paw thing

I know; you're thinking, "Okaaayy...". Or, "Hm, the latest Bikbik & Roro creation for... um... babies?" Or maybe even, "Back-scratcher?" Well yeah, it could be I suppose, but it's really my attempt at making a dog toy -- an economical one that's also hardy and enjoyable (by the dog, silly).

I'd been observing Kip's play habits for years, and taking note of her preferences when it comes to playing -- both with her own toys, and things which are perhaps most concisely defined as, well, trash. I would say she really prefers the latter category of items, which seem to be far more attractive to her in terms of texture, sound and maybe even looks. Those expensive Kong things can't hold a candle to crumpled balls of paper, flyaway bits of stuffing, or even some clumsy careless dodo's person's eraser.

After finding her yet again hiding under the bed for chewing some plastic packaging she found in the bin -- while her fancy dog toys lay untouched just a few feet away -- I decided to try devising something of my own for her. That red thing above is it.

For want of a better name, I've taken to calling it what the kids do -- "Kip's paw thing". It's made of a durable canvas, but the fun part is inside -- all the crap Kip's ever enjoyed chewing (well, minus cat kibble and dubious dingy-coloured things) -- all encased in another canvas tube for safety. So the thing has different sounds and textures all along its length, made from such items as crumpled paper, fibrefill and, yes, erasers. I included a bell too because I noticed that she was attracted to tinkly noises, and made it just the right size and floppiness for her to carry around if she wanted. The one end of the paw is pointy-tassley because I've also noticed she likes things with little pokey bits sticking out.

I used some leftover red canvas, but am thinking that when I do make more for the friends who asked, I shall use blue, yellow or grey (dogs see the world in these colours). Of course, the real test came when I finally presented the paw to Kip; these are just a few of the pictures I took over the past couple of weeks!

Success!

All through the day...

And into the night, under the bed...

Wonderful for tug-of-war...

Or entertainment on muggy afternoons...

Or maybe even just as a friend.

I'm happy to report that Kip's paw thing is still intact and un-destroyed despite the daily assaults of biting and slobbering -- way better than rawhide! What crap does your dog like chewing on? Turn it into a safe toy for Fido and maybe he'll stay out of the dustbin for awhile :)