Luna tends to go through toys pretty quickly, so it sometimes isn’t very cost effective to keep buying them. Instead we like to reuse and create (or buy on clearance).
Today, we’ll be talking about how to make your very own dog toys out of an old shirt or any somewhat durable fabric.
To start any of the three dog toys we made, first you need to find some fabric. I used a t-shirt I picked up from a local craft store for only $3. I picked XL, since it was the same price and would give me more fabric to work with. I ended up also getting a second color shirt and a big sheet of red felt, so that I could make toys of different and with alternating colors. All together it was just under $9.
There is no need to go buy a shirt though. You can absolutely do this with an old t-shirt that you would otherwise throw out. I just wanted a pretty color.
Only supplies needed to make a variety of DIY dog toys!
Luna loves her water bottle toys and they are probably one of our longest lasting toys. Eventually the fabric wears out, but the bottle lasts much longer than a squeaker would. This inspired me to make our own no-sew water bottle dog toy.
The steps are pretty simple.
1. Cut a piece of fabric that is about twice as wide as the bottle is long and long enough to completely cover the bottle with a lot of overlap. I used two layers for a little extra durability.
2. Once you have your fabric, roll it around the bottle. I removed all labels from the bottle and made sure it was completely dry first.
3. Cinch both ends and tie with string.
There you have an easy no-sew dog toy!
You could also sew the seam and the top and bottom openings. This would probably increase durability, but it adds some extra work.
In addition to the bottle dog toy, tug of war ropes and rings are also pretty easy to make with the same supplies. The steps for the ring and rope are the same up until the last one.
1. Cut out three strips from your fabric. For thicker rope, double or triple the number of strips.
2. If you doubled or tripled the strips, divide them into three groups. Tie a knot at the end to hold all three groups together. If you are making a tug of war ring, you can just pin down the ends or untie this knot later.
3. Braid the three strips together. Be sure to stop for tying room at the end. The thicker your rope is, the more room you will need for your knot.
4a. For the rope, simply tie another knot at the end.
4b. For the ring, untie the first knot (if necessary) and tie together the two ends.
5. Trim any excess on each end.
DIY rope and ring dog toys can also be multi-colored!
All three of these toys were made with the same shirt and there is plenty more fabric to go around.
DIY dog toys are a great activity for a rainy day and are also wonderful if you want to help out a local animal shelter or rescue, but don’t have much time or money to offer.
These toys were so easy to make that I made them while watching a movie at a friend’s house. I just took a break to take some photos to share with you and utilize his lovely wood floor as a background.
Luna enjoys her new DIY bottle dog toy.
Have you ever made your pet a toy?
In case you have missed any, you can find all my A to Z posts here.
- Happy Birthday Ralph! - July 11, 2019
- How to Entice Your Dog to Eat {Stocking Stuffer Giveaway – Day #10} - December 14, 2018
- Must Have Travel Items for Dogs {Stocking Stuffer Giveaway – Day #9} - December 13, 2018
