What are the best little dog toys for small breeds? These top picks will keep your tiny pup happy!

Right, so my little terrier mix, Pip, goes through toys like nobody's business. The store-bought ones? Shredded in minutes, stuffing everywhere. It was getting expensive and messy. I looked at the pile of ripped toys and thought, I can probably make something myself.

I decided to give it a go last weekend. First thing, I hunted around the house for materials. Didn't want to buy anything new, that defeats the purpose.

Found some useful stuff:

• An old pair of denim jeans, thick material. Good start.
• A couple of worn-out fleece sweatshirts. Soft, but maybe not tough enough on their own.
• Some stuffing I'd saved from a ruined dog bed.
• A few squeakers I'd salvaged from Pip's previous victims.
• My basic sewing kit – needle, strong thread, scissors.

Didn't bother with fancy patterns. I just decided on simple shapes – a basic bone and a sort of square blob. Figured simple was best for a first attempt and less frustrating to sew.

Getting Started

I took the jeans and cut out two identical bone shapes. Made them a decent size for Pip to grab. Then I did the same with the fleece, cutting slightly larger squares. My plan was to use the denim for toughness and maybe line it or combine it with the fleece.

For the bone toy, I put the two denim pieces right sides together. Started sewing around the edge using a backstitch – learned that ages ago, makes it stronger. Used some thick thread I had lying around. Left a small gap open on one side.

Turning it right-side out was a bit fiddly because denim is stiff, but got there eventually. Then I started stuffing it. Didn't pack it too tight, just enough to give it some shape. Pushed one of the squeakers deep inside, surrounded by stuffing.

Closing the gap was the final sewing bit. I folded the raw edges inward and stitched it shut very carefully, going over it twice to make sure it was secure. Didn't want stuffing escaping on day one.

Second Toy Attempt

For the square blob, I tried layering the fleece inside the denim before cutting, thinking it might make it tougher. Cut two squares of this double layer. Sewed them together the same way, left a gap, turned it out, stuffed it with a squeaker, and sewed it shut. This one felt a bit softer but still reasonably sturdy.

The Verdict

Okay, moment of truth. Called Pip over. He sniffed the bone toy immediately. Grabbed it, squeaked it, and started tossing it around. Success! He seemed to really like the denim texture. The square fleece/denim one got a similar reception. He paraded around with them for a bit.

They haven't been instantly destroyed, which is a massive win. The denim bone is holding up particularly well to his chewing. The layered square is showing a little wear but still intact. It definitely saved me a few quid, and honestly, it felt quite satisfying making something with my hands that the dog actually enjoys. Might even make a few more when these eventually give up the ghost.