Braided Dog Leash Tutorial

The leash shown in this tutorial will be strong enough for small to medium dogs. If you plan on
making leashes for larger dogs (like dobermans or great danes), you should do an eight-plait
braid as a minimum.
ou will need the following tools!
Leather la"e
#ore ("an be round leather or para"ord)
$nap
%a&ed thread
$harp s"issors
'a"to knife
La"ing fid
La"ing needles
Leather "onditioner
(ubber or rawhide mallet
) hard surfa"e
This is going to be a four-plait braid. $in"e we will be passing the la"e through the snap loop to
start braiding, we will need to "ut only two strands of la"e.
$tart by measuring the length of the leash you want to make, in"luding the wrist loop (don*t
forget to go around the loop as you measure). +ultiply this length by , (the la"e will be folded
in two), then multiply it again by -.. (this is to a""ount for the wrap around the "ore while
braiding). To the result, add /0 (this is 1ust to ensure we still ha2e something to grab and work
with when we get towards the end.
3&ample! If the total length you measured (in"luding the wrist loop) is 450, multiplying by , will
gi2e 6/0, then multiplying that by -.. will gi2e -440, and then adding /0 will gi2e -.70. $o you
would ha2e to "ut two lengths of -,*/0.
The tri"k to getting a straight pattern is to keep an e2en tension on the strands as you braid. 8ot
ob2ious if you*re new to braiding, but don*t worry, it*ll "ome with pra"ti"e.
9ig. - - ou "an use the la"e as is (the one on the left) or be2el it
for a more professional look (the one on the right)
9ig. , - To make things easier, atta"h one end of the "ore to the snap you
want to use. (didn*t ha2e a snap so I used a keyring)
9ig. : - %hate2er "ore you use, make sure to "ut the other end at a angle.
This will redu"e the bulk when you tie it to form the wrist loop. If you use
para"ord, be sure to seal the end by heating it.
9ig. 4 - 9orm the wrist loop and tie it with wa&ed thread. I find wa&ed thread
is the best for this be"ause it is somewhat sti"ky and won*t slip. Be sure to
wrap it as tight as you "an. 9or instru"tions on how to do this knot, you "an
download this ;D9 I found on the web! %hipping knot. I use +ethod <,,
but any of those will do.
9ig. . - Before I start braiding, I like to put some leather "onditioner on the
la"e. I use Dr. =a"kson*s >ide (e1u2enator but there are other "onditioners
that will work 1ust as well.
;ass the two strands through the hardware loop and find the middle point
of ea"h strand. This will gi2e you four strands to braid with. 8ow "ross them
o2er like in the pi"ture.
9ig. / - Take the ba"k strand on the left and bring it o2er the front left strand.
9ig. ? - 8ow take the ba"k strand on the right and bring it under the first
strand it meets and o2er the following strand.
9ig. 5 - Take the top strand on the right, wrap it around the ba"k, then
wea2e it between the two strands on the left, going under the top one
and o2er the bottom one. Don*t worry about the pattern at the ba"k, it
will "reate itself as you braid. If your pattern is e2en at the front,
so will it be at the ba"k.
9ig. 6 - $ame thing, but with the top strand from the left this time. %rap
it around the ba"k, then wea2e it under and o2er the two strands on the right.
9ig. 5 @ 6 are what you will be repeating to "reate the braid. Aeep going with
this until you get to where you tied the wrist loop.
9ig. -7 - >ere we are at the wrist loop tie. Aeep braiding until you*2e "o2ered it.
9ig. -- - Aeep a "lose eye on the moment where you will ha2e gone 1ust
o2er the wrist loop tie. )t that point, when braiding with the strand
from the left, bring it through the loop as you braid it. Bn"e you*2e
done this, keep braiding around the wrist loop. Bn"e you ha2e gone all
the way around, take a pie"e of wa&ed thread and tie it around your braid.
This will keep the braid from undoing itself as you lea2e it for the ne&t step.
9ig. -, - 8ow we need to prepare the ends of our strands for the la"ing
needles. 9irst, ski2e the ends and "ut them in an arrow shape.
9ig. -: - Then put a needle on ea"h strand. Be sure to "lose the needles
on the la"e by tapping them with the mallet, else you*ll be pulling the
needles and the la"e won*t follow.
9ig. -4 - 8ow, for this part, you*ll ha2e to study the braid and see where
ea"h strand should go. Basi"ally, you want to double o2er the pre2iously
braided part. Cse the la"ing fid to open up the spa"e where you want to go.
This makes it a little easier to pass the needle and la"e through.
9ig. -. - >ere*s the la"e before fully pulling it through.
9ig. -/ - )nd now it is pulled.
9ig. -? through ,/ show the same pro"ess for the other strands.
9ig. -?
9ig. -5
9ig. -6
9ig. ,7
9ig. ,-
9ig. ,,
9ig. ,:
9ig. ,4
9ig. ,.
9ig. ,/
9ig. ,? - (epeat the pro"ess twi"e for ea"h strand. >ere we ha2e the end result.
9ig. ,5 - Before "utting the strands off, put your work on a hard surfa"e and
gently tap it with the mallet. This will help the la"e to settle in pla"e.
9ig. ,6 - 8e&t, using the heel of your hand, put pressure and roll the braid.
Do this on the whole length of the leash. This will gi2e the braid a more e2en
finish. >ere I used my hand, but if you want to take things a step further,
you "an use a flat pie"e of wood to do the rolling. This way you*ll be able
to put more pressure and the braid will "ome out e2en ni"er.
9ig. :7 - 8ow that the la"e has settled in pla"e, it*s time to "ut the loose
ends. I use "uti"le "utters for this sin"e they allow me to get in real "lose
to make the "ut. >owe2er, be "areful not to "ut the braided la"e. ;ut the
"utters in pla"e, pull on the loose end and "ut. ;ulling on the la"e before
"utting is to ensure that when the la"e retra"ts, it 0hides0 under the braiding.
9ig. :- - >ere is the final produ"t. 8ow, some of you might be wondering how "ome this leash
is so short. %ell, it didn*t really need to be that long for the instru"tions, rightD E)
>ope you*2e found this helpful. >a2e fun and en1oy braiding leashes for your furry friendsF !)