How to Sew a Martingale Collar

A martingale collar provides control over a dog without choking it. Although the design is similar to that of a slip collar, a martingale does not put pressure on the dog̵7;s neck and cause choking. Martingale collars work best with dogs whose necks are larger than their heads and are more secure than buckle collars. Sewing your own martingale collar allows you to custom-fit the dog that you love with an accessory to control its movements and keep it safe.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Webbing
  • Scissors
  • 3 D-rings
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog. Take one measurement directly behind the ears and another lower down around the neck, where the collar will sit. So you are taking two measurements of your dog̵7;s neck in two separate places. Measuring behind the ears will secure the collar so that he cannot slip out of it.

    • 2

      Cut one piece of webbing to act as the neck loop or collar. Webbing is nylon sold in strips. If you are unsure what webbing looks like, ask a clerk at the fabric store for help. Add two inches to the behind-the-ear measurement to determine the necessary length of the webbing. For instance, if your dog measured 13 inches behind its ears, you will need webbing that is 15 inches long.

    • 3

      Cut a second piece of webbing. This piece will serve as the control loop. To determine the length, take the neck measurement and subtract the behind-the-ears measurement, add two inches to that number and then double it. For instance, if the neck measurement was 17 inches, 17 minus 13 is four inches. Take four inches and add an additional two inches to total six. Double that number, and the final length for the second piece of webbing would be 12 inches.

    • 4

      Insert a D-ring through one end of the larger piece of webbing or collar.

    • 5

      Fold the end of the webbing over to enclose the D-ring. Make your fold about 3/4 inches. You are folding the webbing and making a pocket for the ring to attach it to the fabric.

    • 6

      Sew a line across the folded end to close your pocket. Use a triple stitch to create a line about 1/4 inch from the open end of the fold. Select a stitch on your sewing machine that is strong, such as reverse button. Repeat the process and sew a second line above the first.

    • 7

      Attach a second D-ring to the other end of the webbing using the process in the last three steps. Fold both ends on the same side. If you folded the first toward you, fold the second end that way also. You should now have one piece of webbing with a D-ring sewn to each end. This is your collar.

    • 8

      Attach your control loop. This is the second, shorter piece of webbing. Slide it through the D-rings on the larger piece so that it forms a loop. The folds of the collar should be on the outside, so that the smoother side will be against your dog̵7;s neck.

    • 9

      Slide the last D-ring onto the control loop.

    • 10

      Pull the ends of the control loop together and overlap them about two inches. You are creating a circle with the control loop that has a loose D-ring and the two D-rings attached to the collar, inside the circle.

    • 11

      Sew the ends of the control loop together using the same strong stitch you used for the collar. Sew the ends so you create a flap. In the previous step, you overlapped the ends two inches. Make your stitch so that one end of the control loop attaches two inches in from the other end. Think of a belt. You are sewing where the holes are on the belt, not at the end. The loop should have an open flap after you sew.

    • 12

      Flip the control loop over so the fold you just created is down toward the sewing machine.

    • 13

      Pull the loose D-ring on the control loop so that it slides under the loose flap. Pull the D-ring as close as possible to the stitching you just created in the control loop. The goal is to make a pocket in the control loop that holds the D-ring. Sew the loose end closed with the D-ring caught between the two ends. Use the same stitch that you have been using all along.

    • 14

      Trim any loose threads from your new collar.

    • 15

      Put your new collar on your dog. Attach a lease to the collar when you are ready to go for a walk.