buttons by stitching them on. Depending on your skill level, you might be able to embroider a dog bone, paw prints, or any other design on the dog collar.