Toys for dogs, gnawed by sharp teeth, become unusable in a short time, adding additional costs to the owner's budget. Having made a toy that is safe for the health of the animal from scrap materials with your own hands, you can not only please the dog, but also avoid unnecessary financial costs.
Homemade dog toys should not only be entertaining and attractive to the animal, but also made from safe, durable materials. The size, type of filler and shape of the product are chosen depending on the breed of the dog and its age: it is unlikely that a puppy of a decorative breed will need a thick block of wood, against which the cutting teeth of dogs of service breeds sharpen so well.
Textile toys
Making homemade dog toys is a great way to get rid of debris from scraps of fabric or old jeans. Before sewing the product, the material must be thoroughly washed without the use of washing powder - the faint smell of the owner, which may be present on the fabrics, may later make the dog want to “taste” any other things that have the same smell.
The simplest denim toy is sewn from a cut-off trouser leg: one end of it is tied with a strong knot or sewn on a typewriter, after which the resulting "bag" is stuffed with scraps and rags of fabric, old, spoiled toys, worn out clothes. After stuffing, the second end of the "bag" is sewn up. The greatest interest in a dog will be aroused by such a toy, if one or two old toys that make a squeak or any other sounds are put as stuffing.
From a drape, tarpaulin or other durable fabric, you can cut out a toy of a simple shape: in the form of a bone, a heart, a rhombus, etc. If the size of the fabric allows, then the material is folded in two layers - such a toy will last a longer time. The workpiece is stitched on a machine, leaving a small hole for filling with filler.
Materials that cannot harm the dog's health should be used as a filler: it is not recommended to use foam rubber, synthetic winterizer, cotton wool and other fillers, small pieces of which the animal can swallow. Trims of natural fabrics are best suited: linen, cotton, denim, wool. You can also stuff the finished toy with cereals: the grains will rustle during the game and attract the dog's attention.
Toys in cases
Old socks, clothing sleeves, baby tights, or simply sewn into a tube of fabric will serve as a cover for the plastic bottle that most dogs love. Large dogs, chewing on a bottle, can inadvertently swallow pieces of plastic that can injure the esophagus with sharp edges or cause volvulus.
Plastic, safely hidden in a kind of case, is safe for animals and arouses no less interest than a simple bottle. Small crackers or pieces of dry food poured into a bottle will make such a toy even more entertaining: such a filler will attract the dog's attention not only by sound, but also by smell. It is important to remember that before using a plastic bottle as a toy, the cap and the O-ring must be removed from it.
An equally interesting option for a homemade toy is a piece of sturdy wood sheathed with fabric, unpainted leather, or wrapped in old socks. The wood must be strong and not resinous. Most preferred for games are maple, walnut, ash or birch wood blocks.
