No stuffing dog toy guide: squeaky, tough, and fun!

Okay, so my dog, Max, he's a destroyer of toys. Seriously, anything with stuffing? Gone in 60 seconds. It's like a fluffy explosion in my living room every time. So, I decided to try making a "no stuffing" dog toy. Figured, can't destroy the stuffing if there's no stuffing, right?

First, I gathered my materials. I had this old, super-worn-out fleece blanket that I was about to toss. Perfect! I also grabbed some scissors, and I think I saw a squeaker lying around from a previously decimated toy. That's optional, though.

The Making Process

• I cut the blanket into long strips. I think they were about, maybe, 2 inches wide and, like, 2 feet long? I didn't measure, just eyeballed it. Didn't need to be precise, my dog sure wouldn't mind.

• Then, I laid three strips together and tied a big knot at one end. Just a regular, overhand knot. Super simple.

• Next, I started braiding the strips. You know, like you'd braid hair? Left over right, right over left, and so on. I kept it pretty tight, because, you know, Max.

• If I was going to add the squeaker, I would just wrap a strip of the fleece around it a bunch of times as part of the braiding, making sure it was secure.

• Once I got to the end of the strips, I tied another big knot. Again, nothing fancy, just made sure it was good and tight.

That's all! The whole thing took, like, 10 minutes, maybe? I threw the finished toy to Max, and he went nuts! He chewed it, shook it, tossed it around. It's been a few days, and it's still in one piece! Success!

I might try making a few more of these, maybe using different materials. I've got some old denim jeans that might work. It's definitely cheaper than buying new toys all the time, and it's kind of satisfying to make something yourself, even if it's just a dog toy.