Alright, let’s talk about pet toys. I got tired of spending money on stuff that my dog, Buster, either destroyed in five minutes or just plain ignored. Plus, you look at some of them, and you wonder what kind of weird plastic or dye is in there. So, I figured, why not try making some natural ones myself?
Getting Started – What I Grabbed
First thing, I looked around the house for stuff I could use. Didn’t want to buy anything if I could help it. Found a few things that seemed promising:
- An old cotton t-shirt I didn’t wear anymore.
- A couple of cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls.
- Some thick, natural twine I had in the garage (made sure it wasn’t treated with anything nasty).
- A few sturdy twigs from the backyard – made sure they were from a safe tree, like apple wood, and not sharp.
That seemed like a decent start. No fancy tools needed, just scissors and my hands.
Making the First Toy: The T-Shirt Tug Rope
Okay, this one was pretty easy. I took that old t-shirt.
Step 1: Cut the shirt into strips. I went across the body, maybe like 2-3 inches wide? Didn’t measure perfectly, just eyeballed it. Got a bunch of fabric loops.
Step 2: Cut the loops open so I had long strips of fabric.
Step 3: Grabbed three strips. Tied a big knot at one end, tight as I could.
Step 4: Braided them. Just a simple braid, like you’d do with hair. Kept it tight.
Step 5: When I got near the end, tied another big knot. Trimmed off any scraggly bits.
Boom. One tough-looking tug rope. Took maybe 15 minutes?
Trying Something Else: Cardboard Treat Puzzle
Next, I tackled those cardboard tubes. Thought I could make a simple puzzle toy.
Step 1: Took one paper towel tube.
Step 2: Punched a few small holes in the sides. Used the end of the scissors, carefully.
Step 3: Folded in one end of the tube, kinda crimped it shut.
Step 4: Dropped a few small dog treats inside.
Step 5: Folded the other end shut too.
The idea is Buster would have to nudge it, roll it, maybe chew it a bit to get the treats out of the holes or the ends. Super simple.
Did Buster Like Them? The Moment of Truth
So, I finished my little crafting session. Called Buster over. First, I showed him the t-shirt rope. He sniffed it… then grabbed it! We had a good tug-of-war right there. Success! It felt pretty sturdy too, which was good.
Then I put the cardboard tube puzzle on the floor. He nudged it with his nose. Rolled it around. You could see him thinking. After a minute or two, he figured out treats were inside and started batting it around more seriously until they popped out. He chewed up the tube eventually, but that’s fine, it’s just cardboard.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this was pretty satisfying. Didn’t take long, used up some old stuff, and saved a few bucks. Most importantly, I know exactly what Buster is chewing on – just old cotton and cardboard. No weird chemicals. He seemed happy, I was happy. Might try some other ideas next time, maybe using those twigs or the twine. Definitely worth doing if you’ve got pets.
