Are crinkle toys for dogs a safe choice? Find tough and puppy friendly options easily.

Okay, so my dog, Max, he's absolutely nuts about anything that makes that crinkly sound. You know, like an empty water bottle or those snack bags. The store-bought crinkle toys? They last about five minutes, tops, before he has them shredded. It was getting expensive and honestly, a bit frustrating picking up the pieces.

So, I figured, how hard could it be to make one myself? I had some scrap fabric lying around from old projects, mostly some tougher canvas and fleece bits I didn't know what to do with.

Getting Started: The Hunt for Crinkle

First step was figuring out what to use for the actual crinkle sound. I thought about using old chip bags. I washed one out really well, dried it, and crumpled it up. The sound was perfect! I was a bit worried about sharp edges, even after washing, but decided to give it a try carefully inside the fabric.

I also remembered seeing some people use special 'crinkle material' meant for baby toys, but I wanted to try the recycled route first. Waste not, want not, right?

Putting It Together

Here’s what I did:

• Grabbed Fabric: I picked out two pieces of some reasonably tough fabric. Decided on a simple square shape this time, maybe about 6x6 inches. Easier to sew for a first attempt.
• Cut It Out: Cut two identical squares from the fabric. Nothing fancy.
• Prepare the Crinkle: I took that cleaned chip bag and cut a square slightly smaller than my fabric pieces, maybe 5x5 inches. I made sure to round the corners a bit just in case.
• Layering Up: I placed one fabric square down (right side up), put the crinkle plastic on top, then placed the other fabric square on top of that (right side down). So it was like a fabric-crinkle-fabric sandwich.
• Sewing Time: I pinned the edges together to keep everything from shifting. Then, I took it to my sewing machine. I just sewed around the edges, leaving about a 2-inch gap open on one side. I made sure to backstitch at the start and end to make it stronger. A straight stitch was fine.
• The Turnaround: Carefully, I turned the whole thing right-side out through the gap I left open. Poked out the corners to make them look neat. The crinkle material was now safely tucked inside the fabric pouch.
• Closing Up: This was the slightly fiddly bit. I tucked the raw edges of the opening inside and then hand-stitched it closed really securely. I went over it twice just to be safe. Didn't want Max getting that plastic out.

The Verdict: Max's Review

So, I finished it up. It looked pretty basic, just a simple fabric square, but it made that awesome crinkly noise when I squished it. I tossed it over to Max.

Success! He immediately pounced on it. Sniffed it, pawed it, grabbed it in his mouth, and shook it like crazy. The crinkling sound definitely got his attention. He carried it around for ages, just crinkling it.

It actually held up surprisingly well for the first day. Much better than some store ones, though I know he'll eventually find a way to destroy it. That's just Max.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, it was pretty easy and satisfying to make. Took maybe 20 minutes once I had the stuff together. Using the old chip bag worked fine this time, but make sure it's super clean and maybe trim any sharp points off the plastic before sewing it in.

Definitely going to make more. Maybe try different shapes next time, or even put a squeaker inside along with the crinkle. It’s a great way to use up fabric scraps and give your pup some cheap thrills!