Thursday, September 18, 2014

DIY Dog Toys: How to Make a Rope Tug Toy #Paw2014


Today's post is inspired by Tractor Supply and its PAW in-store event, which is going on NOW through September 20!

PAW stands for Pet Appreciation Week and we love that Tractor Supply is dedicating this week to special in-store events that all culminate with a Main Event on September 20, featuring pet adoptions, giveaways, special deals on pet supplies and more!

What's REALLY cool, is that all year round the folks at Tractor Supply are involved in the well-being of all the animals in their neighborhoods.

And since you can always pick up the supplies you need at a great price, we went on a hunt at Tractor Supply to find the perfect supplies for a fun and inexpensive DIY dog toy project… one that we can use at home AND that we can share with local shelter pets to help enrich their lives.

How To Make a Simple Rope Tug Toy

Supplies you'll need

  • Nylon braided rope (we found ours in the bargain bin at Tractor Supply for even more cost savings)
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Optional: x-small tennis balls (we used Kong x-small squeaky balls from Tractor Supply)


Step 1 -- prepare your rope

Cut your rope to a 10-foot length. Tape the ends of the rope so that is doesn't fray while you're working with it.

Step 2 -- make a Monkey's Fist knot

Starting in the middle of the rope, start forming a Monkey's Fist knot.  This is the most difficult part of the project, but I can vouch that it's super easy to learn. I had NO previous knot-typing experience and now that I've learned how to make one, I can make this entire toy in about five minutes!

Start by wrapping three turns around your fingers.


Place the end through the middle, and make three more turns around the first ones.



At this point, you can insert the x-small tennis ball. This will help form the knot but it's not essential.



Make three more turns, passing the rope around the outside of the second set of turns and inside the first set of turns. This will help secure the knot.


Tighten up the knot by pulling the pieces of rope taut throughout the Monkey's Fist.



Here are a couple of links I found quite useful while learning how to tie a Monkey's Fist.
Instructions for tying a Monkey's Fist knot
Video for tying and tightening a Monkey's Fist knot

Step 3 -- braid the ends

Finish the toy by braiding the ends so that both you and your pup will have something to grab onto!

Take the extra rope on one end and loop it up so that there are three pieces to work with.


Start braiding from the top and finish it by looping the rope through the final braid. Repeat on the other end.

Voila! You're done and you have a fun rope toy, perfect for doggie play time.



NOTE: Play time with toys such as this rope toy should always be supervised. It's intended as an interactive toy that you can use to play WITH your dog -- whether it's your dog at home or a toy you provide for the play and enrichment of animal shelters dogs. This toy may not be suitable for dogs who like to eat rope, as ingesting rope can be harmful to your pet.

Take a look at Rocco, enjoying a good game of tug with me!


At Tractor Supply, it's always like a fun scavenger hunt for me, looking for the best items I can use in their bargain bins. The rope I used in this toy was a super find, so I was able to make each of these toys (without the tennis balls) for only 60 cents each! Add the tennis balls and you're still only looking at a price of about $1.90 per toy.

By shopping the dollar deals, we could buy plenty of supplies to make lots of toys
and get a little something extra  for Rocco!
Rocco says he's keeping this one!
In addition to the great assortment of products and great deals, I love shopping at Tractor Supply because Rocco gets to go with me, and the nice folks there give him yummy treats at the checkout counter!

Don't forget to head to your local Tractor Supply this Saturday for the special PAW Main Event! Each store is hosting its own activities so you might want to check the schedule at your local store before you head out.

Happy shopping!

This post is sponsored by Tractor Supply Company and the Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Tractor Supply Company, but To Dog With Love only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. Tractor Supply Company is not responsible for the content of this article.


39 comments:

  1. What a great affordable toy! I'll have to pick up some of the supplies this week!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great project! TSC is our absolute favorite store, and this DIY campaign has been the most fun ever!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I loved you wagon too! I haven't seen anything like it!

      Delete
  3. Clever mum we say. Have a tremendous Thursday.
    Best wishes Molly

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's the sort of toy even I can make :) I think Laika would absolutely love one of those; I know what's on my shopping list now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I needed something simple, myself! Once you start tying knots, you might get hooked! It's very therapeutic!

      Delete
  5. Love the dog rope toy! Rope toys are my dogs favorite to play with. They can spend an entire day chasing, pulling and tugging on them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a great diy dog toy article. I can't wait to try this!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love this idea! I am going to buy my supplies for making some on Saturday for PetSavers! ☺ Yay!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Cool! I'll have to try out that monkey fist knot. I love making Maya and Pierson's toys. Of course, I love buying them toys too. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very creative! We love TSC, and have really enjoyed seeing all the different projects everyone has done. I think you definitely got the most for your money!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Haha! Awesome!! Great minds think alike!
    I'll have to try making your tug toy, it looks great! So far the towel one I made is holding up - we'll see how long it lasts...Dante plays hard. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. The a lot of you get to grasp dogs, the a lot of you'll notice what proportion they need in common with their masters. They get depressed once you aren’t around, they get nervous once they don’t perceive what's happening, and once they get bored they need an inclination to induce themselves into an entire heap of bother. See more http://dogsaholic.com/care/interactive-dog-toys.html

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is such an interesting piece! My dad taught me about map reading when I was still around 10 years old. We love to camp and I remembered my dad drilling me before we left for camp. He wants to make sure I know how to distinguish symbols and shapes to avoid being lost. Likewise, I have to learn how to read a compass to complete my learnings. He also taught me basic survival skills such as starting a fire, pitching a tent, filtering water and so on. For more information on increasing your chances of surviving in the woods, see: http://myoutdoorslife.com/basics/how-to-survive-being-lost-in-the-woods.html

    ReplyDelete
  13. Good idea, going to try this :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think sticks can be acceptable as fetch toys. But one should avoid overly large or heavy ones because they can cause neck injuries. Sharp sticks can also injure the dog’s mouth. Indestructible dog toys

    ReplyDelete
  15. Did you ever think about the outcomes of acquiring an unseemly Dogs toy? Rather than obtaining only a charming toy, there are numerous different elements that you ought to consider when making the buy.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Good dog toy idea. And nice post....

    ReplyDelete
  17. Did you ever think about the outcomes of buying an unseemly puppy toy? Rather than buying only an adorable toy, there are numerous different elements that you ought to consider when making the buy. I find a very good website for the barbecue cleaning service , You can visit this site.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Mcafee.com/activate- Go through the procedure for downloading, installing and activating the setup of McAfee antivirus. To redeem the activation code, visit www.mcafee.com/activate. If you are facing issues, then call our mcafee activate support number.

    Mcafee.com/activate | Mcafee activate | Mcafee Activate 25 digit code | Mcafee log in

    ReplyDelete
  19. Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting? I'm pleased I discovered it though, ill be checking back soon to find out what additional posts you include. buy adult toys here

    ReplyDelete
  20. Let the download process of norton setup gets complete. Steps to Install norton com setup. After completing the downloading process of Norton setup, the user has to start installing the norton setup by opening downloads folder. Here's how: Extracting the file will launch the installation process of norton.com setup.

    Use this Coinbase login page guide on Coinbase.com to find how to buy and sell digital currency like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and more after you sign in online to the website.

    office.com/setup - To get started with Microsoft Office download & install office setup. Find the product key for activation at www.office.com/setup.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hello I am very glad that I find your blog. As I read your blog it is very creative and full of knowledge. By reading your blog, bloggers like me learn many innovative things to write in thier own blog. As i write blog in which we provide information related to Antivirus and also provide services of Antivirus. For any type of query or any update you can use use norton antivirus free trial for 90 days or you can contact to our experts.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you so much for this wonderful Post and all the best for your future. I hope to see more post from you. I am satisfied with the arrangement of your post. You are really a talented person I have ever seen.

    norton.com/setup

    ReplyDelete
  23. Great content. Really enjoy it. Do you want to write more about dogs?

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is the interesting thing that you shared above and also interested to read more such information. I always love to read about various aspect of the information.
    Wackyfreaky tech update
    Wackyfreaky lifestyle update
    Wackyfreaky business update
    Wackyfreaky education update
    Wackyfreaky health update

    ReplyDelete
  25. It's a great concept for a dog toy. Also, thanks for the post....

    ReplyDelete
  26. This type of message always inspiring and I prefer to read quality content, so happy to find good place to many here in the post, the writing is just great, thanks for the post. dog smells bad even after bath

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hey friend, it is very well written article, thank you for the valuable and useful information you provide in this post. Keep up the good work! FYI, please check these depression, stress and anxiety related articles:
    pet care adda

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. more info

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thank you for sharing. This is a nice point of view, which I believe everyone should learn. I want to recommend this site to you. I’m sure you will find here what you’re looking for in terms of demolishing a residential and commercial building.

    ReplyDelete
  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Jasa Arsitek Medan menyediakan desain yang efisien dan kreatif untuk berbagai proyek, mulai dari rumah tinggal hingga bangunan komersial. Dengan keahlian yang mendalam, arsitek di Medan mampu merancang desain yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan, anggaran, dan keinginan klien. Mereka memperhatikan setiap aspek, seperti tata ruang, pencahayaan alami, dan pemilihan material yang tepat. Layanan arsitek ini juga fokus pada pemanfaatan ruang yang optimal serta penerapan desain yang praktis dan estetis. Dengan memilih jasa arsitek profesional, Anda dapat memiliki bangunan yang tidak hanya fungsional, tetapi juga nyaman dan menarik.

    ReplyDelete