c/diy-dog-toy-swap

The $60 rope toy that lasted 3 minutes vs. the $5 one that went a month...

I dropped $60 on a heavy duty braided rope toy from a specialty shop, figured it'd survive my pit mix's chewing. He literally unraveled it in 3 minutes flat, rope threads all over my living room floor. Then my buddy handed me a $5 rope toy from the grocery store aisle, same dog same chewing style, and it lasted over a month. I'm starting to think price has nothing to do with durability in homemade toys... am I missing something, or have you guys seen this too?

Am I the only one who thinks fleece tugs are way overrated for dogs who actually chew?

I read a study from a canine enrichment blog that said 80% of dogs lose interest in fleece tugs after 3 days because the fabric just doesn't hold up to real play, and after my pup shredded one in 20 minutes I'm starting to think we all need to switch to denim or denim blends.

PSA: I used fleece scraps wrong for 6 months and my dog almost choked

I was making those braided fleece toys by just knotting the ends together, thinking the tighter the better. Last week my lab ripped one apart and swallowed a 5-inch strip whole before I could grab it. Vet said the knots actually make them easier to pull apart because the pressure points weaken the fabric. I switched to sewing the ends with a double stitch and now I test every toy by yanking on it as hard as I can. Anyone else find out the hard way that their 'safe' DIY toys were actually dangerous?

Saw a whole basket of braided fleece toys at my local shelter swap

I went to this pet supply exchange event at the Humane Society off Elm Street last Saturday. Someone dropped off like 50 of those braided fleece tug toys made from old t-shirts. The worker said they get way more of those than the knotted rope ones because people think they're easier. But I noticed the fleece ones all had loose threads and one was already unraveling after just one wash. Has anyone else seen this at their local swap events or is it just my area?

The stitching gap in braided fleece toys

I keep seeing people post those braided fleece toys where the knots are an inch apart. My dog had the end of one swallowed in under 3 minutes because there was too much loose fleece between the knots. I tie mine at half inch intervals and they last at least 2 weeks before the first rip happens.

The rope toy I spent 4 hours braiding lasted 12 minutes with my lab mix

I made this triple braided fleece rope toy last Sunday, followed the pattern from that older post here. My dog Molly chewed through the middle knot in 12 minutes flat. Anyone else have a dog that destroys the good stuff this fast?

Can we talk about how rope toys just don't last like they used to

I dug out a braided rope toy my old lab had from 2016 and it was still solid, but the one I made last month for my new pup frayed into a mess in under 3 days. The cotton I'm buying from the craft store feels thinner and looser than what I remember grabbing back then. Anyone else notice the quality of basic rope changing or did I just pick a bad batch?

My neighbor said crochet rope toys are bad for dog teeth...

I was at our building's laundry room last week when my neighbor saw me finishing a braided fleece tug toy, and she told me rope toys can actually file down a dog's teeth if they chew too hard. She works at a vet clinic so I kinda have to take it seriously, but I've been making these for my lab for 3 years with no issues. Has anyone else heard this warning, or is it just for certain types of dogs?

That braided fleece toy I made last month turned into a sad pile of string in under 20 minutes

My golden retriever ripped apart a triple-braided fleece tug that took me an hour to make in just 18 minutes flat, so has anyone found a fabric that actually holds up to heavy chewers?

TIL that my dog's favorite toy had a hidden squeaker I didn't know about for 3 months

So I was cutting open this old rope toy that my pup had been carrying around forever, trying to see if I could restuff it with some fleece scraps. I sliced through the middle and POP there was this tiny squeaker buried in the center! I never even knew it was in there. Found it by accident while following a pattern from a blog called DIY Dog Den. Has anyone else accidentally discovered a hidden feature in a toy they made or bought?

Unpopular opinion: braided fleece toys are way overrated

I traded for a braided fleece tug at the last swap meet in Denver and my dog shredded it in 12 minutes. Meanwhile the old denim rope toy I made from scrap jeans has lasted three months and still looks solid. Fleece just frays too fast for heavy chewers like my pit mix. Anyone else find that denim or canvas holds up way better than the cute fleece knots?

Overheard at the dog park that rope toys can shred teeth

I was at the off-leash area on Oak Street Monday morning and two vet techs were talking. One said she sees fractured puppy teeth from braided rope toys at least once a month. The fibers get caught between molars and dogs yank hard enough to crack enamel. I've been sewing fleece tuggers for my pointer but now I'm rethinking the whole design. Has anyone found a safe way to reinforce rope toys without making them too rigid?

My neighbor said I was ruining my dog by only giving her store-bought toys

Bought a $40 heat gun for shrinking paracord knots and it melted half my rope toys

I used to just use a lighter for finishing the ends on my braided fleece tug toys... figured it was good enough. Then I saw some folks online talking about heat guns being way more precise, so I grabbed a cheap one from the hardware store. First try, I held it too close and the paracord just bubbled up and fused together into a nasty mess. Three hours of braiding down the drain... I was pretty ticked. Now I stick to the lighter and just practice my technique, because that $40 felt like a total waste. Has anyone else had a tool fail them like this or am I just bad at using it?

Learned the hard way about using cheap fleece for tug toys

I spent $12 on bargain fleece from a discount bin last month and made 3 braided tug toys for my border collie. By day 2, the fibers were already fraying and within a week both ends had completely unraveled. My pup managed to swallow a chunk of it before I caught her, which cost me a $50 vet checkup just to be safe. Anyone else find a specific fabric that actually holds up to aggressive chewers?

Visited a pet shelter in Portland and saw their rope toy system

They had this wall of donated jeans cut into strips and braided into tug toys. The dogs went nuts for them way more than the store-bought ones. Anyone tried denim rope toys before?

Figured out I was tying my braided rope toys all wrong after 2 years

I always just did a simple overhand knot on the ends of my braided fleece toys. They'd last maybe a week before my lab would pull them apart. Last month my buddy Tom watched me make one and said 'dude, you gotta do a double fisherman's knot, not a single.' He showed me and now the toy I made 3 weeks ago is still in one piece. Anyone else find out they were doing some basic step completely backwards this whole time?

Warning: That $40 firehose braid rope I bought for tug toys started fraying after 3 days

Honestly, I thought I was being smart getting a heavy-duty rope from the hardware store instead of paying $15 for a small one at PetSmart. But after my pit mix Chewy went through 4 tug sessions the fibers were shedding everywhere and I spent an hour picking red strands out of his teeth. Stick to the cotton or fleece braids from the community pattern swap, they last way longer and don't break down like this stuff. Has anyone else tried the firehose material and had the same issue?

Brought a rope toy to the dog park and three owners tried to buy it off me

Tbh I just whipped out this braided fleece rope toy I made last weekend for my lab mix, nothing fancy just a 3-strand braid with some knots. Not even 10 minutes in, this guy with a golden retriever walks up and asks where I got it. I said I made it and he literally offered me 15 bucks on the spot. Then his friend comes over and says he'll give me 20. Then some lady with a corgi says she'll trade me a bag of homemade jerky treats for it. I was so confused, I just sat there holding this chewed up rope while three strangers argued over my dog's toy. Has anyone else had random people try to buy your homemade stuff at the park?

That lady at the dog park was right about fleece knots

Last month a woman named Carol at Riverside Park told me I was wasting my time with braided t-shirt toys. She insisted double-knotted fleece strips last way longer. Sure enough my lab mix destroyed three braided toys in one afternoon while her fleece knot from three weeks ago still looked new. Anybody else have a park stranger give advice that actually worked?

Spent $45 on braided fleece for a tug toy and my Great Dane shredded it in 8 minutes flat.

I followed a youtube pattern from some lady who swore it was 'indestructible' but apparently she has a chihuahua, so has anyone else found a fabric that actually holds up to a big dog's jaws?

My pup turned that braided fleece toy into confetti in 10 minutes flat

Last Sunday I spent 2 hours cutting up old t-shirts and braiding this fancy 5 strand fleece tug toy for my golden retriever. I was so proud of the pattern I found on Pinterest, even took a picture before giving it to him. He grabbed it, shook his head twice, and within 10 minutes the whole thing was in shreds all over the living room floor. I guess the braid was too loose or fleece just isn't tough enough for a determined chewer. Anyone got a pattern that actually survived a heavy chewer?

Stop sewing knots into rope toys - it kills the whole thing

I traded for a braided fleece rope last month that had knots at both ends. My dog chewed through the knot in 10 minutes flat and the whole thing unraveled. Knots create weak points where the tension is worst, especially with fleece. I cut the knots out, melted the ends with a lighter, and that same rope lasted three weeks. Has anyone else noticed this or am I just dealing with over eager chewers?

Honestly a facebook comment about rope knots totally changed how I make tug toys

Some lady in a golden retriever group pointed out that my knots were all slipping loose after a few tugs. She said to double up the figure eight knot and melt the ends instead of just tying it off. I tried it on my last braided rope toy and my dog couldn't pull it apart for three days instead of like 20 minutes. Anyone else get random game changing advice from strangers online?

Read a pattern online that said to use cotton yarn for dog toys and I call baloney

Someone in a Facebook group swore cotton was safer than fleece because it doesn't stretch, but my beagle chewed through a cotton knot toy in under 10 minutes and then ate half the stuffing. Has anyone else had fleece hold up way better than this fancy natural fiber trend?