How to Make a Paracord Dog Collar Using a Cobra Weave
Learn how to make your own paracord dog collar using the cobra weave in this video by Tony Mayer. Why buy a dog collar when you can make your own with parachute cord, using the cobra weave and what ever colors you want?
You will need a metal prong buckle, two 10’ sections of SurvivorCord or WarriorCord, one 10’ section of paracord fused to another 10’ of paracord, one 2’ section of paracord, a D-ring, scissors, and a lighter. For explanation purposes we will be using two 10’ orange sections for the core, and a 10’ section of orange cord fused to a 10’ section of blue cord for the cobra weave. The 2’ section of paracord will be used to make the sleeve that holds the excess collar.
Put your two 10’ sections of paracord together side by side, and treating them as one, double them over. Make sure they are even in length. Take the bend at the center mark and put it under the end of the buckle with the prong, over and around the middle bar.
Take the four ends of the paracord and put them through the loop of the center mark from the top, creating a cow hitch on the middle bar of the buckle. Loosen the cow hitch and insert the fused length of paracord through until the part where they are fused together is center in the cow hitch. Tighten the cow hitch down.
You will be working with the orange cord and blue cord on either side of the four center strands. Now start the cobra weave, by crossing the right orange cord over the four center cords. Make sure there is an opening created on the right side. Place the left blue cord over the orange cord, behind the four center strands and through the opening created by the orange cord. Pull the blue cord all the way through the weave and tighten and to the cow hitch.
Now starting on the left side, which should be the orange cord, repeat the same process working as before. Continue the process always starting the weave with the orange cord until you reach the length at which you would like to attach the D-ring. The D-ring will be where you would attach a leash.
Position the D-ring so that the flat part of the D is in the center of the four center strands, just below your last cobra weave. Continue weaving, working the orange cord through the center of the D-ring with each weave, down the length of the D-ring. Continue the cobra weave until you reach about 5” from the end of your center cords.
To finish the end of the collar, make your last cobra weave as tight as possible. Cut the two center strands as close to the weave as possible, and melt them into the weave. Create three more very tight cobra weaves, making them as tight as possible. Cut all of the remaining cords and melt the ends into the weave.
The last thing to do is weave the sleeve that excess collar can be tucked into. You will need 2’ of blue paracord and a paracord needle. Attach the paracord needle to one of the ends of the paracord. Count four weaves back from the side of the buckle the collar will come through.
Using the paracord needle work the paracord up through the blue cord that makes up the side of the fourth weave. And then down through the blue cord on the other side of the fourth weave. Then work the cord up through the blue cord of the fifth weave on the same side. Then down through the blue cord on the other side of the fifth weave.
Do not pull the cord all the way down with each pass. You want two loops attached to the collar. Put the end of the collar and your thumb through the two loops. Tighten the two loops onto your finger and the end of the collar. Then remove your thumb and the end of the collar from under the loops.
Create the cobra weave around the loops, treating the ends as the working strands and the loops as center strands. Continue until you reach the other side of the collar. Once you reach the end, all that’s left to do is cut the excess cordage and melt the ends into the weave.
Your paracord dog collar is now ready to make your dog look like the most fashionable dog on the block!
