Which apple dog toy is best for chewing? Find the toughest options for your playful pup now.
Okay, so let me tell you about this apple dog toy I whipped up the other day. My dog, Buddy, he just goes through toys like nobody's business, you know? And I was looking at this pile of worn-out t-shirts I was gonna toss. Thought, hang on, maybe I can make something outta this.
Getting Started
So, I grabbed this old red t-shirt. It had a few holes, perfect candidate. You don't need much, really. Just the shirt, some scissors, and maybe a bit of green fabric if you wanna get fancy, like I did. I found some leftover green felt from another project. Oh, and a needle and thread for that little extra bit.
Making the Thing
First up, I laid the t-shirt flat. Cut off the bottom hem and the sleeves, basically just wanted the main body part. Then I started cutting strips, maybe about an inch or two wide? Didn't measure precisely, just eyeballed it. Cut 'em across the width of the shirt.
Ended up with a bunch of fabric loops. I cut those loops open so I had long strips. Took three strips and tied a big knot at one end. Then, I just started braiding them, like you'd braid hair. Kept it kinda tight.
Now, here's the "apple" part. As I braided, I tried to sort of curve the braid around itself, making a spiral. The idea was to make a flat-ish, round-ish shape. When I got near the end of the strips, I took another three strips, tucked their ends into the braid near the center, and kept braiding outwards, adding more strips as needed, tucking and braiding to make the circle bigger. It wasn't a perfect circle, more like a lumpy disc, but hey, it's for a dog!
Once it felt big enough, maybe the size of a real apple or a bit bigger, I had to finish it. This took some fiddling. I basically tucked the loose ends back into the braid as securely as I could and tied off the very last bits with tight knots. Snipped off any really long straggly bits.
The final touch: I took that green felt scrap. Cut out a simple leaf shape. Used the needle and thread – just basic stitches, nothing fancy – to sew the leaf onto the side of the red braided "apple". Gave it that little extra something.
The Big Test
Alright, moment of truth. Called Buddy over. Showed him the new toy. His tail started going like crazy. I tossed it, and he pounced! Started chewing on it right away, shaking it around. The braided texture seemed pretty good for his teeth. He hasn't destroyed it yet, which is saying something. It's soft enough not to hurt his mouth but tough enough because of the braid.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, pretty happy with how it turned out. Took maybe half an hour? Used up an old shirt instead of throwing it away. Buddy got a new toy that he actually plays with. Didn't cost a penny. It’s not gonna win any design awards, but who cares? It works. Definitely gonna try making more shapes with other old shirts.
