Made to Measure: The Dog Tack Order
Author: Cían Quinn
Publisher: Quinn’s Workshop
Working on a Custom Order is always a rewarding experience for me. But when it was my first time working on a dog tack order, it took my excitement to a whole new level—and brought along a fair amount of nerves. Grab a snack or a cup of tea, settle down, and let me share the story of how this special set came to life, from the very first sketch to the moment it arrived at its new home. This journey was filled with creativity, collaboration, and a few hiccups along the way, but the result was totally worth it.
The Design Process: A Unique Custom Set
Every custom order begins with a simple conversation—and this one was no different. After watching our TikTok livestreams and becoming an integral part of our Discord community, Serena came to me with a vision of a gift to her beautiful GSD, Kainan: a rugged leather collar, leash, and head halter, all designed to perfectly fit her doggo and her needs. As someone who's passionate about handcrafting the highest-quality leather goods, I knew I wanted to make something special, but I was also very nervous. This was my very first dog tack order, and I wanted to ensure that every piece would be perfect for both Serena and Kainan!
We started by discussing the details—the measurements, colour and hardware options, and, of course, the artwork. One thing that stood out to me immediately was how detail-oriented and thorough Serena was, especially with the measuring process, providing high-quality images and even working drawings, which put my mind at ease. All of this was paramount to the set fitting Kainan perfectly, and for this, I thank you, Serena!
The Artistic Touch: Sketching the Design
This custom order was a little different from the usual process. Normally, I take the customer’s vision, coupled with the measurements provided, and sketch up some potential designs.
But this time, we were working with an artist! Little did I know that Serena was an incredible artist in her own right, providing detailed drawings and descriptions of her vision, including all measurements—making my job much easier!
Once I had all this, it left me with my favorite part of the design process: sketching out the custom artwork to be carved and tooled into the leather. Turning a customer’s ideas into something visual that starts to take shape is just so fulfilling!
I spent some time honing the design, making sure that the artwork would look great, while also working with the leather. I wanted the leather to showcase the custom design without compromising the comfort or durability of the pieces. After a few revisions and feedback from Serena, we landed on a design that was outside of my usual style but fit this order perfectly. Already, I was pushing my boundaries and learning new techniques, so why not try some floral-style tooling over our usual Celtic and Viking-style knotwork!
The Nervous Moments: My First Dog Tack Order
While I was excited, I couldn’t shake the nerves—this was my first-ever dog tack order. Would everything turn out as I imagined? Would the sizes be correct? Would Serena be happy with the final result? These questions ran through my mind as I carefully selected the leather, prepared the hardware, and began crafting each piece.
There’s always that underlying vulnerability when you craft something by hand—it’s even more intense when I’m sharing the process LIVE, for everyone to see! I wanted this set to be more than just functional; it needed to stand the test of time and showcase Serena’s love and care for Kainan. Despite the nerves, after many double and triple checks with Serena, I trusted the process and moved forward with cautious optimism.
Crafting the Pieces: Leatherwork in Action
With the design in front of me and my nerves in check...ish, I set to work. The leash was first-crafted with precision, the leather was carefully hand cut with a strap cutter, hand dyed in Emerald Green and stitched by hand on both ends. The collar came next, with its main piece of artwork, this included all the same processes as the leash, with the added steps of casing the leather, carving the artwork with my swivel knife, and then beveling and backgrounding the piece where appropriate to bring out the detail! Finally, the head halter—an essential piece for training and ensuring control—was made to fit perfectly, with softer leather from the cow's flank that wouldn’t chafe or cause discomfort but with extra stitching to ensure there was zero chance of stretching.
Every piece was made to last, with reinforced stitching at points of wear, and forged hardware that would stand up to years of use. I’m always meticulous about making sure that each detail aligns perfectly—whether it’s the spacing of each element of the design, the way each and every stitch falls one after another, the strength of the hardware, or the overall finish of the leather.
The Shipping Woes: A Bump in the Road
Once the pieces were finished, it was time to ship them off to Serena. That’s when things took an unexpected turn. Shipping delays caused the set to be stuck in transit longer than anticipated. This was frustrating for both Serena and I. Despite her always-positive attitude, I couldn’t help but feel responsible for the delay. We kept our cool and worked closely with the shipping company to get the order to Serena as quickly as possible.
The delay wasn’t ideal, but it taught me the importance of managing expectations and maintaining open communication with my customers. Thankfully, after a few extra days of waiting, the set arrived safely at its destination. I can’t even describe the relief I felt when it arrived!
When the set finally arrived, I couldn’t wait to hear Serena’s feedback. Thankfully, she was absolutely thrilled with the craftsmanship, and Kainan looked amazing in his new gear! The fit was perfect, and the design was exactly what we had envisioned!
It’s moments like these that remind me why I do what I do. Knowing that I’ve created something that will be used and loved for years to come is incredibly rewarding. From the initial nerves to the final product, this custom order was a labor of love—and a reminder that even the bumps in the road (like shipping delays) are part of the journey.
Serena has taken the time to leave a full customer testimonial, as well as some beautiful photographs of Kainan. Read on to hear from Serena herself, and see the main character of this story 😉
“I’ve had this collar, halter and leash for a little while now and I’m nothing less than stoked to have this set for my dog! From the get go, Cían was quick with letting me know exactly what he needed to feel confident that he could get this looking and feeling right for Kainan - taking inspiration from his existing halter and improving the design where it benefitted. To break it down;
Prior to receiving the invoice for the custom order, we had a few chats about what exactly I was looking for, making sure nothing was left unquestioned. This left us with little to no issues during the beginning stages of the order.
After the invoice was paid, I allowed him free amount of time to process everything we talked about and what needed to be done as this was his first dog tack order. I provided him with the proper measurements, including photos to ensure proper fitting.
During the making of the order, me and his community got to watch him do his work, listening to his passion for leatherwork and many other topics. It was obvious how much love and effort he put into this and every other order that came after mine. The entertainment alongside watching my order being made is something that’s hard to describe, it was wonderful. And I choose to still watch his daily live streams for this reason and more.
Cían would also ask me questions if I was present during the live as he was working if he had them, the communication is unmatched.
Aside from the piece looking absolutely amazing on camera, getting to finally hold it in my hands was an unreal experience. The leather is high quality, the stitching is beautiful and the smell… I love leather smell!
The sizing was perfect, and it feels durable in my hands. My dog is an itchy dog, so the collar has taken some abuse already, however, there’s no visible damage whatsoever.. proving my previous statement about the quality being high. Everything from the shaping to the original artwork on the leather is just downright amazing, and I have bought many leather products before for my pets. My final verdict of my custom order from Cían is that it’s a purchase I will never regret, this set will grow old with my dog until his final days. If you want to have an enjoyable custom order experience.. for yourself, your pet, or whatever else you may desire, then Quinn’s Workshop is the best choice for you! I could not recommend it more than I already do! Thank you again Cían for this beautiful work of art that you have given me < 3” - Serena
I am absolutely blown away by the level of positive feedback from Serena. Once again, I thank you.
If you’re ready to create a one-of-a-kind custom leather dog collar, leash, or head halter for your pup, I’d love to bring your vision to life. Reach out today via our contact form to get started!