I want to thank Sara for this next article. She’s a writer for the website Glitter Secrets and has been in the jewelry business for 20+ years.
Below she shares how you can customize any dog collar to make it special, give it some BLING! Her dog Ghost is the model for the blinged out collar, she’s stylin’, that’s for sure. Sara and her family reside in Croswell, Michigan.
Are you a dog lover? Are you in love with your dog? If so, there is probably nothing you wouldn’t do for your furry friend, right?
Anyone that has ever had a dog and loved him (her) so much you’d do anything for her knows that not only do you love your dog, but you love to show her off. Right?
As a dog lover, myself, I totally relate to the love, showing off aspect, of being a dog owner and a dog lover. Recently, I watched a dog show on television. I watched as the handlers, not the owners, caressed and flat out showed their love for their amazing animals. I couldn’t believe how much love was expressed between each and every handler and the amazing canine. The handler would command; the dog would obey. And yet, something seemed to be missing. After awhile of complete thought and pondering, I think I figured it out.
Every champion dog in that ring, although totally more than an ordinary species, lacked something in appeal. Sure, to know the dog was a champion in its own right because it stood at perfect attention in the center ring really was not enough. Something was missing. Bling!! That’s what was missing. Dog Bling!!
Every dog is a champion in its own right whether standing center stage or standing in your own backyard.
Think about it. Here you are in your own backyard with your champion pooch. You decide to take her for a walk through town. What do you need? You need her collar/license and leash. Hmmm!! Yes, of course. But she is also a champion in your heart and you want to show her off. So what do you do? You put on her Dog Bling hand made by YOU!
Yes! Dog Bling! Made by you!
There’s nothing else that makes her feel more proud to strut the streets with you, and there’s nothing else that makes you more proud to strut right along side her. I have been in the jewelry business for 20+ years, and currently write articles about buying jewelry. One day I got the idea to write about blinging out my dog. Hmmm!! Rubies and Diamonds, yes!!!
Let Me Show You How, It’s Easy.
We will take an inexpensive nylon collar and 3mm crystals and make a dog collar fit for a princess. If you have a prince you can bling him out using black colored crystals or any color of your choice.
You will need crystals, glue, a nylon collar, tweezers and a ruler. Size your new collar to your dog first. Lay out the collar and space the lines of crystals about 1/8″ so the collar can flex. If they are too close together the glue will not flex and the crystals will fall off. Keep about a 1/2″ distance on each side of the adjustment buckle so you can make adjustments later. Measure and calculate the amount of crystals you will need to buy. I used about 288 for my dog, a Weimaraner.
After everything is laid out start by picking up the crystals and applying a small amount of glue to the bottom and place it on the collar. Make sure you are doing the correct side. It will be a little tricky at first but you will get the hang of it.
The best crystals to use are Swarovski; I purchased mine from Bling It Yourself. I also used gel style crazy glue which out performed all the others. The down side is you will have to wipe the crystals with acetone or fingernail polish remover when they are dry to remove the white haze (not a big deal). If you are using the plastic style crystals use the glue they recommend. Let the collar dry overnight before putting it on your dog.
Custom Bling for your dog. Makes her feel and look like a star. Makes her feel like a true champion. Makes YOU proud!
I’m not the most crafty person, I’ve never even sewed on a button, so chances are I won’t be making custom collars anytime soon. It is a cute idea for those that are creative and like to try new things. If anyone makes one give me a bark.
