Ordering anything personalised goes more smoothly when you sort out the details first. A bandana is a small item, but it carries your dog’s face and name, so it is worth five minutes of preparation. Run through this list before you start.

1. Measure the neck and check the size bands

Wrap a soft tape around the base of the neck where the bandana will sit. Write the number down. Guessing from an old collar often gives the wrong answer, because collars are usually fastened tighter or looser than you think.

With the measurement in hand, compare it with the ranges. The personalised dog bandana from Little Red Cute comes in three:

• S: neck about 35 to 44 cm
• M: neck about 39 to 51 cm
• L: neck about 42 to 56 cm

The ranges overlap, so if your dog sits in two of them, think about whether it is still growing or carries a thick coat around the neck.

2. Pick the photo

You only need one. Tick these boxes: in focus, plenty of light, every part of the face showing, and eyes pointed somewhere near the lens. Phone snaps qualify. Skip shots with sunglasses, heavy filters or a hand covering the muzzle.

3. Confirm the name, then choose a style

It sounds obvious, yet nicknames drift. Is it Mochi or Mochii? Decide on the version you want printed and check it once more before you type it in.

Your pet is illustrated from your photo in the style you select. Browse the options with the dog’s colouring in mind; a black coat and a cream coat can suit different looks.

4. Look closely at the on-screen design

Once the finished design appears, take your time. Check the face, the name and how it sits on the bandana. Paying comes after you sign it off, and the item is not started beforehand. This is your moment to be fussy.

5. Know what you are getting

• Polyester throughout, closed with a buckle rather than tied
• Sublimation printed: heat transfers the artwork deep into the weave
• Made to be washed, according to the product page
• Produced to order in Singapore, one bandana per order line

Tick these five off and the order itself takes only a few minutes. The rest is waiting to see your dog wearing its own face at the park.