Dummy / Dog Toy

In this instructable i will show you how to make an easy dummy for your dog from an old Jeans. This is an very inexpensive project and most people will even have them on hand. My dog loves the new toy and likes to carry it around. The toy has a little pocket on one end so you can put a treat inside to make it more interesting for your pet.

• an old pair of Jeans (you need just one leg)
• the Filling (i am using Kritharaki-noodles, but you could also use rice or cotton wool; remember that some fillings will make the toy heavier than others!)
• 1 snapp rubber (i did not know the english word, hopefully Google translation is right this time!! :D)
• Thread

• a needle
• a scissor
• Tape measure or a ruler
• if you want to use them: a few pins

The first step is to think about how big the toy should be. My dogs back has a height of 40 cm and i wanted her toy to have a length around 20 cm. So I took the jeans and cut it at about 32 cm. In the sketch above you see how that length comes to be: Decide about how big your dog toy shall be. That is n. Then add the half of n to the length. (In my case that is 10 cm). And then add two centimeters for the hem. If you have your length, measure it and cut the jeans at the right length.

Now take your fabric and turn it inside out. Then sew one end together. You can use a sewing machine for this step. If you are doing it by hand, use the backstitch: After piercing the thread start from the back of the fabric and make a small stitch. At the front you go back to the point of the beginning an pull your needle to the back of the fabric again. Now make a stitch double the size from before. In the front go back to the beginning of the last stitch you can see and again pierce through. Make a stitch the same size as before, and again go back on the front, etc. This will create a nice even stitching.

Remember to let a rand from about a centimeter stand free from any sewing!

Take your snapping rubber and put it over the sewed end. When you turn the Jeans inside out again, this step will form the pocket. Now take your needle and the thread and make sure that the rubber can't slide of again. Make an easy zigzag pattern, as you can see on the photo.

Now sew the other end together. Stop at the middle and turn your project inside out again, so you have the right side outside again.

Now add the filling. If you use a rather heavy filling, make sure to only fill half of the dummy. Use a funnel to add the filling without any spills. The filling can make the toy very heavy, so think about the weight, before you choose the material you want to use.

The final step is the closing of the opening you used to fill the toy. Sew the opening shut with a hidden seam. Pierce your thread. Your toy is ready to be used!

• Use whatever fabric you like - if it isn't a leg of a trouser before you use it, add one more seam to make it a tube.
• Don't use fillings or fabrics that may be poisonous for your dog. Remember that some fabrics use rubber to make it waterproof. If your dog chews on this, the rubber will be peeled away and be eaten!!
• Take the toy away if it breaks. You can of course try to repair it, but don't let your dog play with a broken toy, as there are same little parts that shouldn't get ingested.
• If you want to make the outside more appealing, you can of course use whatever technique you want - stitching, paint or whatever. Please remember that some paints are poisonous for dogs. Your best chance to make it decorate the toy without potentially harming your pet is to stitch the design. This may take a bit of your time, but it will hold longer than any other decorating technique.
• This toy can be washed, if you used a washable filling. If your filling is not suitable for water, but your toy is in desperate need for a good rinse, you can open up one end, remove the filling, wash the case, fill it with the old (or some new) filling and close it again. Don't do this to often, as the procedure will take its toll on the fabric.