How To Make Dog Toys:

PADDIO STICKS

You can easily learn how to make dog toys out of sticks and rags! They'll cost you nothing except a little time to gather materials and put them together.

Comet enjoys these because they move in unpredictable ways. They can be good temporary chomp toys but do not leave your dog alone with them. Watch carefully to make sure your dog doesn't swallow the material.

ESTIMATED TIME

15 to 30 minutes per toy

MATERIALS Colored tape A large old T-shirt or equivalent Sticks, 1 /2 to 1 inch (15 to 25mm) in diameter, about a foot long

Note: Green sticks that bend rather than break, are preferable, and crooked sticks rather than totally straight add a little extra fun. If the ends are really pointed, saw them off to blunt them.

PADDIO STICK CROSSIE

Comet's got a tight grip on his Crossie!

INSTRUCTIONS

Take two sticks and for each stick do the following:

Cut/tear strips about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and as long as possible from the T-shirt ([If you tear horizontally you'll get the longest pieces]

Take a strip of rag and lay the stick on it Wrap lengthwise a couple of times, covering the ends of the stick Tightly wind the rest of your strip around the stick and wrapping When that strip ends, start with another, overlapping the ends Keep on with another strip or two, remembering to wrap tightly Tuck the last end under previous wraps, using a knife to help For a decorative touch, apply plastic tape around the ends When you have both sticks firmly wrapped, lay them crosswise and use another

strip of rag to bind them firmly together in the middle

We hope this one showed you it's not difficult to learn how to make homemade dog toys. Are you ready for the next one?

The following Triangle toy is similar, only you'll need three sticks. Comet really enjoys chewing on this one because he can hold onto it so well with his paws.

PADDIO STICK TRIANGLE

INSTRUCTIONS

Take three sticks and wrap each of them per the Crossie above Lay the sticks in a triangle, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) sticking out at the ends Wrap each corner firmly, going around and between each stick To finish off, tie a knot and tuck the ends under a wrap When you have all three angles done, add tape as desired

Uses: Play fetch by throwing or rolling along the ground or give to your puppy to chew on (under supervision only)

Thanks for being willing to learn how to make dog toys! (The first time I typed that it came out as "hog" toys - maybe they'll work for a pet pig too! Jo)

Click on how to make dog toys that are homemade if you'd like to make some other toys out of easy-to-find materials.

Homemade Dog Toy:The Whipwhir

Here's a homemade dog toy that's not only unique but great dog exercise and loads of fun! It's amazingly easy to make too.

Since the Whipwhir ("whipper") can be used both outdoors and inside, provided you have a big enough open space, it can really help on rainy days when your dog is bored and full of energy.

Comet loves this device because it whips and it whirs and he has to run and jump to catch it. When he does, it's shake, shake or tug-or-war with the human. Letting go is hard for him but means more rounds of fun...

Comet's trying to figure out his next move!

MAKING THE WHIPWHIR

ESTIMATED TIME10 minutes to an hour

MATERIALS 4 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2.3 m) of 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch (6 to 19 mm) cord Old broomstick or equivalent, preferably with a hole in one end (See if your broom unscrews from its brush) Drill with 3/8 or 1/2 inch bit (option 1) Duct tape (option 2)

INSTRUCTIONS On one end, make a loop big enough to put your hand through Form a smaller loop at the other end (three fingers wide) Drill a hole near the end of your stick if it does not have one** Push the larger loop through the hole in your stick Put your cord through the loop and pull it tight You should now have a crude fishing pole **If you cannot drill a hole, use duct tape to fasten cord to stick

Congratulations - you've made a Whipwhir! And you've just learned how to make a homemade dog toy as easy as can be.

But wait, you're not quite finished yet, because a Whipwhir works best with various attachments and there are important instructions for its use so your dog does not get injured. Click on Whipwhir Attachments for these instructions. Happy playing!

Whipwhir Attachments and Safe Use

Whipwhir attachments turn the Whipwhir into a really fun dog exercise toy for your dog(s). Besides, they keep your cord from getting chewed on!

SAFETY - AVOID INJURY TO YOUR DOG!

We think there is potential for injury with the Whipwhir, so please read the following carefully:

Get your dog fully warmed up before getting into the higher wilder jumping and twisting motions by

Having your dog play fetch for a few minutes, OR Having your dog chase the Whipwhir along or near the ground, as shown in the

photo.

ATTACHMENTS YOU CAN MAKE

ESTIMATED TIME

About 5 minutes for each attachment

MATERIALS Old T-shirts, sweatshirts/pants, or socks Plastic or cloth squeaky toys

ATTACHMENT 1 Cut strips about 2 inches wide and about 1 foot long (5 x 30 cm) Tie in the middle Tie onto your Whipwhir end loop using two loose strips

ATTACHMENT 2 Take a Sock Swing Ball Cut a slit in the middle of the loose end of the sock Take these loose ends and tie onto your Whipwhir end loop

ATTACHMENT 3 Cut a strip of rag about 6 inches wide and 2 feet long (15 x 60 cm) Tie one end through the Whipwhir end loop Tie a knot in the rag about halfway down Cut a fringe out of the remaining loose end

ATTACHMENT 4 Cut a strip of rag about 3 inches wide and 18 inches long (7.5 x 46 cm) Tie one end through the Whipwhir end loop Tie the other end firmly around a squeaky toy

How to Make Dog Toys

by Deana Case

Homemade dpg toys

Introduction

Dogs need mental stimulation. They also enjoy new toys and activities. It can become expensive to keep your dog entertained, so supplementing your dog's toy collection with some things you have made yourself will save you a little money and keep your dog busy and happy.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You'll Need Old socks dog treats and kibble rope or twine soft dog toy or rag empty plastic bottles halloween treat bucket

Steps

1

Step OnePlace an empty plastic bottle inside and old sock. Tie a knot in the top of the sock to keep the bottle inside. Be sure to remove the label cap and plastic ring from the bottle before you place it in the sock. Do not leave your dog unsupervised with this toy, or any toys not designed for powerful chewers.

2Step Two

Take an old sock and cut it lengthwise on each side so that it becomes a long strip of cloth. Place a fragrant dry or semi moist dog treat in the center of the strip of cloth. Take the ends of the cloth and tie them in a half know around the treat. Flip it over and tie another half knot. Repeat this process until you can no longer tie half knots. You should have a ball of knots when you finish. The first time you give this to your dog, make the knots loose and easy to untie. As he gains skill, you may tighten the knots and add more strips of cloth to the ball to increase the difficulty of this game of dissection skill. It is fun to watch a dog work for the treat, and they enjoy this doggie rubik's cube!

3Step Three

Cut the handle off of a jack o' lantern shaped Halloween treat bucket. Toss it for your dog, usually the noise and motion is enough to get them interested in playing pumpkin soccer. If they seem hesitant, smear some peanut butter or cream cheese around the inner lip of the bucket. This will make the toy seem much more interesting.

4Step Four

Fill an empty, dry plastic bottle with dry kibble or treats for your dog. You may vary the size of the bottle, for smaller dogs use a kid size water bottle, for larger dogs, you may want to use a 2 litre bottle. Be sure to remove the cap, label, and ring from the bottle before you use it as a toy. Do not lever your dog alone with this toy.

5Step Five

Make a chasing toy with a few feet of rope or twine and a soft dog toy or rag. Tie the rope tightly around the center of the toy, and drag it along the ground for your dog to chase. You may wish to use some dowel or pvc at the other end to create a handle that you can hold on to.

Overall Tips & Warnings

Play with your dog for at least ten minutes each day Use the introduction of a fun new toy or activity as an opportunity to reinforce the "come"

command. Call your dog to you to give him the toy. Supervise your dog when he is playing with a new toy to be sure it is appropriate for his

interest and activity level. Do not leave dogs unsupervised with toys not specifically created for chewing Even if a toy says it is indestructible, watch your dogs first few interactions with the toy to be

sure he cannot chew off pieces and ingest them A blockage can kill a dog, and even if it is operable, blockage surgery is quite expensive.

Make a Dog Toy Out of Dish Towels

David Prince

It's hard to decide which is more painful: paying for a dog toy that's going to be destroyed in no time flat or living with a gnarled pig's ear on the sofa. Take dish towels that look as if they've lived in an auto shop for the last decade and make them into chew toys that won't cost you a penny.

What You Need: Three laundered dish towels and scissors.

What You Do:1. Cut an inch-wide strip from one short end of two towels.2. Bunch each of the three towels and use one strip to tie them firmly together at one end. Tightly braid them, then tie the other end with the second strip.

Also Works With: Napkins and orphan socks, for smaller pooches.

Easy Homemade Dog Toys

A Toss Ball, and Gutless Fleece Toys, provided courtesy of Greyhound Manor Crafts.

Some hounds love chasing after items tossed for them. Here's one that's easy on your throwing arm and a blast for a hound. They take just a few minutes to make and are very inexpensive.

introMake a Rope Dog ToyOur dog Dodger will rip apart normal dog toys in about 15 minutes. "Indestructable toys" take a little longer ;)

I learned how to make a monkey fist knot at a juggling festival a few years ago -- just for fun I made Dodger a toy out of rope that managed to keep him busy for at least a few days...

step 1MaterialsRope: At least 10.5 feet of 3/8" diamond braid rope -- about 4.5' for the monkey fist knot and 3 feet (X2) for the braid on each end. It's better to start with a much longer piece of rope, tie/position the monkey fist knot, and then trim off the long side. Also, forming the monkey first takes more rope (~6'), which is then tightened down to 4.5'.

Scissors or a sharp knife to cut the rope (Be carefull!)

Lighter to melt the rope ends, to prevent fraying.

step 2Monkey First KnotA monkey fist knot is basically three (or more) turns of rope, three more turns around the first three, and a final set of three more turns locking them all together.

Two good sites (with pictures) of how to make a monkey first knot are:http://animatedknots.com/monkeysfist/ and http://www.igkt.net/beginners/monkeys-fist.php

Start about 10 feet from the end of the rope -- this'll give you about 6' for forming the knot + 3' for the end braid + 1' for tightening...

The initial knot has to be pretty loose, otherwise you'll never be able to feed the last three loops through the knot.

To tighten the knot, start with the rope at one end of the knot. Almost as if you were trying to untie the knot, push/pull the rope into the knot, creating a loop. Following the path of the rope, push/pull the loop through the entire knot, pulling the loops tighter as you go.

Cut/trim the rope as needed to end up with a monkey-fist knot in the middle of two 3' ends of rope.

step 3Cleaning up the Rope EndsI like to remove some of the rope core before fusing the ends of the rope. Pull the braided covering back from the end, exposing the core.Cut off an inch or so of the core.Pull the braided covering back over the end of the core.Use the lighter to fuse the covering together.

step 4Braid Knot the Rope EndsYou could stop here, but making a braid knot out of each end of the rope makes a better/thicker handle for the toy. A braid knot is a way of braiding a single rope. See http://www.layhands.com/Knots/Knots_Decorative.htm#Braid

Loop one end around twice to form the three strands you'll be braiding (see the picture).

Start braiding the three strands near the monkey first knot.

As you braid, the other end of the rope will become tangled -- after a few plaits, stop to untangle the ends, then continue braiding.