[reek1845]

My dog, Casey, is a Portuguese Water Dog and he loves toys but usually destroys them in 5-10 mins. I was knitting a scarf in just 2x2 rib. and since it was getting close to Dec. 25th and I had no toys for Casey, I folded the scarf in half and stuffed it with fluff and sewed it together. We gave it to Casey Christmas morning and the miracle is that he still has it!!!!! I never dreamed a knitted toy would hold up more than 5 mins. Just thought knitting dog lovers might be interested.
Elbie

 

[Cindy M]

I make knitted toys for my dog, but eliminate the stuffing. He eats it. It might get bound up in the intestines, so I would caution you about that. What I do that is a better alternative is to knit a narrow long swatch. I tie a knot in it and give it to him. Since strings and yarn can be a hazard to pets, the toys should be used with your supervision. Don't leave him alone with it.

 

[reek1845]

Good idea on the long swatch. I always watch him because he has a bad track record. He has eaten more things than I can remember including a pair of my husband's SAS shoes! I have repaired the Christmas toy and each time my husband says it is in surgery.

 

[Cindy M]

I forget what they were called. It was some dog toy on one of those infomercials. It looked like a fox but wasn't stuffed. It was supposed to be indestructible. Well, it wasn't Corgi proof. He had that baby chewed up, squeaker and all, in half a day. Fortunately, somebody else bought it for him. They may as well have given him a twenty dollar bill to chew up. That's how much they cost. I can knit him a dead squashed looking fox cheaper than that.

Dogs love tennis balls. Petsmart wants $6 for two tennis balls with paw prints painted on them. I can buy a whole can of tennis balls for $2-4 at Walmart in the sports department. They're pretty sturdy unless you have a puppy. If they do chew them up, at least you're not out that much. I was told that Petsmart has an automatic laser pointer. It's a device that shoots a red lazer beam on the floor so you don't have to. We often get tired before the dog does. This is something I'm going to look into.

http://www.amazon.com/FroliCat-BOLT-Interactive-Laser-Pet/dp/B0021L8W6K

 

[Cindy M]

Sometimes I'll knit gauge swatches. I have some left over. These make great stuffing for dog toys and it's not as dangerous as polyester toy stuffing. You could probably use knit blanket squares or anything from an unfinished project. Good way to use them up.

 

[Weezieo77]

We had a cocker spaniel that ate/destroyed everything! I sewed small things out of denim & let him chew away. At least it took him longer to destroy!! I do give our present dog pieces of yarn & I will start watching her closer with them. She normally doesn't eat things, except for a piece of lint or paper you don't want her pick up or eat!

 

[Ciyona]

Try a soda bottle if he tears it up don't do another one. I had a dog once who loved to play with them. I think he liked the noise it made.

 

[evesch]

Try a soda bottle if he tears it up don't do another one. I had a dog once who loved to play with them. I think he liked the noise it made.

I work at a Vets office as a dog groomer and have heard a lot about toys and things that have cause bowel or other obstructions in dogs So I was very cautious when bringing up my puppy. He of course was a chewer. But I would watch him closely and discourage any eating of pieces of anything. Even to stopping him and pulling things out of his mouth. You should always get your dog used to you being able to remove anything at all from their mouths. Also to the command to "drop it" That has also come in handy several time when at the dog park and he picked up something strange and was too far away for me to see what it was. I actually found out later that a couple of dogs had gotten very sick and one had died that had chewed on some of those banana seed pod things. I did not know they were toxic to dogs! Our dog park cut down those trees pretty quickly after that. That was how I found out what happened as I missed the wonderful shade trees and asked some of the other owners why the trees which had seemed very healthy had been cut down.... New trees are planted but it will be a few years before they are useful for shade.

 

[Cindy M]

There are some things toxic to dogs and cats. One is the Poinsettia plant and holly. Dumbcane is another one. Dogs and cats should never be given chocolate.

 

[hgayle]

I had a piece of rather thick Piece of felted i-cord left over from a project and gave it to our Lab. It took him a few weeks to destroy it.

I picked up a bag of a dozen new tennis balls for $3.98 at the thrift store the other day.

 

[Whoopie]

I buy stuffed baby toys for my dog. They are better made than dog toys.

If you don't want the dog to chew something put a stripe if "absorbine Jr."on it. They won't touch it a second time. Saves furniture legs etc

 

[Lilysmom567]

Lily is a very "powerful" chewer. Not that this helps if you want a knitted toy....but we buy her Nylabones, and they last a while before we have to toss them.

 

[tallieu]

Last year I made our 12 year old dachsund a "snake", about 1-1/2 feet long and not stuffed. I embroidered eyes but that was the only embellishment. He still has it, and he loves it. He chases it, chews it, and gets jealous when my husband and I pretend to play with it. I also cannot believe that it has held up. Oh, he especially likes when we stuff the head down into the tail part, making a ball. This allows him to spend time and energy unstuffing it and he loves doing it. I'll make him more toys, but I won't bother to stuff them. I think he would just chew and tear until he got the stuffing out and then he'd eat the stuffing and be back at the vet AGAIN.

Love my dog, but wish he wasn't such a chewer.

My dog, Casey, is a Portuguese Water Dog and he loves toys but usually destroys them in 5-10 mins. I was knitting a scarf in just 2x2 rib. and since it was getting close to Dec. 25th and I had no toys for Casey, I folded the scarf in half and stuffed it with fluff and sewed it together. We gave it to Casey Christmas morning and the miracle is that he still has it!!!!! I never dreamed a knitted toy would hold up more than 5 mins. Just thought knitting dog lovers might be interested.
Elbie

 

[jeans yarn]

My one Corgi was like Cindy's. My other one could unstuff a toy thru a hole as bog as your little finger. After that she would just walk away & let the mess. Love to have them back again.

 

[knitter360]

I think that the reason your dog didn't chew it up in a short time is because it has your smell on it. The dog loves you and now has a piece of you to carry around without being underfoot.

 

[oneangelonly]

be very careful with nylabones. There are many dog owners who have lost there dogs to pieces of the nylabone getting lodged in their stomach and intestinal tract. If you want to read about it yourself the website is: benderplace.com/allcreaturesgreatandsmall/product_alerts.htm

 

[Cindy M]

be very careful with nylabones. There are many dog owners who have lost there dogs to pieces of the nylabone getting lodged in their stomach and intestinal tract. If you want to read about it yourself the website is: benderplace.com/allcreaturesgreatandsmall/product_alerts.htm

Thanks for letting me know about this! Our dog has one. I'm going to get rid of it.

 

[Neela]

The laser pointer works just fine! My daughter has a German short haired pointer pup who goes crazy chasing the red dot!! :lol: :lol:

 

[Lilysmom567]

Thank you for the heads up on NylaBones. I know that it is recommended to throw them away after they start getting "chewed up" on the ends, which I always do. Although I have bought these for years, I will read the article...thank you again.

 

[oneangelonly]

you are welcome-I was very surprised when I read the article and comments from consumers who lost their precious family members to something unsafe. On that page it also talks about the dangers of febreeze to our pets and the swiffer wetjet and other things too.