Introduction: How to Make a Small Dog Harness With Grosgrain Ribbon

About: I love to make things & work with my hands. I mostly make stuff for dogs and sometimes I dabble with recipes, too. Right now I'm in the process of setting up a DIY blog for pet lovers.

The smaller a dog is, the harder it is to find them a harness that will fit them properly. This tutorial will show you how to make a custom fitting small dog harness using grosgrain ribbon. Since I do not own a small dog, Mr. Stuffie is going to be the model. He is very obedient and patient :)

If you liked this tutorial, I have a bunch more like them at my blog

*NOTE* the materials used for this harness are suitable for small dogs weighing 10 pounds and under only! If you want to make this style of harness for a larger dog you must use a sturdier material like nylon webbing.

Step 1: Tools and Supplies

For this project you will need; a sewing machine, a plastic snap, D-ring and slider, a marking pen, scissors, pins, one large hole bead and three feet of any kind of ribbon that you wish. The size of the hardware is dependent on the width of the ribbon that you choose to use. My ribbon was 3/4" wide, so I needed 3/4" hardware.

Step 2: Adding the Slider

Run one end of the ribbon over the bar of the slider and sew two seams to secure it.

Step 3: Adding the Snap

Thread the ribbon through the snap and the back over the bar of the slider so that it looks like the picture.

Step 4: Threading the Ribbon Through the Pony Bead

Around the middle of the ribbon, fold it in half and thread it through the pony bead so that a loop comes out on the other side. Make the loop wide enough so that it will fit over your dog’s head.

Step 5: Adding the D-ring

Thread the ribbon through the D-ring and then through the free end of the snap.

Step 6: Fitting the Harness

Undo the snap and place the loop over the head of your dog. Take the loose ends of the snap and reconnect them. This is the time to adjust the harness as needed. Leave a little “play” in the slider end of the harness so that it can be adjusted when the harness has been finished. Pull the ribbon snugly against your dog .
Find the center of your dogs back and bring the D-ring into position. Mark the position of the D-ring with a marker as demonstrated in the second picture.

Step 7: Finishing the Harness

Once you have taken the harness off of your dog, you can pin the ribbon in place. Trim the end of the ribbon so that there are about 2" remaining. With the ribbon that you have cut off, measure 3" , cut and center over the D-ring. Pin the piece in place and sew dual seams on all stress points so that it looks like the second picture.
This project, from start to finish, took me about 30 minutes to complete. It is a fun, easy project to do and if you want, you can make a harness for every day of the week!