Are dog toys with toys inside safe for my pup? (Learn what features make these toys a great choice)

Alright, let's talk about this whole adventure I had with making those 'surprise inside' dog toys. My dog, Buster, he’s a chewer. Not just a casual chewer, I mean a professional-grade destroyer of anything remotely fun-looking. The fancy store-bought toys? They last minutes. Sometimes seconds. Especially the ones claiming to be 'indestructible'. Yeah, right.

So, I got this idea. What if the goal wasn't just to shred the toy, but to get to something inside? Like a bonus prize for his demolition work. Maybe it would keep him occupied for longer than the time it takes me to make a cup of tea. That was the dream, anyway.

Getting Started - The Materials Hunt

First off, I needed tough fabric. I rummaged through my craft stash – you know, the boxes of stuff you swear you'll use someday. Found some thick denim from an old pair of jeans and some canvas leftovers from a failed tote bag project. Figured that had a better chance than flimsy felt.

Then, the 'inside' toys. I needed something small enough to fit, but interesting enough for Buster. I gathered up:

• A couple of those small, hard rubber balls he never plays with.
• Some squeakers I'd salvaged from previously gutted toys (yes, I save them, don't judge).
• An old, small rope toy that was mostly intact.

Safety first, obviously. No small plastic bits that could be swallowed easily. Everything had to be relatively dog-proof, or at least, Buster-proof-ish.

The Actual Making Of It - Needles Were Broken

I decided on a simple bone shape for the outer toy. Easier to sew, I thought. I doubled up the denim, cutting out four bone shapes. My sewing machine groaned a bit handling the thick layers, let me tell you. Felt like I was stitching armor.

I sewed two pieces together, leaving a gap. Then repeated for the other two. Now I had two halves of the bone 'shell'. Before sewing them mostly together, I picked the 'inside' prize. Went with a squeaker stuffed inside the small rope toy first. Seemed like a good combo.

Getting that inner toy placed right inside the denim shell before adding the main stuffing was tricky. It kept shifting. Had to sort of pin it loosely in the middle. Then I started stuffing poly-fill around it, packing it tight. Not too tight, wanted some squish, but tight enough to make it a challenge.

Finally, the worst part: hand-sewing the final opening shut. With doubled-up heavy denim? My fingers still remember it. Used thick upholstery thread and went over it twice. It wasn't pretty, but it felt solid.

The Big Reveal - Buster vs. The Toy

I presented the masterpiece. Buster sniffed it suspiciously. Then he got that glint in his eye. He went to town on it. Shaking it, chomping down. Took him longer than usual, maybe 15 minutes? I was actually timing it, feeling hopeful.

He eventually breached the denim wall. Success! Sort of. He pulled out the stuffing bit by bit, like he always does. Then he found the rope toy inside. He looked confused for a second, then grabbed it and ran off. The outer denim shell was toast, obviously.

Here's the kicker though. The inner rope toy? Lasted about five more minutes before he pulled the squeaker out of that. So, essentially, I'd created a slightly longer-lasting delivery system for a squeaker.

So, Was It Worth It?

Honestly? It was kind of fun to make, despite the needle casualties and sore fingers. It did last longer than the store stuff. But the effort involved... let's just say I understand why those 'tough' toys cost more now, even if they don't always deliver.

I made another one using the rubber ball inside. That one baffled him for a bit longer because he couldn't get a good grip through the canvas to crush the ball immediately. But eventually, he ripped the canvas open and the ball just rolled out. Less satisfying for him, I think. He prefers total annihilation.

It's a process, right? Maybe thicker canvas next time? Or maybe I just accept my fate as the provider of things destined for swift destruction. It keeps him happy, I guess. But my sewing machine might file for divorce if I keep feeding it denim.