Directions on Making Fleece Pom-Pom Dog Toys

Give your dog a pom-pom toy to prevent boredom.

Dog toys provide a way to keep your dog busy during the day while you're gone and help to prevent destructive behaviors, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. These toys engage both your dog's mind and its body. Use toys to bond with your dog through interactive games such as fetch. To create toys for your dog, use scraps of fleece to make soft, fluffy pom-pom toys appropriate for your dog's size. Customize the colors of the fabric you choose and make as many of these as you wish.

Things You'll Need

• Fleece fabric
• Scissors
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Needle
• Thread
• Yarn

Instructions

1. Cut three rectangles of fleece fabric to 3 inches by 6 inches.

2. Place the fleece rectangles evenly on top of each other and pin them together along the 6-inch sides.

3. Sew down the center of the 3-inch width of the rectangles and vertically along the 6-inch length with a straight stitch. Go forward, then backward, and forward again over the beginning and end of the stitches to reinforce them, a process known as back tacking.

4. Cut the fabric from the edge to the center stitching line about every one-quarter inch along the length of each side to create fringe.

5. Roll the fabric vertically along the length. Tie it up in a roll with a piece of yarn lined up with the center stitch line. Cut away the excess yarn around the knot in the center.

6. Reinforce the yarn knot with a few hand stitches through the middle of the fabric to keep it together through rough dog play.

7. Fluff out the fringes by pulling them down and out toward the center of the pom-pom to form a round ball of fluffy fringe.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the toy interactive by tying the yarn and snipping away one side of the knot, while leaving the other end long to pull the pom-pom along the ground for your dog to chase.

• Increase or decrease the dimensions of the fleece fabric, depending on the size of your dog.

• If you don't have a sewing machine, stitch down the middle of the fabrics by hand or use fabric glue to connect them.

• Don't let your dog play with fleece pom-pom toys if it tends to ingest non-food items such as fabric.

References

• American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Enriching Your Dog's Life