Step 3: Pillow talk
Some fabrics seemed to be chewed up easily. But some fabrics seemed to last longer. In our basket of toys the ones that seems to last longer are these fleece/felt braided ropes. I have some leftover fleece in my scraps so I thought I try out this. I made 2 toys: one with a squeaker and braided rope, the other a squeaker/jingle bell "bone".
Materials:
squeakers
jingle bells
scrap fabric: fleece, canvas, fiberfill stuffing
For both of these toys, I put the noise makers inside 2 fleece pouches (I refer to them as pillows). I made layers of fabric as a barrier to the teeth piercing that happens as they hone into the sound of the squeaker and purposely chomp hard in that area. I also wanted the noise makers to be another layer so that if (when) the dog chewed through the exterior, I could retrieve the squeaker before it got punctured or swallowed.
I had to experiment with fabrics as some that I thought would be more durable and failed (flannel shirt, sweat shirt material). But the process was similar:
1. Make a small rectangle slightly larger than the squeaker/noise maker with fleece
2. Fold the fabric over the squeaker, sew.
3. Put this rectangle (pillow shaped) in another layer of fabric, sew.
4. Add a third layer of fabric for the exterior and stuff (lightly) with fiberfill.
5. Sew around the outside of the shape at least 2 times.
I sewed on the outside of the fabrics rather than turning the shape inside out (hiding the seams). I did this because I've noticed that when their sharp teeth snag a seam, it makes an hole that they can pull and rip larger. Plus, the dogs don't really care about the shape as much as the noise/squeak. The shape is more for the human.
Two MONTHS later I am happy to say these toys are still intact! If they make it through a couple of hours in our house with having the stuffing ripped out, it is a success story. And the best part is the happy faces on my dogs with new toys! They both still squeak and rattle and relatively blemish free. Success!
Materials:
squeakers
jingle bells
scrap fabric: fleece, canvas, fiberfill stuffing
For both of these toys, I put the noise makers inside 2 fleece pouches (I refer to them as pillows). I made layers of fabric as a barrier to the teeth piercing that happens as they hone into the sound of the squeaker and purposely chomp hard in that area. I also wanted the noise makers to be another layer so that if (when) the dog chewed through the exterior, I could retrieve the squeaker before it got punctured or swallowed.
I had to experiment with fabrics as some that I thought would be more durable and failed (flannel shirt, sweat shirt material). But the process was similar:
1. Make a small rectangle slightly larger than the squeaker/noise maker with fleece
2. Fold the fabric over the squeaker, sew.
3. Put this rectangle (pillow shaped) in another layer of fabric, sew.
4. Add a third layer of fabric for the exterior and stuff (lightly) with fiberfill.
5. Sew around the outside of the shape at least 2 times.
I sewed on the outside of the fabrics rather than turning the shape inside out (hiding the seams). I did this because I've noticed that when their sharp teeth snag a seam, it makes an hole that they can pull and rip larger. Plus, the dogs don't really care about the shape as much as the noise/squeak. The shape is more for the human.
Two MONTHS later I am happy to say these toys are still intact! If they make it through a couple of hours in our house with having the stuffing ripped out, it is a success story. And the best part is the happy faces on my dogs with new toys! They both still squeak and rattle and relatively blemish free. Success!
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