Is your furry playmate in need of a new toy after chewing off yet another store-bought dog plush? Then you need to know about all the different kinds of toys you can make for your dog, with materials you have at home. The best part? They’re easy and cheap!
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Shirts?
To make a dog toy out of a shirt, you only need to know how to braid. First, take your shirt and cut it into 15-inch strips. The width should be about 2 inches. With three strips, make an overhand knot at one end. Then braid all the way to the other end. Finally, secure that end with a knot.
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We all have a bunch of unused old t-shirts at home, which makes this the perfect material for dog owners to DIY dog toys. You can use cotton, sweatshirts, sports jerseys, etc. The options are limitless.
You can even get creative by using different t-shirts to add variations in colors for the braid.
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Shirts
To make dog toys out of shirts, you’ll need old t-shirts, scissors, and optionally, rulers and markers for cutting.
Step 1: Cut three strips of 15-inch x 2-inch size.
With your scissors, you can start from the bottom hem of your shirt or the side hems. Cutting along these as a reference will make your life easier.
Step 2: Make a knot at one end.
Overhand knots are easy. Simply gather the ends of the t-shirt strips with one hand and twist them around your knuckles. Then, pull the ends through the loop you just made.
Tighten the knot, making sure that it doesn’t get displaced. To do so, while you’re tightening, keep your other hand below the loop and block the knot from taking up too much space while you’re pulling the ends.
Step 3: Make three-way braids.
Braid as you would with hair. The three strips will be your three sections.
You can square-braid as well, but the traditional braiding is easier.
Step 4: Secure it with the final knot.
Once you’ve reached the other end with only about 3 inches of space left, make another knot. The lack of space might make this a little trickier, so try twisting around one or two fingers when you’re making the loop.
You can trim the edges or keep them as is. It can be a tassel end on both sides if you wish to keep it that way.
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Fleece?
You can make dog toys out of fleece by cutting thin strips. The strips should be about 2 inches wide and 15-20 inches long, depending on how big your dog is. Start with an overhand knot. You can then braid the strips in two ways: regular braids or 4-way square braids. Finish with a knot at the end.
Fleece is a great material for dog toys because of how thick it is. Your dog will be less likely to rip the toy off compared to using other fabric.
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Fleece
To make DIY dog toys out of fleece, you’ll need fleece fabric and scissors.
- Step 1: Cut 4 sections of fleece about 2 inches wide and 13 inches long.
- Step 2: Tie sections together on one end using an overhand knot.
- Step 3: Braid using the 4-way square braiding method.
- Step 4: Finally, secure with another knot, and you’re done!
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Jeans?
Use old jeans to make dog toys. Make a doughnut dog toy using the leg of the jeans. Or, you can cut off strips of denim to make braided toys with 3-way braids or 4-way square braids. You can even cut off the waistband of the jeans and play with your dog by having them bite it as you pull.
For making a doughnut toy, cut the leg off of your denim pants. Roll it up as you would with a sock until it’s thick enough. Cut the excess denim, then secure the toy with some fabric glue or tie a string around the doughnut.
To make a braided toy, cut the denim into long strips of 13 x 2-inch size. Add a few inches if your dog is bigger. You need 4 for a square braid and 3 for a normal braid. Do the braiding and complete with a knot.
To make a waistband toy is self-explanatory. Cut it apart from the jeans and enjoy playing.
Using denim is one of the smartest choices for homemade dog toys. It’s such a strong and sturdy fabric and long-lasting as well.
It might be a little harder to twist it into the toys you want. But you’ll be happy with the resulting product for a long time, and so will your dog!
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Jeans
To make a stuffed toy out of jeans, you’ll need a pair of jeans and scissors.
Step 1: Cut off the leg of your jeans horizontally, about 14 inches up from the bottom.
Make sure you don’t cut along the sides and keep the stitches in place. It should be like a bottomless rectangular pocket in shape. This will be the main body of your toy.
Step 2: Cut thin strips of denim from any other part of the jeans.
We’re going to use this as tying strings, so make sure they are quite thin.
Also, if you’re planning on making more toys from the legs of the jeans, you should cut those off first. This way, you won’t accidentally cut off an area you will need. You can make about 2-3 toys from jeans of average height.
Step 3: Cut scraps from jeans for the stuffing.
You can use any other fabric for stuffing. But if you only want to use the jeans, cut small pieces off so that you can fatten up your toy.
Step 4: Tie one end of the rectangular body with the string you made.
Using the thin strips, bunch up one part of the body and tie it securely.
Step 5: Stuff the inside of the body.
Splay open the untied end of the body. You will notice it’s like a small pouch now. Fill it up with your scraps of jeans.
Step 6: Tie the other end like the first.
Using the string denim again, tie this side up. And you’re done!
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Pants?
There are two main ways to make dog toys out of pants. Firstly, you can use the leg of the pant and roll it up into a doughnut for a ring dog toy. You can play tug-of-war with these. Secondly, you can cut the pants into strips and braid them. These will make great chew toys for your dogs.
More durable fabric is best for dog toys. For example, you can use yoga pants, fleece, sweatpants, and jeans.
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Pants
To make dog toys out of pants, you’ll need a pair of old pants, scissors, and fabric glue/string.
- Step 1: Cut off the leg of the pants.
- Step 2: Roll it up from the bottom so that it looks like a doughnut bun.
- Step 3: Once it’s thick enough, trim away unnecessary pant fabric.
- Step 4: Use fabric glue or string to secure the doughnut.
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Fabric?
The simplest way to make a dog toy out of fabric is to use the braiding method. Cut up thin and long pieces of your desired fabric. Using these pieces, you want to begin with a knot. Then, braid them in a traditional braid or use the 4 section square braiding technique for a thicker dog toy.
Most fabrics are workable as dog toy material. You can use denim, fleece, cotton, etc. However, as you might have guessed, slippery fabric like silk isn’t suitable for your canine.
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Fabric
- Step 1: Cut fabric into long strips of 2 inches width and 13 inches height.
- Step 2: Start with a knot tying all the strips.
- Step 3: Braid with your choice of technique: 3-way or 4-way.
- Step 4: Tie it all up at the end and play!
How to Make Dog Toys Out of Socks?
There are many ways to make dog toys out of socks. You can make a ring toy by cutting the sock’s toes and rolling it up into a bun. You can make knotted toys by making spaced-out knots on the sock for your dog to chew on. You can also stuff the sock with other fabric, common stuffing, etc.
To make a ring toy, you want to roll the cut toeside up until it resembles a doughnut shape. Secure this hold by wrapping another thin piece of fabric or string around the doughnut.
To make a knotted toy, it’s best to use longer socks. Leave a finger width gap between each knot until you reach the end.
To make a stuffed toy, fill up your sock with your desired stuffing. Make a knot at the end like you would with a balloon. If your dog is a heavy chewer, use sturdier stuffing to offer more resistance.
There are many other ways, but overall, socks are the perfect size for dog toys. You can use knee-high socks for bigger dog toys or make different types of toys, like a stuffed snake-like plush. Thicker socks make for better chewing.
As easy as it is to lose one sock from a pair, it’s just as easy to make the other into a great toy!
Make DIY Dog Toy Out of Socks
To make a stuffed and knotted dog toy out of socks, you’ll need a sock, scissors, and fabric/tennis ball/stuffing.
Step 1: Decide your stuffing material.
What you want to stuff the toy with depends on your dog.
If they like the feeling of biting a tennis ball, you can use a small tennis ball. If they are big on chewing, use pieces of thick fabric like old cut-up clothes. If they like plush toys, use traditional plush stuffing.
It’s not a good idea to use a tennis ball if your sock is too short. Unless you can get a miniature-sized one, you’re better off using different stuffing.
Step 2: Start with a knot at the toe end.
Knotting this side is the easiest with an overhand knot. And, you need to keep the other side open for your stuffing.
Step 3: Keep knotting until you reach just before the half-way point.
Remember to also space out your knots. About a finger’s width gap will do perfectly.
Step 4: Stuff the middle portion until it’s a bit bigger than your knots.
If you’re using a tennis ball, you don’t need to measure it. Simply place it inside.
For other stuffing, place a handful of the stuffing inside.
Step 5: Secure the stuffing with a knot, then keep knotting until the end.
Make a knot as you would with a balloon and tighten it enough so that the stuffing doesn’t move.
As before, continue making knots with finger gaps in between.
Step 6: (Optional) Tie the two ends together.
You can do this if you want a ring shape to hold onto. A long chew toy works just as well and is great for tug-of-war. This is up to the preference of what the dog and the owner like to play.
You don’t need to buy all that fancy stuff to give your dog’s teeth something to chew on. With a few things from your home, you can utilize a creative outlet for yourself and keep your dog happy. It’s a win-win DIY and saves you a trip to the store!