PADDIO STICKS

You can easily learn how to make dog toys out of sticks and rags! They'll cost you nothing except a little time to gather materials and put them together.

Comet enjoys these because they move in unpredictable ways. They can be good temporary chomp toys but do not leave your dog alone with them. Watch carefully to make sure your dog doesn't swallow the material.



ESTIMATED TIME

•15 to 30 minutes per toy
MATERIALS
•Colored tape
•A large old T-shirt or equivalent
•Sticks, 1 /2 to 1 inch (15 to 25mm) in diameter, about a foot long
Note: Green sticks that bend rather than break, are preferable, and crooked sticks rather than totally straight add a little extra fun. If the ends are really pointed, saw them off to blunt them.

PADDIO STICK CROSSIE



Comet's got a tight grip on his Crossie!

INSTRUCTIONS

Take two sticks and for each stick do the following:

•Cut/tear strips about 2 inches (5 cm) wide and as long as possible from the T-shirt ([If you tear horizontally you'll get the longest pieces]
•Take a strip of rag and lay the stick on it
•Wrap lengthwise a couple of times, covering the ends of the stick
•Tightly wind the rest of your strip around the stick and wrapping
•When that strip ends, start with another, overlapping the ends
•Keep on with another strip or two, remembering to wrap tightly
•Tuck the last end under previous wraps, using a knife to help
•For a decorative touch, apply plastic tape around the ends
•When you have both sticks firmly wrapped, lay them crosswise and use another strip of rag to bind them firmly together in the middle
We hope this one showed you it's not difficult to learn how to make homemade dog toys. Are you ready for the next one?
The following Triangle toy is similar, only you'll need three sticks. Comet really enjoys chewing on this one because he can hold onto it so well with his paws.


PADDIO STICK TRIANGLE



INSTRUCTIONS


•Take three sticks and wrap each of them per the Crossie above
•Lay the sticks in a triangle, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) sticking out at the ends
•Wrap each corner firmly, going around and between each stick
•To finish off, tie a knot and tuck the ends under a wrap
•When you have all three angles done, add tape as desired
Uses: Play fetch by throwing or rolling along the ground or give to your puppy to chew on (under supervision only)

Thanks for being willing to learn how to make dog toys! (The first time I typed that it came out as "hog" toys - maybe they'll work for a pet pig too!)