There is no denying it, dogs love toys. Especially toys they can chew on. But dog toys can get expensive if you have to replace them often. In this article we are going to talk about how you can make an easy dog toy that your pup can chew, play tug, and even retrieve if they know how. And the best part? The toy is only made of 2 items. Here are 2 versions of how to make dog toys using tennis balls and cotton rope.
Click here to learn how to make a DIY Monkey Fist Dog Toy
How to Make a Chew Toy for a Dog
Version #1
Materials:
- Thick Cotton Rope (1/2 Inch Diameter) 3 Feet Long
- 2 Tennis Balls
Tools:
- Needle Nose Pliers (Optional)
- a Sharp Knife
- Scissors
- Tape
- a Ruler or Measuring Tape
Instructions:
- Measure and cut your rope at 3 foot long, using the scissors to cut it.
- Wrap tape around the ends of the freshly cut rope to keep them from fraying.
- Using a sharp knife, cut an X in one side of one of the tennis balls large enough to pass one end of the rope through. Cut a second X on the opposite side of the tennis ball. Repeat with the 2nd Tennis ball.
- Tie a knot in the center of the rope.
- Push one end of the rope through the X’s in the tennis ball passing it through until the tennis ball is touching the knot. This is where the needle nose pliers come in handy. You can use them not only to push the rope into the hole, but to help pull it through the other side.
- When you have have the ball touching the knot, tie a knot on the opposite side of the ball making sure the knot touches the ball.
- Using the opposite side of the rope, guide the rope through the tennis ball until it touched the knot in the center of the rope.
- Tie a knot on the opposite side of the tennis ball. Make sure the knot rests against the tennis ball.
- Cut off the tape ends of the rope, and unbraid the ends to make them shaggy.
- As an extra step, you can take the finished toy and cut a hole in one side of the tennis balls that face outward, being careful not to cut the rope inside the ball. You can use these cuts to stuff the tennis balls with small treats for your dog to find.
Learn how to make dog toys out of socks- 5 ways! Click here to learn more.
Version #2
Materials:
- Thick Cotton Rope (1/2 Inch Diameter)
- a Tennis Ball
Tools:
- Needle Nose Pliers (Optional)
- a Sharp Knife
- Scissors
- Tape
- a Ruler or Measuring Tape
Instructions:
- Measure and cut your rope at 3 foot long, using the scissors to cut it.
- Wrap tape around the ends of the freshly cut rope to keep them from fraying.
- Using a sharp knife, cut an X in one side of the tennis ball large enough to pass one end of the rope through. Cut a second X on the opposite side of the tennis ball.
- Push one end of the rope through the X’s in the tennis ball passing it through until the tennis ball is at the half way point in the rope. This is where the needle nose pliers come in handy. You can use them not only to push the rope into the hole, but to help pull it through the other side.
- When you have equal amounts of rope on either side of the tennis ball, tie a knot up against the tennis ball on each side. At this point is should look like Rope-Knot-Tennis Ball-Knot-Rope.
- Now take the 2 loose ends of rope and tie them together. Make sure to leave enough room to cut off the taped ends.
- Cut off the tape ends of the rope, and unbraid the ends to make them shaggy.
Dog toys don’t have to be fancy, or hard to make. Often the simplest objects can make the best toys. Items like old socks, tennis balls, good cotton rope, and old t-shirts can make some of the most entertaining toys for your pup.
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