Couture Jewelry and Bling for Dogs and their People
Original designs by Karen Lee
Many dog lovers have discovered that the right accent dog necklace enhances the beauty, personality, and charm of their pet, and jewelry artists and beaders have responded to the growing demand. Bling is not intended to be a substitute for a regular collar, but for festive occasions, keepsake photos, travel and events, and to delight visitors, dressing your dog up in a beautiful original piece is both fun and aesthetically-pleasing.
From thrifty to fabulous, all the canine designs sold through Follow Your Lead are designed to be comfortably worn by dogs and to be durable and break-resistant under recommended conditions of wear and use.
What dogs can wear bling? Naturally short-coated breeds without heavy wrinkle or dewlap, and coated breeds which are groomed with shaved necks, such as poodles and schnauzers, and mixes whose owners keep their neck area trimmed. If your dog has more than 1" of coat on the neck, they are not a good candidate for most of these designs, although some large, standout beads are available if you would like to discuss custom work.
Love the bling, but don't have a dog who can wear it? Well, not to worry. I make dog-themed jewelry for people, too. A lot of us have award medallions, charms, and pendant pieces with a canine motif just stashed in a drawer or thrown in a box. You and your dog worked hard to win that medallion--too hard to just throw it in a box or display it on a simple chain. Send me your dog-themed piece and I will design around it in a theme and with a price of your choosing. If your dog won a medallion and you want it incorporated into a dog necklace to commemorate that special win, I will do that, too. I understand what makes for a great piece to wear in the ring, because I show my own dogs and always wear jewelry when I do.
First, meet our product testing and quality control staff:
All our mid-sized bling is tested on the crew here and worn for at least a day or two by one of the hard-working staff models before being mailed out to a buyer or placed on display. This allows any design flaws, weak spots, loose crimps, or overly itchy design elements to be caught before the sale is final. Small-sized bling is worn by me as a wrist or ankle bracelet and the larger models are worn by me as a necklace for several days. If they prove solid, then they are approved for sale. Dog necklaces are strung on either strong jeweler's beading wire, 30 or 40-lb test monofilament sportfishing line, wire leader material (I am also a sport fisherman and I like to use gear that the big toothy gamefish can't tear up!), or stretchy jellycord. The stretchy jellycord necklaces are the least expensive and are the only ones that do not carry a free restringing guarantee. All other necklaces will be restrung for free if you simply return the stones in a bag. I photograph each piece so that I can recreate it if I need to. Jellycord necklaces can be restrung for a $5 fee.
How to Order: Pricing of standard necklaces is shown on the Stock Design and Holiday collection pages. An accurate measurement of the dog's neck circumference at the base is essential at the time of order. All work is done to specification. A proper fit is essential to reduce the likelihood that necklaces will be snagged, chewed, or lost outside. For Custom Work, click on either Collections or Custom Designs. Price ranges are given, but I will work closely via e-mail with you off of a good photo of your dog and our agreed-upon price range to deliver a unique design that will be owned solely by you and will flatter the unique character and beauty of your pet. Become a fan of Follow Your Lead on Facebook and see new designs as I develop them, any of which can be purchased. Or, visit the Follow Your Lead booth as it begins to appear at dog shows and pet expos to see a variety of necklaces in person. Add an additional $2.00 shipping fee, up to two necklaces, but three or more necklaces are shipped at no charge.