There are so many abandoned animals out in the world. I was just watching the news, which reported someone had left their pit-bull tied to a tree with a note, stating that he is in need of a new home. The worst of the story is that it is currently below freezing temperatures outside. My heart broke hearing that story. I am a dog lover! I love all animals, but doggies just tug at my heart. We currently have two in our family. Both rescue dogs. Jasper was our first rescue, well “Santa brought him for our son” but I am sure Santa got him from a rescue shelter. And Perro is our second rescue baby. His story touches me the most.
The shelter found Perro when he was 3 months old, wandering the streets of Chicago, during the cold winter. When we met him, all he did was lay, curled up in a bawl, shuttering and whinning non-stop, because he was so afraid. He was all skin and bones and covered with dandruff. I asked an employee if their was a certain type of soap to purchase for the dandruff and the employee told me, “The dandruff is probably from the stress he has been through.” He suggested I waited a few days and if it did not subside, then there where shampoos made specifically to help cure the dandruff.
We brought the tiny puppy home that very day. First thing we did was give him a good meal, but he was too scared to eat. After waiting a while and not even a nibble, it was bath time. Fortunately the dandruff did clear up after a couple of days, but it was weeks before Perro even started to walk around the house. You see the way we first saw him, bawled up, whining and shuttering from fear, that’s how he would lay 24/7. Most of the time we had to pick him up to take him outside to do his duty, we even had to pick him up to take him to his bowl to eat. It took him a couple of days for him to actually start eating and we couldn’t be near him or he would run and hide.
I can’t even begin to imagine what he went through to get so scared, to be so traumatized. Just thinking about it, brings tears to my eyes and starts to break my heart. He has definitely got some meet on his bones and goes outside in the backyard no problem. He follows me around the house all day and lays next to me as I work. Yes, he has come along way but he is still very cautious at times. He is scared to leave the house and if we attempt to take him out the front door, he will fight the whole way there. He has found a great home and never wants to leave.
Perro is just 1 of the millions of abandoned/homeless animals out there. Not every body has the ability to rescue an animal. And not everyone has the ability to donate food or money to a rescue center, but most of us can put a smile on a dog by donating home-made dog toys. All you need is some old clothes or sheets. If it is stained or ripped and your are about to throw it out, take a second to consider making a home-made dog toy out of it. I was going through my linen closet and had 6-7 sheets that were old and ripped. And as I was throwing them out, I thought “I am sure there is something better I can do with these, than throwing them in the trash just to sit in a landfill.”
Then I remembered how my daughter had made dog toys with a school club. And so with the help of my two daughters and the recruitment of a couple of their friends. We made a whole pile of dog toys. This project took about 3-4 hrs. But let me tell you, the happiness we felt from seeing the doggies at the rescue center made it totally worth it. We even got to hold one of the puppies for a bit. The employees were so thankful. They couldn’t believe how many we had made. I would say this act of kindness was definitely Wellness for The Soul!
Here is how simple it is to make the dog toys.
You start by taking your old linen and cutting it up into strips. Our strips were long and short. You just want them to be at least longer than 18 inches I would say. The longer the strips, the longer the toy. If you have any loose strings, be sure to pull/cut them off.
The next step is taking at least 3 strips and tying a knot on one end. You can use 3, 6 or 9 strips or more. The more strips you use the thicker your toy will be.
Once you have tied a knot at on end you braid the strips all the way down, and finish with another knot. The toy can be finished there or you can add to it. I took three of my ropes and tied them together, for a couple of the toys. And for another I tied a big knot ball in the middle. That is it, you have a home-made dog toy.
Now just repeat until you have used up all your strips of fabric. Then sit back and admire your hard work!
See how easy it is to make these DIY dog toys. You can make them for your furry friend or make a bunch for the doggies at your nearest animal shelter!
I hope you take a moment to make and donate some home-made dog toys to some very unlucky doggies Not only will the doggies appreciate it but it will also bring some Happiness and Wellness to your Soul!
With Love,
Melissa
P.S. Want to hear some more ways to bring Wellness to your Mind, Body & Soul then be sure to Join the Boss Chíc Journey!
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