Homemade dog toys
You don’t always have to spend on toys to keep your dog happy. Consider the following creative homemade alternatives…
These days, it seems there are as many toys on the market for man’s best friend as there are for children! If you can think of a dog accessory or toy, it’s out there, and sometimes at a whopping price tag. If your dog loves to destroy all new toys within a week the cost of keeping your dog entertained can quickly build.
So, what if could make your own dog toys quickly, easily and without spending up large? We’re pretty sure most pooches don’t know the difference between fancy new toys and those that are homemade – all you have to do is make sure they enjoy playing with your creations!
As a quick side-note: although some of the toys below use socks and jeans, it’s best not to use ones that have been worn already. You don’t want to associate your scent with something the dog is allowed to chew, unless you’re happy to have ravaged clothing and shoes moving forward! Socks can be picked up very cheaply, as can jeans from a local second-hand store. If you do use your own clothing, try soaking it in something that will eliminate any smells.
Now to the toys…
Sock n’ Ball
You’ll need… 1 sock & 1 tennis ball.
Pretty simple – pop the ball right down inside the sock and then tie a knot just above the ball. Probably the cheapest, easiest, and handiest DIY pet toy you can make!
Snack Sock
You’ll need… 2 socks & some dog treats.
Pop the treats inside one sock and then ball it up (the same way you do when you put socks away). Then pop it inside another sock and tie a knot in the sock to seal it. Your dog will love trying to get them out.
Ball on a Rope
You’ll need… a piece of rope and a tennis ball.
Drill or cut a hole in each side of the ball. Pop your rope through it and tie knots either side of the ball to keep it in place. Tie knots at the ends of the rope for extra grip & to reduced fraying. You now have a great tug-of-war toy that is just as good for fetch and general chewing!
Kitchen-Towel Rope
You’ll need… an old kitchen towel.
Take your old kitchen towels and put them to good use… finally! Cut two lines along the length of a towel, equidistant from each other (as if you were cutting it into 3 strips) and stop cutting about an inch from the top. Then braid or plat the towel as you would hair. Know the loose ends and you have a great, strong rope toy!
Have big dogs? For an even tougher toy braid three complete kitchen towels together and tie the ends (or sew them). As an alternative, old jeans can be used to make an ever hardier chew rope.
The Empty Cereal Box
You’ll need… an empty cereal box and some dog treats.
Make use of those cereal boxes before you throw them away… Pop your dog treats inside the old box and tape it up. You can also try cutting some small holes in It and smearing some peanut butter inside the box – they’ll love trying to get their tongues through the holes and get it all out! This version can be a bit messy however – especially if they start ripping the cardboard, so make sure you give them this in an easy-to-clean area.
Filled Tennis Ball
You’ll need… an old tennis ball and some dog treats.
Similar to the cereal box above – cut a slit into the side of the tennis ball (so it looks a little bit like Pac Man when you squeeze it open) and stuff some treats inside. Fido will love trying to get them out!
Big Knotted Ball
You’ll need… a long strip of fabric.
Tie a knot in the centre of the material, then tie a knot around that one – rinse & repeat until you have one giant knot. The size if your knot will depend on how big the piece of fabric you started with was. Cut off the excess from the ends to prevent excess fraying and give it to your pooch for hours of chewing fun.
Here’s an option for warmer days – soak the knot in beef or chicken stock and pop it in the freezer. Voila – tasty icy treat!
‘Empty’ Milk Container
You’ll need… a plastic milk bottle and some dog treats that just fit inside
Take off the bottle top and throw it away. Squeeze some treats inside and then give it to your pooch. They will bite and scratch and throw around that bottle until the last treat has fallen out, which could take all afternoon!
Hose Hoops
You’ll need… some old garden hosing and a small stick.
The hardest part of this one is just finding the right size stick… Take a section of hose and squeeze an approximately 8cm long stick in one end – it must fit snugly. Bend the hose around and pop the open end over the other end of the stick. You now have a great throwing hoop!
Cracklin’ Sock
You’ll need.. an empty plastic bottle and a sock.
Safety first – take the cap off your old bottle and throw it away, it’s a choking hazard. Squeeze all of the air out and pop it inside an old sock and tie a know at the end to keep it in place. The sound of the crackling plastic will be something your canine will go nuts for if they like noisy toys!
Cardboard Tube
You’ll need… a cardboard tube (like that from a paper towel roll), some dog treats that will fit inside and some duct tape.
Flatten an end of the tube a seal it with duct tape. Pop some of Fido’s favourite treats inside. Flatten the other end and seal it up. Wrap the entire tube in duct tape for added strength & durability. Your dog will LOVE the rattling sound and try to get the treats out for as long as it takes!
So there you have some ideas for great DIY dog toys. Do you have any great ideas for cheap dog toys? Let us know over on our Facebook page – we love creativity!
