If you follow me on social media, then you probably know ho much I love my little fur-baby. Bitly is my best friend and constant companion. When it comes to treats and toys for “my baby” I like to make my own… that way I know exactly whats it them and what they’re made of. I love making Bitly her own toys and today I’ve got an easy, no-sew, scrap fabric DIY dog toy to share with ya’ll
Bitly is definitely in love with this quick and easy toy I whipped up for her. All you need to make one of your own is some strips of scrap fabric!
Take 8 to 12 strips of fabric, about 20 inches long. Lay them on top of each other.
Tie a knot about 2 inches from the end. Tie a second knot 2 inches from the first. Tie a 3rd knot 2 inches from the middle one.
Trim the ends 2 inches from the knot. Pull the fabrics apart and “fluff” the ends.
Isn’t this dog toy cute? And its so simple! The best part is you can tuck little treats in between the knots too! Bitly loves tossing her new dog toy around and trying to dig out her treats 🙂
Have you heard the story of how we ended up with this adorable ball of fur? I wrote about it here. The lady that gave us the 1.5 pound ball of fluff that swiftly stole our hearts, said she was a Rat Terrier. Some days I wonder if thats entirely accurate. I’ve thought about having a DNA text done on Bitly to see exactly what her ancestry is and to know if there are any genetic issues I need to be prepared for in the future.
I was so excited when I was asked to share about the upcoming Wisdom Panel 3.0 Events happening in Texas, I jumped at the chance!
Q: What is WISDOM PANEL® 3.0?
A: Wisdom Panel® 3.0 is the next evolution of the canine DNA test from industry leader,Mars Veterinary, which features the potentially life-saving Multi-Drug Resistance 1 (MDR1) genetic mutation screening.
Q: How does the DNA test work?
A: Testing your dog with Wisdom Panel® 3.0 begins when you use the cheek swabs to collect aDNA sample from inside your dog’s cheek, and then send the swabs into the laboratory. Once yoursample is received at the lab it is scanned into the Wisdom Panel database and assigned to a batch for testing. The swabs then undergo processing to extract the DNA from your dog’s cells which are then examined for the 321 markers used in the test. The results of these markers are sent to acomputer that evaluates them using a proprietary algorithm designed to consider all of the possible pedigree trees in the last three generations. These trees include a simple pedigree with a single breed (a likely pure-bred dog) all the way up toa complex tree with eight different great-grandparent breeds. The algorithm uses information fromthe extensive Wisdom Panel breed database (more than 10,000 samples!) to fill out these potential pedigrees. For each of the millions of combinations of ancestry trees built and considered, the computergives each a score representing how well that selected combination of breeds matched to your dog’s data. The pedigree with the overall best score is selected and provided to you in your dog’sindividualized report. Reports take approximately 2-3 weeks from the time a sample is received for analysis tobe completed.
Q: Why is it important to understand the genetic makeup of my dog?
A: With millions of mixed-breed dog owners in the U.S., having access to reliable breed ancestry information can be critical for the nutrition, training and overall healthcare of their furry family member. Understanding the breeds that make up their dog enables much more targeted care andin some cases provides lifesaving information
The Wisdom Panel will be at the following events to share more information about Wisdom Panel® 3.0 and educate on the benefits of Canine DNA testing:
August 1-2: Amazing Pet Expo in Austin, TX – swabbing
TBD October: Mars Pet Adoption Fair in Franklin, TN – swabbing
TBD December: Amazing Pet Expo Holiday in Los Angeles, CA – swabbing
If you can make it to one of the local events, You can get your dog swabbed for just $39.99. I’ll be getting my pup tested and I can’t wait to find out the results.
To learn more about the upcoming Wisdom Panels and Mars Veterinary, be sure to check them out on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!
This post has been Sponsored by Mars Veterinary Wisdom Panel 3.0. All opinions are my own.
That’s a cute toy – very colorful and cheerful. And interesting information on the DNA panel. I never would have even thought you could do that!
Cute idea!
Love that toy! My guys have been having some chewing issues as of late and I have such a hard time with store bought toys (they are perfect swallow size for my big boy) and I love that this one can really be made to any size you need by changing the amount of fabric. I also love that it has no stuffing.
You’re definitely right about the importance of know what your dog is. Especially for health and nutrition purposes. My biggest boy is an English mastiff, they don’t do well on a chicken based diet (basically, most dog foods) and my smaller is Olde English Bulldog/Boxer/German Shepherd, so basically he’s just a goofy mess and we don’t know what we’ve gotten ourselves into lol.
Those toys are a great idea! Now I have something to do with all of my scrap fabric!
Thats adorable!!!! My dog LOVES stuff like this! And i am always looking for cute ways to use my scraps! Can’t wait to make it!
What a great idea to use up fabric scraps. I have a whole jar full.
I love your post. My mom had a 9 month old German Shepard and she’s looking for ways to keep him entertained. I’m sharing your post with her!
Now I know what to do with some of my scrap material. Thanks Jennifer!
I never thought of making my puppy her own toys, what a great idea!! Especially cause I can just use all the leftover scrap fabric I have. I totally wanna get my pup’s DNA tested. I got her as an 8 week old puppy from a rescue. They had her listed as a boarder collie but there’s no way to be sure. The vet said she looks like & acts like a boarder collie so she’s probably a collie but I wanna know for sure! Thanks for sharing.
You can totally thread a tennis ball on there, too (although cutting holes in tennis balls is awkward, to say the least). 🙂
I never considered DNA testing….although Bitsy’s size and body shape make me think she’s got some Rat Terrier and something else in there. Hmmm……
Its the something else that I am wondering about too! I recently ran into a guy with his dog that could have been Bit’s twin… and he said his dog was ALL Chihuahua… now I am REALLY wondering
We rescued a deaf dog that had its first seizure at seven months. Epilepsy. We honestly hoped for poisoning so it wouldn’t happen again. We spent a lot of time (years) learning about breeders who have our specific breed of working dog, drove 15 hours to get our puppy, and she has epilepsy. After two dogs with epilepsy, we will always DNA test for disease in the the future.
Great toy idea! We have several dogs and I spend a fortune at PetSmart! Thanks!
Such a cute dog, I totally want to make this toy for my sister’s dog!
I want to make one of these for Pearl. So cute
Our youngest dog would love this toy! Your pup is so cute, too!
This toy looks so easy that I even think I could make one, lol! 😉 And how cool about the genetic testing! I hope they bring something like that here in West Virginia. My dog is supposedly a full bred Papillon, but he seems so big for one. I suspect there is some other breed in there too. 🙂
Great idea, I have so many fabric scraps. I wonder what mix my Princess really is (we got her from a shelter).
We’re always guessing what Dexter’s DNA is comprised of, but have never taken the leap to the test. Great info.
I don’t have pets, but my mom does! I’m definitely going to show this to her!
I love that you can create a fun dog toy with something you have on hand instead of always having to buy it. Cute idea! Thank you for sharing at Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party, I am pinning this.
This is a great DIY. I know a puppy who would love it.