How to Make a No-Sew, Square Knot Dog Tug Toy

Last Christmas my sister bought my fur-babies a square-knot tug toy made of fleece (Thanks, Sissa!). My first thought, of course, was "I could DIY that dog toy." So, when it was time to retire that toy, it was a sad day...

One of my favorite things about this tug toy is that even after they tore it in half, it didn't completely fall apart because of how it's knotted. We would just tie off the end and keep going. Works MUCH better than a braid! And I loved the square-knot shape.

I decided I would make a replacement.

I mean, how hard could it be? I was pretty sure I didn't even need a tutorial for this one. I didn’t even need to sew. I had some leftover fleece, so I cut a few strips, made a knot and started tying the strands into place. This is the colorful and perfectly good toy I ended up with.

It is a great toy. Really. The dogs love it and play with it just like they did the original. But it isn't a square-knot. I wanted square. So, I read some tutorials and tried again. And again.

The old adage comes to mind that says the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again, expecting different results. *sigh*

At this point, I was ready for a white coat and some padded walls. It was time to reverse engineer to the original toy. (Yes, in hindsight I could've started with this.) Almost immediately I found the problem. I was crossing the strips to the wrong side.  Once I figured that out, it was smooth sailing!

First, let's talk about the right way to make this no-sew square knot toy, then check out my lessons learned at the end.

(Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy something. I only recommend things I use and love—and my pups and I sincerely thank you for supporting the blog because we love sharing it! 🐾)

You'll need:

• Fleece fabric, or other slightly stretchy material like t-shirt/jersey knit fabric (a half yard will be more than enough to make one - but who can make only one?!)

• Scissors, or rotary cutter (or upgrade to my favorite fabric scissors or safety rotary cutter)

• Fabric ruler or another way to measure the fabric

  • And as a bonus, anytime I’m talking about a fabric ruler, I have to remind you that making sure the ruler doesn’t slip is critical - so I LOVE these nonslip grips.)

• Optional: Sewing cutting board if using a rotary cutter (or upgrade to this favorite of mine)

Here's how:

1. Cut 4 lengths of fleece fabric. About 2" wide and 45" long is ideal for a medium-sized dog.

2. Tie a regular overhand knot at one end, leaving a few inches of fabric as a tail. Pull the knot tight.

3. Tie your square knots:

   • Open your 4 strips into a plus sign shape.

   • Fold the top strip towards the bottom, a little to one side, always the same side as you progress.

   • Fold the bottom strip towards the top, a little to the other side, always the same side as you progress.

   • Fold the right strip towards the left. Pass over the first strip, then under the second.

   • Fold the left strip toward the right. Pass over the first strip, then under the second.

   • Pull all of the strips nice and tight.

4. When you've got about 5 inches left, tie off the end with another overhand knot and pull tightly.

5. Trim off tails to make them even.

6. Split each of the tails in two to make the ends a little more festive.

7. Smile a knowing smile that you are a dog-toy making genius.

LESSON LEARNED: The key to the square-knot being square, is that each piece of fabric always folds back on itself. If you were to trace any one of the strips of fabric, it would follow this path, never crossing over to the other side of the square.

LESSON LEARNED: If you have a bigger dog, pull each knot tight. When I made the first one, I intentionally eased up a bit on pulling the knots tight because I thought they were too tight. The first time Calli gave it a tug, there were huge gaps of space in-between the knots. It still works as a toy and if you have a small or older dog, it might be perfect. But if you're planning to play tug-o-war with a bigger pup, make those knots tight. 

LESSON LEARNED: Fleece is washable. Okay, I already knew this one. And now you do. When it gets nasty and slobbery because it's their favorite tug toy, just toss it in the washer and give it a refresh.