How to Make Your Own Martingale Collar Parts

A martingale dog collar is a gentle form of correction or choke collar made from two sections of nylon webbing. One section serves as the actual collar, and is tightened as needed around your dog̵7;s neck by a smaller loop of webbing connected by a D-ring to the leash. The collar gradually tightens if a dog ignores or resists a leash correction̵2;but only to a point̵2;and also applies even pressure, minimizing the possibility of injury. Forget trying to manufacture the metal adjustment sliders and D-ring. But you can easily make both collar sections, and in the process make a dog collar.

Things You'll Need

  • Sewing tape measure
  • Nylon webbing, 3/4 inch or 1 inch wide
  • Sharp sewing scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread to match webbing
  • Heavy-duty machine needles
  • D-ring (metal), 3/4 or 1 inch
  • Metal adjustment sliders, 3/4 or 1 inch
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog in three places̵2;at the widest point of his head, at the top of the neck just behind the ears, and around the lower neck where the collar will usually sit. These measurements represent your martingale collar̵7;s range of actual size when in use̵2;large enough to slip over your dog̵7;s head, but never tighter than his narrowest neck measurement.

    • 2

      Cut two pieces of nylon webbing, the first about 1 1/2 inches longer than your dog̵7;s smallest neck measurement, the other (the tightening or control loop) about half that total length. Sew unfinished edges of both pieces with a zigzag stitch.

    • 3

      Fashion the tightening loop first. Slip one end̵2;the near end̵2;of each slider onto the shorter length of webbing. Sliders connect the control loop to the main collar, and adjust a collar̵7;s tightness. Slide the D-ring onto one end of the webbing. Overlap with the other end of the webbing piece so the D-ring is centered between doubled webbing on both sides with one to two inches of overlap. Sew a straight line parallel to the D-ring on both sides. Stitch another straight line at both doubled ends. Stitch a reinforcing X between the two lines, on each side of the D-ring.

    • 4

      Make the larger loop--the actual collar--by slipping one end of the larger webbing section onto the available end of each slider. Fold the webbing around each slider and stitch.

    • 5

      Slip the collar onto your dog. Adjust the collar so that at maximum ̶0;pull̶1; from the D ring, both metal slides move together but cannot touch, with a space of about two inches between them. You want to make sure the collar won̵7;t choke your dog.