Slimy, slimy rawhide

After soaking my small rawhide dog bone overnight I unwrapped and tacked the strips to plywood for drying. They need to be stretched better to avoid wrinkles; may soak again and squeeze under a heavy concrete block to see if that helps. In this first try the bone was too small and yielded small strips (but these can be used for mini Xmas ornament versions and for a doll I have not yet finished). But its good to try with a small version and work out the problems....

I have 2 more bones now soaking in a large storage tote...the smaller is 18" and the larger is close to 3 feet, so both will provide more work surface. I will need to get a larger board to tack down the strips (or possibly just use my outdoor deck). I did learn that the hide is slimy and made it difficult to firmly grip a nail...The instructions suggest having someone help with the stretching and this seems like good advice.

Fortunately my dog was able to help me tidy up any remaining bits. The hide was from Mexico so I hope it is safe to eat (heard Chines hides can make dogs ill). She seems to have a keen interest in this project!