geonni banner Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 These are new to me, but I got one today and it makes a great tug toy, and there are not seams to rip out! Sugarfoot loves it! Here's their website: http://www.acheerfulpet.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 They look like fun toys, but how do you find a price? J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Wow, these are *really* lovely (check out the animals, in particular!). I can attest to the durability of "boiled wool" (as opposed to conventional "stuffies"). I used to make "boiled wool" fish as cat toys to sell to raise money for good causes. (First you knit them - in the round, so there are few if any seams; then you felt them in a machine; then you stuff with catnip and sew or embroider some eyes).I think the one we kept for Purcy must be six years old by now. Duncan got hold of it several times when he was a puppy and didn't manage to destroy it, despite his best intentions. Don't know what these cost, and don't want to imply that they couldn't be destroyed by a determined dog, but I know I'd never make a living selling them. They took a lot of effort; wool is expensive; and even for the modest prices I was asking (pricing them to sell), I'd never be able to compete with the prices a Nepali woman would charge. I'm now sticking to felted mittens and slippers for friends and relatives. And Duncan has decided toys aren't as much fun as they were when he's a puppy, so his current inventory of stuffies and Wubbas will probably last him forever. (In fact we already culled a bunch of them recently as part of our war against clutter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Yup - boiled wool (which is actually just felted wool) has multiple layers of interlocking fibers which adds an incredible amount of strength to the toy. There is a simpler way to make them if you've got decent sewing skills. Go to a thrift store, find a couple XXL wool sweaters (or any size, you just get more bang for your buck with the largest size!), cut out your toy, sew it together and throw it in the washing machine with HOT water and high agitation. The felted wool toys I use with my dogs hold up really well to playtime. But I don't leave them lying around as my guys are big time chewers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretBC Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I discovered Woolie Dog earlier this year thanks to a Facebook friend. Here is the Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WoolieDog Secret destroys fleece tug toys in a few sessions, they just don't hold up to her tugging style -- This is all supervised play, using the tug as a reward in agility training. The Woolie Dog tug has really impressed me. It's held up beautifully through hours of rough play! Plus it's pretty gorgeous to look at (ours is pink!). If the Ringzee on the OP web site is the same Ringzee sold through Clean Run, I can vouch that it is equally as tough. Secret does love it, but I prefer a longer tug so that I don't have to worry about getting my hand latched on in an over-enthusiastic bite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Yup - boiled wool (which is actually just felted wool) has multiple layers of interlocking fibers which adds an incredible amount of strength to the toy. There is a simpler way to make them if you've got decent sewing skills. Go to a thrift store, find a couple XXL wool sweaters (or any size, you just get more bang for your buck with the largest size!), cut out your toy, sew it together and throw it in the washing machine with HOT water and high agitation. The felted wool toys I use with my dogs hold up really well to playtime. But I don't leave them lying around as my guys are big time chewers. Mara's right - I've seen some lovely objects made of "repurposed" sweaters. (I usually add a very small amount of laundry detergent when I felt things - but no fabric softener!). But - not every fabric will felt. Usually only high %, unbleached, animal fibers will (wool or alpaca or cashmere or...). If there's a small amount of synthetic mixed in, it won't felt, but it may still give an interesting appearance to the final object. "Superwash" wool WON'T felt. You can check the tags on an item in the thrift store (if they still have them), and if it says "machine washable warm", don't bother trying to felt it. Also, things shrink a lot when machine felted. (Just think of the time you accidentally threw your favorite sweater in the washer and it came out child-sized). So, make your objects bigger than you want their final size to be. Figure not everything will work out, so don't spend a lot on anything you purchase with the intent of felting it. Oh, and if you want to avoid expensive repairs to your washer - place the object to be felted inside a zipped pillow case. That will contain any fibers that may shed that would otherwise eventually trash your washer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maralynn Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 But - not every fabric will felt. Usually only high %, unbleached, animal fibers will (wool or alpaca or cashmere or...). If there's a small amount of synthetic mixed in, it won't felt, but it may still give an interesting appearance to the final object. "Superwash" wool WON'T felt. You can check the tags on an item in the thrift store (if they still have them), and if it says "machine washable warm", don't bother trying to felt it. Oops - yeah, this is pretty important! Good catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 In my case, though I have easy access to wool and could make my own felted dog toys, I would be very willing to support a good cause by buying toys already made by someone else, especially in cooperatives that empower women to be more or less financially independent. But if the website offering those toys makes it difficult to find out prices (that is, doesn't make it easy for the consumer to price and purchase items), it's unfortunate, because no doubt they'll lose sales. And that benefits no one. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alchemist Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 In my case, though I have easy access to wool and could make my own felted dog toys, I would be very willing to support a good cause by buying toys already made by someone else, especially in cooperatives that empower women to be more or less financially independent. But if the website offering those toys makes it difficult to find out prices (that is, doesn't make it easy for the consumer to price and purchase items), it's unfortunate, because no doubt they'll lose sales. And that benefits no one. J. I hear you. I'm sure they lose a lot of potential retail customers for that very reason. It does look as if they're planning on adding online ordering capability in the future. In the meanwhile, I Googled "A cheerful pet" and found some vendors who sell their products. Prices seem (to my mind) reasonable for 100% wool products (e.g., $8 for the frisbee thing; some toys are as little as $3, others go up to $20). Here's a link to one such online retailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 Ah, that explains my confusion. I didn't realize that the site itself wasn't a retail site.... J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I got mine at a local pet supplies shop called Pet Vet. This toy is 16" long and cost eleven dollars and change. It is a good cause, and there's just something so right about a wool toy for a Border Collie. Some of their toys are available on Amazon, and there's a good selection here: http://www.naturalpetwarehouse.com/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=wool+dog+toys&search_in_description=1&inc_subcat=1&x=10&y=4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushdoggie Posted December 7, 2011 Report Share Posted December 7, 2011 I have made a lot of stuff from recycled wool. You would be surprised at what kinds of wool you can find in a thrift store. But yes, the higher the % of wool the better it will felt, and the thicker and heavier the knit, the thicker and stronger the felt will be. I have felted 80%/20% wool/acrylic, and it felted some, but still was very drapey. I have felted cashmere knits and they came out soft and lovely, but very soft and drapey. I have feted a thick fisherman's sweater and it came out almost 1/4" thick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Clean Run also sells some wool toys, and I can vouch for their durability. I love the rings, and a friend found (in Calif, I believe) a 6' long "kelp" - bulb at one end with a little fringe, and a "handle" at the other end! Of course, wherever I'm holding it, is where my boy wants to grab..... Good stuff! diane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyTDogs Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I discovered Woolie Dog earlier this year thanks to a Facebook friend. Here is the Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/WoolieDog Secret destroys fleece tug toys in a few sessions, they just don't hold up to her tugging style -- This is all supervised play, using the tug as a reward in agility training. The Woolie Dog tug has really impressed me. It's held up beautifully through hours of rough play! Plus it's pretty gorgeous to look at (ours is pink!). HaHa- Woolie Dog is Mara's (Maralynn) shop...she posted right above yours & it is a link in her sig: Mara Kipp & Kenzi Missy, my good girl 1999-2011 K9 Knitter Woolie Dog I bought a Real Keen Leash that is made of wool & my dogs love it. They immediately thought it was a great new tuggy- not something they normally do with any regular leash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 In case anyone is interested in woven and felted wool leashes, here's the link to the Real Keen Leash Facebook page. Debbie takes custom orders too. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Moon Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Boy, I really need durable. Maybe it's the combination of his still young and sharp, two-year-old teeth and my inattention, but Cerb can go through a hunk of 11mm static climbing rope, the kind specifically designed to resist cutting and abrasion on extended expeditions, in about two minutes. Same with the toys made from fire hose. I learned early on that nylabones and those 10" rawhide cigars are the only things he can be trusted with for more than a few minutes...because they are expendable. We've adopted the "only for supervised tugging and play" strategy for almost all of his toys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 By the way, Debbie just posted photos of the newest leashes she has available on the Real Keen Facebook site. Check out the December leashes album. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretBC Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 HaHa- Woolie Dog is Mara's (Maralynn) shop...she posted right above yours & it is a link in her sig: Mara Kipp & Kenzi Missy, my good girl 1999-2011 K9 Knitter Woolie Dog lol I knew she was a member on this board, but I could never remember who it was. Suppose I should pay attention to signatures in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I love the rings, and a friend found (in Calif, I believe) a 6' long "kelp" - bulb at one end with a little fringe, and a "handle" at the other end! I have the double-bulbed kelp rope! It was only $20 and my dogs like it just fine. I thought for 100% wool, that was a very decent price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSnappy Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 I have more or less given up on finding toys that my dogs won't shred. It finally occurred to me (after many years of frustration) that if they are having *fun* shredding the toys I bring home ... that's the point of toys. To have fun with ;-) My idea of what kind of fun they should be having with their stuffies is clearly different from theirs, and who I am to tell them they can't shred their stuffies? So I just buy cheap stuffies now and let them shred away. My dogs don't ingest the pieces, and Piper has only two purposes in life: to make Mad Teeth at other dogs, and eviscerate squeaky toys. Who am I to tell her she can't do those thing? ;-) RDM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airbear Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 As Sheena knows, I immediately euthanize any dog that shreds a toy. The upside is that we've lost only three toys over 12 years, all from visitor dogs. The downside is that you end up with a hoarding situation such as this: Lou says he doesn't have a problem. He just likes his stuffies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretBC Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 Awwww, Luke used to have a collection like that! I think he ruined one stuffie as a puppy and was so traumatized that he treated them all like gold after that. Then Kaiser came along.... Anything that Kaiser managed not to destroy was killed when Secret arrived. Now we don't have toys in the house. At all. We have chew things like deer antlers & nylabones. The only thing that would classify as a "toy" that they have free access to are the scary Zygoflex toys by WestPaw Design. They have a Hurley that is almost a year old without a single tooth mark on it, and this weekend I'm having a friend bring me a couple of Bumi toys because I think they would make nice tuggies. But nope, no stuffies in our house anymore. I got sick of picking up guts every day. Exception -- My mom gets them toys for Christmas. I put up with picking up the guts & squeakers for a couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted December 8, 2011 Report Share Posted December 8, 2011 The puppy gets stuffies, but I have to be diligent about keeping them out of the teeth of the disembowelers, which isn't easy. To save myself trouble, I should just open the seam of any new toy, de-stuff and de-squeaker it, and then give it to the pack to play with. Cow hooves are a mainstay here. J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geonni banner Posted December 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 As Sheena knows, I immediately euthanize any dog that shreds a toy. The upside is that we've lost only three toys over 12 years, all from visitor dogs. The downside is that you end up with a hoarding situation such as this: Lou says he doesn't have a problem. He just likes his stuffies. These pictures are so FUN! I had to immediately pile Sugarfoot's toys all over her and take a picture too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyTDogs Posted December 9, 2011 Report Share Posted December 9, 2011 In case anyone is interested in woven and felted wool leashes, here's the link to the Real Keen Leash Facebook page. Debbie takes custom orders too. J. Duh, thanks Julie...I should've check my link before I left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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