How to Make Greyhound Collars

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.

Things You'll Need

  • Newspaper
  • Scissors
  • Dressmaker's pins
  • Craft knife
  • Leather strip, 16 inches by 1 7/10 inches wide
  • 7/10-inch D ring
  • 7/10-inch buckle
  • Hole punch
  • Two rivets
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Instructions

  1. 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.