Making your own homemade dog toy is a fun project that is fast, simple, and inexpensive.

The following instructions will show you how to make a braided fleece rope toy. This inexpensive dog toy will cost you less than $5 to make, and shouldn’t take you more than 20 minutes to complete! (Similar toys sell in pet stores for over $10!)

What you will need:

How to make your homemade dog toy:

1. Cut 3 strips from your fleece, the width of the strips is dependent on how heavy you want the braid -
   • 3″ wide for a lightweight toy
   • 5″ for a medium weight toy
   • 8″ + for a heavy weight toy
2. Lay the strips on top of one another and tie one rubber band 6″ from the end.
3. Hold the end with the rubber band between your knees and braid the strips of fleece tightly together.
4. Braid it to your desired length. (remember you will lose some length in the knots)
5. Rubber band the other end of the braid.
6. Tie a loose knot and slide or cut the rubber band off.
7. Pull on the knot as hard as you can to tighten it.
8. Trim the end tabs to about 3″, and cut in thirds.
9. Repeat knotting and trimming for the other end.
10. Tie a knot in the middle of the rope if you like.
11. Now you have your very own homemade fleece rope dog toy!

Additional tips:

• The tighter your knots, the longer the toy will last. So pull them REALLY TIGHT!
  
• Try braiding a round rawhide chew into the fleece for an extra treat.
• Make sure you do not use any fabric that has been treated with chemicals, such as a flame retardant.
  
• You can re-purpose your old and worn fleece jackets instead of buying fleece fabric new. Just cut them into strips.
  
• Inevitably this toy will get all nasty from the puppy lovin’ it will receive, just throw it in the wash to get it squeaky clean.
• If your dog is a heavy chewer or likes to rip apart his toys, do not cut the ends in thirds, it will make them easier to rip.
  
• If you want another great homemade dog toy idea, I recommend the tutorial for Making a Monkey Fist Knot Rope Dog Toy.
  

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Basil is getting to be a big boy! He is now 5 months old, and he weighs 56 lbs. Which means he is basically tearing through his old toys. He is losing a tooth or two a day, and only a few of his toys have withstood the attention…

• His puppy Kong. This was one of his first toys, and it has held up really well. It should even be large enough for him for another month or two!
• Nylabone Puppy Starter Kit – I bought this 3 pack the day before we picked him up, and he has just about worked his way through it, but I think the last one left will hold out another week or so…
• His tennis balls. He likes to fetch them, bu they do not get any chewing attention, so they have survived.

That’s it. We have nicknamed him “Basil the Destroyer”. So I need some recommendations from other puppy parents on which toys have held up for your little chewer. Please.

Making your own dog shampoo is a quick and easy project that can save you plenty of money. This project will take about 15 minutes, and will cost about $5.

What you will need:

• An empty plastic container that hold 24 oz (or more if you are doubling/tripling)
• 1 cup Ivory clear liquid dish soap
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup glycerine
• A funnel
• A container large enough for mixing (I use a milk jug)

How to mix your homemade dog shampoo:

1. Using the funnel, pour the water, apple cider vinegar, clear dishwashing soap, and glycerine into the milk jug.
2. Put the cap on and mix it up! (watch for bubbles!)
3. You can either leave the shampoo in the milk jug or pour it into a smaller container (or containers if you made a larger batch).
4. Label your bottle so you remember what it is!
5. Shake the soap well before you use it (every time!) This mixes up the glycerine.

Try this recipe for a Dog Conditioner made from a rosemary tea for a glossy coat and nice smell!

Why does this mixture work?

• The apple cider vinegar deodorizes and keeps fleas away.
• The dish soap loosens dirt and makes your pup squeaky clean.
• The glycerine moisturizes the skin and helps reduce itching and scratching.
• The water dilutes the chemicals in the other ingredients. You can always add more water to make the solution less potent.

I have tried other variations and never found one that worked as well as this mixture.

Additional tips:

• Liquid glycerin is usually sold in the first aid section of your grocery store or Wal-mart.
• I usually make this in a quadruple batch, mixing and storing it in an empty milk jug
• Do not substitute any ingredients.
• It is always best to talk with your veterinarian before trying any new products, especially if your dog is prone to skin issues.
• Regular grooming can help reduce the number of baths that your dog will need.

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Ok, since I have people asking, here are some updated pics of Basil. He is a little over 10 weeks in the pictures, 11 in the video.

He is almost housebroken, and will sit, lay down, and give up a toy (or whatever he has picked up from the floor) on command. We have just started teaching him to behave when on a leash. He is a really good puppy, and has LOTS of energy.

Welcome to our home little Basil (after Basil Rathbone who played Sherlock Holmes)

He is 8 weeks old, and his dad is a Great Pyrenees (140 lbs) and him mom is a black Labrador (70 lbs) He is going to be a big boy! Right now he is only 7 lbs…

this sticker was stuck on one of his toys, and he got it on his head!

We are getting a new puppy! His mother is a black lab, and his daddy is a Great Pyrenees. We will be picking him up February 29. Sam and I are both thrilled, but despite the enthusiasm, there is a bit of tension…

The great name debate is on.

I would like to name him Aneto, after the highest peak in the Pyrenees Mountains (where the Great Pyrenees breed comes from, go figure) or Shadrach, a Babylonian name meaning “Command of Aku” (the Babylonian moon god).

He threw out suggestions like Viggo, Gunther, Brahman, and (the ever so creative) Max.

GUNTHER?

Well, the topic is still open to debate, so we will see. In the meantime, check out this super cute picture of the little guy.

This picture is from 2/10

This picture is from 2/14

Well, here goes nothing.

I have finally started a personal blog.  It is interesting to me, at least, that I have waited this long.  I am in charge of running a blog as well as other social marketing thingys at my work.  But then again, after working all day at Micky D’s, you don’t want a Big Mac for dinner.  So we’ll see.

A little about me then… I am 24, and I was recently married on June 30th, 2007.  My husband’s name is Sam (he’s the best).  We bought a house in October, 2007.  A brick bungalow built in 1951.  It had one owner, who was a bachelor, and though he kept the house in wonderful condition, nothing has been updated.  See that pink and sea-green bathroom in my header? Yep. All mine.

I am just finishing my BA in marketing, and I (thankfully) have a job in marketing which I love.  I work with some really creative people, which is always nice.

I also LOVE to read and play video games.  It takes up a very large amount of my time.  Which is time I am sure could be used more constructively, but never is.

My intention is to post about the some of the things I enjoy the most,  being a (new) wife, being a homemaker (though I do have a job, and I am a full time student, I still do a lot of “homemaking”), and being a new homeowner.  So a never ending list of posts on home improvement projects, crafting, cooking, and living will follow.

So if you are reading this, either

1. Your randomly came across this blog in it’s infancy
2. In the future I am writing something worth reading(at least well enough to have some readers), and you went back to see what I wrote about first.
3. You are my mom. (hi mom!)

Either way, welcome.  Leave me a comment.  I want to connect with people who have a passion for the same things I do.