Are firehose dog toys safe for my dog to chew? Understand the materials and safety factors to consider.
Alright, let me tell you about the time I decided to make one of those firehose dog toys myself. My dog, Max, he shreds everything, you know? So I figured, firehose gotta be tough stuff.
Getting Started
First off, getting the actual firehose. Wasn't easy. Asked around, checked online, some places sell scraps. I actually lucked out, my brother-in-law knows a guy at the local fire department. They had some old hoses being decommissioned. Got a decent length of it. Felt pretty pleased with myself.
Then came the cleaning. Man, that hose was grimy. Looked like it had seen some action. Took it out back, got the pressure washer on it first, then scrubbed it down with some heavy-duty soap and a stiff brush. Rinsed it forever, making sure all the soap was gone. Didn't want Max chewing on that. Let it hang dry over the fence for a solid two days until it was bone dry.
Making the Toy
Okay, tools. Didn't need anything too fancy, but regular scissors? Forget it. I used:
- A really sharp utility knife (new blade)
- A cutting board I didn't care much about
- Some super thick upholstery thread
- A heavy-duty needle (curved ones work well)
- Pliers (to help push/pull the needle)
- A measuring tape
Measuring and cutting was the next step. Decided on about a foot-long piece for the first try. Laid the hose flat, measured it out. Cutting through it took some real effort. Had to score it deep with the knife several times, then carefully cut through layer by layer. This stuff is seriously tough. Wear gloves, trust me.
Once I had the piece cut, I needed to seal the ends. Didn't want any stuffing or anything, just the hose itself folded over. I folded about an inch of the end over, then folded it again to hide the raw edge. This made it super thick.
Now, the sewing. This was the hardest part. Pushing that big needle through multiple layers of firehose? Wow. Broke one needle right away. Got the pliers involved, used them to grip the needle and force it through, then pull it out the other side. Did a simple, strong stitch back and forth across the folded end multiple times. Like, maybe 10 passes? Made sure it was really secure. Did the same thing on the other end.
The Result & Max's Verdict
Ended up with a flat, super thick, kinda stiff foot-long hose toy. Looked rugged. No squeaker, no frills, just pure hose.
Gave it to Max. He sniffed it, grabbed it, and started shaking it like crazy. We played tug with it for a good while. It held up! Didn't see any immediate damage, which was a miracle compared to his usual toys.
Important note though: I still watch him with it. It's tough for tugging and fetching, yeah. But I don't leave it with him unsupervised like a chew toy. If he really settled down to just gnaw on it constantly, I bet he could eventually get pieces off. And you definitely don't want your dog eating bits of firehose. It's sturdy, but not indestructible or edible. So, supervised play only, that's my rule for this one.
Was it worth the effort? Yeah, I think so. Cost next to nothing since I got the hose for free, and it's lasted way longer than most store-bought fetch toys. Plus, I made it myself, which is kinda cool.
