Designing Your Dog's Perfect Custom Collar
A custom dog collar is more than just an accessory; it's a practical and stylish way to ensure your dog's safety and well-being. For instance, getting your phone number embroidered onto a collar can be really beneficial if your dog gets loose or goes missing, but you may not want that information visible all the time if you're in the city or within close range of a lot of people.
Knowing that dogs have personalities, quirks, and nicknames just like we do can assist in narrowing down the style you want.
Picking your collar
Before you get overwhelmed with the options on our site, think to yourself - what do I want from this collar? Have I seen an image that I really liked? what colours do I usually like on my dog/ what goes best with the colour of their fur?
Let's start with some colour basics.
First, look at your dog's coat of fur. Is it warm, cool or in between? Warm colours consist of browns, golds, reds, and creams. Cool colours consist of greys, blues, and stark whites. Most black dogs actually have a very dark brown fur (sometimes referred to a "seal" colour,) but some dogs are a true black and they can look great in almost any colour! Once you know where your dog's coat sits on the colour wheel, you can determine what collar would either stand out or blend in with their fur.
Now it's time to decide - Do I want to match or pop?!
Colours close to the spectrum of your dog's coat will MATCH your dog's natural fur. They will blend in with their colours. Some people prefer to have that if they want only the name on the collar to pop, or they want something more low-key.
Here is an example of monochrome matching - where the customer has selected a colour closest to their dog's natural fur in order to have only the hardware and name be what stands out.
Here is an example of analogous matching - where the customer has chosen a cool shade to compliment the grey shade of her dog.
Here is another example of analogous matching that may not seem so from directly looking at the photo, but both the red and the yellow from the fur and collar are part of the warm spectrum.
Now let's take a look at complimentary matching.
Despite the name, this doesn't mean that other options are NOT complimenting. It just means that the colour chosen is most likely to bring out the shade of your dog's fur the most, and "pop."
This dog has a golden red coat, and the red tones really can be brought out in her cobalt blue collar.
This dog's red coat is complimented with a deep cool green, also bringing out the red in the fur.
This dog's warm tricolour coat allows a cool honeydew shade of green to really pop!
Take the Measurements
Measuring your dog's neck allows us to place the name of your dog in the best spot on the collar when adjusted to what measurement you provide. This can also help us determine if you've chosen add-ons that may not fit into the size you have.
This dog's neck is on the larger side of the collar. That means we placed the name where we had the MOST amount of free space, which is to the left.
This dog is at the smallest setting of the collar, making the adjustable slider sit close to the beginning of the collar - where the previous dog had their name. That means their name goes to the RIGHT of the collar, where there is the most amount of free space.
For more detailed information on collar sizing, please click Here.
If you don't know your dog's measurements and choose a standard placement for your customization, the adjuster could land over your dog's name. But that's okay! You can still have a beautiful collar even if the adjuster is sitting over some of your dog's name. Here's an example of a beautiful collar done in a standard placement on a dog:
Fonts
Now let's look at font selection.
Fonts can be separated in SCRIPT and BOLD categories. Fonts that appear as script generally are done with the first letter capitalized only (not always, but most of the time) and appear handwritten. They are more artistic, but not always as easy to read or identify. Does it matter to you that someone is able to see your dog's name from a distance? Do you want their name or the text you have (i.e. DO NOT PET) to be legible to others? If so, script fonts may not work for you. If you're looking for a collar that is more for your own personal enjoyment and can display your dog's personality, then script fonts may be your best bet!
This is a script font that resembles a signature. It's classy and minimal, and gives a timeless look. This font is called "Signature" in our options menu.
This is a more alternative script style that appears handwritten and gives a fierce touch! This font is called "Beast" in our options menu.
This font is a more dainty, feminine script that appears cute and innocent. This font is called "Sweetie" in our options menu.
This font is inspired by Korean calligraphy and appears strong with limited legibility at a distance. This is a great option for those who are looking for a unique artistic touch. This font is called "Tai Kung" in our options menu.
When it comes to BOLD fonts, they are almost always high visibility fonts that are "typed" fonts with a clear definition between each letter. They are easy to read and interpret.
This font is bold and purposely done in a colour that stands out. This name is highly visible from a distance. This is our "BOLD" font in the options menu.
This font is a more classic typeface, but remains clearly visible. This font is called "DaVinci" in our options menu.
This is a military-style stenciled font that is big and takes up a good amount of collar space. The letters are clear to tell apart from each other. This font is called "STENCIL" in our options menu.
Font selection really is about personal style and what you need from your collar. It also showcases your dog's personality, and can depict their goofy side or serious side depending on what you want.
This is a collar that speaks to the character of the dog that will be wearing it! Can you guess what dog owns this collar? (If your first answer is a Malinois, you are correct!)
ADD-ON OPTIONS
PHONE NUMBERS
Phone numbers are the most requested add-on in shop. They serve a purpose; to identify a contact number if your dog gets lost that won't fall off or get caught on something like a tag would. They can also be any number - many people request ID numbers or chip numbers as well. This is beneficial if you often have your dog off leash, or if they're an escape artist. The only downside to this is that they make the overall name smaller as they go below the name, and people may be able to identify your phone number within close range when you don't want them to. This rings true for closeup photos posted on the internet/ social media pages.
IG HANDLES/ TEXT
Speaking of social media, you can put your IG handle, kennel name, or business name under your dog's name as well! This helps promote your dog, your brand or your breeding/ rescue program. this is also a good way to put a message such as "I AM " for others to be able to see. The same bold font is used for all under-name wording, as it is very small and not all embroidered fonts are legible in this size.
SYMBOLS
We offer a series of free add-on symbols such as a DO NOT TOUCH symbol, ANTI BSL (Breed-Specific Legislation) symbol, a Heart, an Evil Eye, and a Jack-O-Lantern face. These do not cost extra and can be added to your collar. They come in one standard colour combo but can be changed to any colour you want by including that request in your special instructions. The downside? These take up room on the collar, and if you don't know your dog's measurements these may intersect with the adjustable slider.
PATCHES
Patches take up the most amount of room when it comes to add-on features and can't fit onto all sizes and measurements, so when ordered we may reach out to let you know they can't be added - that being said, when there is space they can really add a unique element to your dog's collar that pays tribute to your inner patriot and can be removed and swapped for any 2x3 inch patch you have on hand.
IMAGES
For more detailed information on what we need for images, please click Here. Images for teams, kennels, businesses or even nicknames (I.E. putting a taco because your dog's name is Taco) can be placed on the collar. Use the special instructions tab to give any specifics, and keep in mind that they also take up additional collar space. We cannot embroider all images - only ones with minimal details and clear, defined outlines or silhouettes.
Now that we've covered all the options you can choose from, we hope this makes your decision easier. If you're still undecided or need to see your dog's name in some different fonts, please feel free to contact us directly. We can design a collar for you based on some information you provide to us about your dog, or we can help choose colours that would best suite your selection. Happy shopping, and have some fun with it!