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Safe Hands Tug
DIY Dog Toy Tutorial
Many dogs and most puppies love to catch and chew on a tug toy, but sometimes their aim is off and they bite your hand in their excitement.
This halts the game, while we bandage up the damage and stop the bleeding, and, then, it's never the same because we're scared of it happening again.
If your pup tends to get too excited, this tug toy is perfect - the yogurt container protects your delicate hands, but the pup can chase and chew on the tail of the tug.
Yogurt Container with holes punched into the bottomUse what you have in the sewing bin or recycling center - scraps of jeans, pieces of rope, anything with texture that can be pushed through the holes in the bottom of the yogurt container (or other plastic container, like a flower pot). Braid the ends, tie a knot, then let the play begin.
Use leftover scraps of denim, leather or pleather - this one is cut into strips, leaving one end that can be rolled up for a handleFor the holes in the bottom of the pot, I put marks where I thought they should go, and my helper cut them with shears after drilling holes in the corners.
A plastic plant pot with a single hole would work fine too, as long as the pot is big enough for your clenched fist to fit into.
There are several ways to get the holes in the bottom of a yogurt container. One way, which is how I started, is to cut two slots for the material, then braid two strips (or more) of fabric like Pleather or Naugahyde to hold it in place.
Safe Hands Tug diagram, showing the placement of the knotsAnother method is to burn a hole using a piece of metal pipe heated in a fire. Hold the pipe with a crescent wrench.
Alternately, a dremel tool or even a soldering iron would work to make a nicely finished hole that wouldn't snag or split, like the cut holes might.
There won't be too much pressure on the container itself, and if it gets a few teeth marks on it, no big deal. Don't leave this where a teething puppy will chew on it, that's not what it's for. It's just to protect your hands from accidental bites from an excited puppy.
If you don't know how to braid, just tie the ends in knots, to keep them from falling through the hole.
The handle part can be a loop (or two strands together) or braided for more strength, depending on the material you've chosen.
However you create it, fun is sure to follow!
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