Sturdiest Way To Stitch Dee Ring To Dog Collar?

[lightingale]

Since learning to saddle-stitch, I'd like to hand-sew dog collars instead of riveting them (sewn looks nicer and allows me to use a lining if I want). My question is on how to secure a dee ring (where all the force of a pulling dog is concentrated) so that there's no chance of it pulling out even with a powerful Rottweiler at the end of the leash.

My first thought was to stitch it like this:

Would that be strong enough? Maybe sew it like this and then add a rivet or two for good measure?

A style I've never seen before, found on google, looks like this:

This one is interesting although I'd have to remake my templates. The dee ring is at the very end of the strap and the buckle end feeds through it before it's buckled up.

Thoughts?

[Go2Tex]

A working dog collar is made from a long strap folded in half and stitched the entire length, with the dee located at the fold. The buckle is placed a few inches from the dee with a leather loop placed after that such that the buckle and loop are sandwiched between the top and bottom layers of the strap.

It may not be absolutely necessary to both stitch and rivet the collar, but it seems to be the industry standard for maximum durability to rivet and stitch. This is the way military working collars have been made for about as long as they have been making them.

The attached pic shows the construction, but with a slight modification. Instead of using one long piece of leather and folding it over, I used 2 shorter pieces and folded the bottom piece over the dee and stitched it.

This is a better example:

Edited August 22, 2012 by Go2Tex

[Mijo]

Go2Tex - Thanks for the tip on using two shorter pieces, that's a great alternative to using one long piece. I've been meaning to make one of those collars, since Legion posted a pic of one he made awhile back, but I don't normally have or order those roller buckles.

Lightingale - when I stitch D rings into my collars I sew three separate sections around the D; 1 section that runs parrallel between the D and the buckle, another section that runs on the opposite side and one long continious section that starts on the billet side of the D and wraps around. I haven't had any issues yet, but my collars are for small dogs and the amount of force the dog is going to apply is pretty limited. However I've seen collars for working dogs sewn in the same exact manner, except there's additional stitching that runs perpendicular to the length of the collar along the D.

[LeatherLegion]

A style I've never seen before, found on google, looks like this:

This one is interesting although I'd have to remake my templates. The dee ring is at the very end of the strap and the buckle end feeds through it before it's buckled up.

Thoughts?

The use of a center bar buckle is ideal in this set-up because eliminates the use of a belt keeper and the extra stitcing that comes with it.

[Go2Tex]

The use of a center bar buckle is ideal in this set-up because eliminates the use of a belt keeper and the extra stitcing that comes with it.

Well, having personally handled working dogs, I can say that the center bar buckle would be much harder to use with a large dog jumping and pulling. Often, while putting the collar on the dog, they are already in the "working" mode, if you know what I mean. The #50 or the #999 roller buckle is designed to allow it to work smoother and not wrinkle and crack the leather grain from the pressure. It's also much more difficult to then put a thick strap down through the back half of the center bar buckle, like a bridle buckle, to retain the excess strap.

Center bar buckles do come with a roller, like the #150s. I prefer not to use them except for small straps, like rear cinch hobble straps. They are hard to stitch close to them, unless you hand stitch and if large enough to accomodate a working collar, they would be too large and bulky. I've come the conclusion that if I can machine stitch a buckle, then I've saved enough time and frustration that I can easily make up a leather loop.

[Mijo]

Well, having personally handled working dogs, I can say that the center bar buckle would be much harder to use with a large dog jumping and pulling.

I've noticed the same thing when I've made collars for my own dogs that have a center bar buckle, which is why I don't use them. It's even harder to use one when the collar is only 1/2" or 5/8" wide. I tried them out so that I wouldn't have to install a belt / strap keeper.

Off topic - for those of you that have used the roller buckles, do you have any issues with fur getting caught in the roller section? That's actually my main concern with the roller buckles and why I haven't really tried them out yet.

[Go2Tex]

I've noticed the same thing when I've made collars for my own dogs that have a center bar buckle, which is why I don't use them. It's even harder to use one when the collar is only 1/2" or 5/8" wide. I tried them out so that I wouldn't have to install a belt / strap keeper.

Off topic - for those of you that have used the roller buckles, do you have any issues with fur getting caught in the roller section? That's actually my main concern with the roller buckles and why I haven't really tried them out yet.

Not a problem that I can recall. I suppose it is possible with really long haired dogs, but just having a collar on the dog will wear the guard hairs down, so it's not really a concern. The dog won't care anyhow.

[The Dawg Club]

We do it like the second pic. The dee at the end. Works best for us,

[pstaylor]

Has anyone made a martingale collar? They're known as "training collars" which have a chain loop to "choke" the dog, which is the only real way of training. The dog in the picture above won't even really know the collar is on once he starts to pull. With a martingale, it will choke and correct with a quick jerk and voice commands.

Oops, I'm preaching, sorry. My question is "Where do you get the hardware?"

Thanks

PT

[Mijo]

Awhile back another forum member that I know, who owns a local dog collar business, started making martingale collars with Herm Sprenger hardware. If you check Herm Sprenger's website you can find one of their distributors (US), there aren't that many, or potentially order directly from them.

[aguilerag]

I have been a dog trainer for approximately 4 years on my own and Martingale collars are a good "tool" to use. I dont agree with it being the only real way to train though.

I actually train all my dogs without the collar but have my clients buy them to help during walks during the beginning of training. I never have them pull on the leash, ever, but if the dog starts walking in front and doesn't slow down or look at the owner I have them just stop and the dog does the rest to itself. You could use any collar for this but the I like the way the martingale squeezes and not just ads force like a regular one would do. After a couple of lessons they usually do not need the collar any more.

[Sponge]

Different collars are used for different things, a 2" working collar allows the dog to work and pull without choking the dog... I agree that having center bar buckles are a pain to put on a dog that is ready to work. I use roller buckles with all of my working dogs (currently 12), they work great and I wouldn't change a thing. Now that I have a machine I will start making a few...