Orange Dye For Hunting Dog Collars

[Mitchhurt]

I have started making my own hunting dog collars and was wondering if it is practical to dye them orange to see them better in the field. They get very dirty and wet while the dogs are wearing them on hunts. Thanks for the help.

[DoubleC]

Hi Mitch. I would use orange acrylic paint instead. That would repel water better and show up more. You may even be able to find it in a neon color, I don't know. Just apply it like you do resolene....watered down, and several light coats until you get the color you want. Cheryl

[Mitchhurt]

Cool, Thanks Cheryl!

[tnawrot2]

Years ago I had field trial GSP that spent the summer in Montana. I made a 2" wide reflexite collar that is waterproof, reflective, and highly visible in the field. They should be available, possibly at Dunn's (if they are still in business). I found this picture, the ones I made were reversible orange/yellow so you can put opposite colors on two dogs in a brace.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.flushandpoint.com/files/Northland_Dog_Supply_Reflexite_Collar_for_Field_Trials_or_excercise.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.flushandpoint.com/productdetails.asp?cat%3DCollars%26ID%3D6%26pID%3D520&h=265&w=400&sz=31&tbnid=CA0Dy8F_GtXRbM:&tbnh=80&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__CgXHlXFfgkX0uQ5_Kpg3IMAVJCM=&docid=epCKbOELosyyOM&sa=X&ei=awN3Ubu6NsGCrAHvr4FI&ved=0CI8BEPUBMAg&dur=480

[dirtclod]

They make a bight orange that can be sewn on to collars, not sure to get it at though. These folks have neon colors, i'm not sure if it's dye or paint though. Email them and ask, they ship quick. http://turtlefeathers.net/text/angelus/neon.html

[tnawrot2]

I went to the website that had the collar, it seems that everything I mad over 30 years ago has been copied. I made and sold thousands of the dog collars with the ring that settles on the back. They even have the reflective reversible collar I made 30 years ago.

http://www.flushandpoint.com/products.asp?id=6&cat=Supplies+for+your+Hunting+Dog|Dog+Collars

[fivewayswelshcobs]

What about using orange biothane (or a similar product) either as a complete collar or with leather chapes for the fittings so if the hound gets caught up the leather is just as likely to give releasing the hound, as a leather collar would. As much as I dislike working with the stuff it would be a practical working collar with easily replaced chapes if water and dirt gets too bad but the main would be easily cleaned to keep the colour bright, I've been thinking of a collar like this for dogs attracted to water and or mud like our Patterdale x Springer Spaniel is as he acts before he thinks !

[dirtclod]

What is a chape ?

[fivewayswelshcobs]

Sorry not to have replied earlier I keep getting distracted.

A chape is a smaller piece of leather sewn onto either other bits of leather or other materials , for example on a traditional cavesson noseband on an english bridle a chape is used to attach the buckle and loops onto the noseband in which case it is laid onto the leather .

For the collar it would mean a piece of leather with a crew hole for the tongue of the buckle punched usually in the middle of the length and this is then sewn onto the end of the strap so the buckle butts upto the end of the biothane and the leather is stitched making a sandwich of the biothane with the biothane as the filler, a similar piece with holes punched in it can be used at the other end, this would create a slightly weaker part of the collar which would break more easily than the biothane if needed. The chape is often pointed in shape with a leaf point (english point) both ends tend to be shaped so the stitching matches both sides. Loops,D's can be added between the leather and the biothane as required.

I hope this explains chapes from an english saddler's point of view, I expect other members in different areas have alternative names for the same thing and have the same translation hiccups as I have had from time to time as I keep learning from others on this site.