Okay, so I wanted to make a durable toy for my dog, Max, because he tears through everything. I decided to try making a ball rope toy. Here’s how it went:
Gathering Supplies
First, I gathered my materials. I needed:
- An old tennis ball (Max loves these!)
- Some sturdy rope – I used about 6 feet of cotton rope I had lying around.
- A drill with a bit slightly larger than the rope’s diameter.
- Scissors.
- A lighter.
Making the Toy
I started by drilling a hole straight through the tennis ball. I made sure to hold the ball firmly so it wouldn’t spin around. This took a bit of effort, and I had to go slow to make sure the hole was clean.
Next, I drilled a second hole opposite the first one, making a straight passage through the ball.
Then I threaded one end of the rope through the holes in the tennis ball. It was a little tricky, but I managed to push it through with a bit of wiggling.
Once the rope was through, I tied a big, fat knot at each end of the rope, right up against the ball. I pulled these knots super tight to make sure they wouldn’t come undone. My plan was that the ball can’t move on the rope.
I also tied another several knots between two ends of the rope.
After that, I cut the rope that left, maybe one foot long on two sides.
Finally, I used the lighter to melt the ends of the rope a little. This helps prevent it from fraying and makes the toy last longer. Just be careful not to burn yourself or the rope too much!
The Result
Max absolutely loves it! He can chew on the ball, we can play tug-of-war with the rope, and it’s holding up pretty well so far. He’s been carrying it around everywhere. It was definitely a success, and it was super easy to make. Plus, I saved some money by not buying a new toy!
