How to make your own dog toys
Dogs may be man’s best friend but they definitely know how to get through toys like no other beast. Instead of shelling out loads of money on brand new toys every week, have a look at this guide to making your own dog toys out of things you’ve got lying round the house. Give it a go!
Dish rag dog toy
Dogs love a good tug-of-war and most of them aren’t that fussy about what they put in their mouths. Take three dish cloths, tea towels, old socks or whatever items of clean material you can get your hands on and cut a strip about an inch wide. Tie the bunch of strips together at one end with one of the strip and tightly plait them together. At the other end, tie the strands together tightly with the end of one of the strips to make sure they don’t come apart before your dog has got his paws on it. And voila! You have your own dish rag dog toy. Make sure you don’t use fabrics that fray easily though – you don’t want your furry friend to choke on stray fibres.
Jumper bone
You can make a great dog toy from an old jumper. Make sure it’s clean and cut a bone shape out of the sleeves of the jumper, using the ready-made tube to your advantage. You can also do this with the legs of an old pair of jeans. Pin one end of the bone shape together, leaving one end un-pinned (this is where the stuffing will go). Sew around the edges of the bone shape securely, using either a sewing machine or hand stitching. Remember to leave one end undone so you can turn the shape inside out and then stuff it with dog-friendly stuffing. Stitch the hole at the top and you’re done. Make sure the stitching is secure and that all pins are removed otherwise your dogs may get a nasty (and painful) surprise.
Mend the dog toys you already have
It’s not the end of the world if a dog toy you’ve already bought gets a hole in it, particularly if it’s a stuffed bone or tube. If the hole is pretty big, take all the old stuffing out and put some fresh stuffing in. Get your needle and heavy duty thread out and sew the hole back up. Make sure all loose threads are removed and the stitches are nice and tight. That way you’ll prolong the life of your newly-mended dog toy (if only for a few hours!).
Sound too much like hard work to you?
Dogs will play with pretty much anything. Tie a long sock in a knot, stick a bell in a tennis ball or put the two together and put a ball in a sock. As long as the things you use are safe and clean, you and your dogs can have hours of fun.
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