Okay, so I decided I needed one of those dog ball on a rope things the other day. You see them in the shops, but I thought, “Hey, I bet I can knock one of those together myself.” My dog tends to go through toys pretty fast, so making one seemed like a smarter move anyway, maybe save a few bucks.
Finding the Parts
First step was digging around for the bits. I knew I had an old tennis ball somewhere. Found one in the back of the shed, a bit grubby but still solid. Good enough. Then I needed some rope. Remembered I had a length of reasonably strong rope left over from tying down that tarp last year. Pulled it out, checked it wasn’t frayed or anything. Looked decent enough to handle some pulling and throwing.
Making the Thing
Alright, the actual making part. Getting that rope through the tennis ball was the main challenge I figured. Those things are tougher than they look. I grabbed a sturdy screwdriver, one with a pointy-ish end. Placed the ball on a block of wood so I wouldn’t stab my hand or the table. Carefully pushed and twisted the screwdriver right through the middle. Had to wiggle it a bit to make the hole wide enough for the rope, but not too wide. Did that on both sides, trying to line them up.
Then, feeding the rope through. Pushed one end in the hole I made. Took a bit of fiddling to get it out the other side, but got there eventually. Now, I didn’t want the ball sliding freely. So, I tied a big, bulky knot on one end of the rope. Just a simple, solid knot, but I made sure it was chunky. Pulled the rope so the knot jammed up tight against one side of the ball. Then, I pulled the rope through the ball until it was snug against that first knot. Then, tied another big knot on the other side of the ball, pulling it tight against the ball surface. This locked the ball in place between the two knots.
- Grabbed an old tennis ball.
- Found some leftover sturdy rope.
- Carefully made a hole through the ball using a screwdriver.
- Pushed the rope through the holes.
- Tied a big knot on one side, pulled the rope through the ball.
- Tied another big knot on the other side to secure the ball.
- Left enough rope on one end to make a good handle for throwing or tugging.
Giving it a Go
Time for the test run. Took it out to the yard. My dog went nuts as soon as he saw it. Gave it a good swing and launched it. Flew okay, maybe a bit wobbly but good enough. He chased it, grabbed the ball, and brought it back… sort of. We played tug with the rope end for a bit. Seemed to hold up well! The knots stayed tight, the ball didn’t slip.
Pretty pleased with how it turned out, really. Simple job, took maybe 15 minutes once I had the stuff. And the dog seems happy, which is the main thing. Plus, I made it myself, which always feels good. We’ll see how long this one lasts, but hey, I know how to make another one now.
