Does your dog go through a ton of toys? Our pup loves to play and is a definitely a chewer! Mental and physical exercise is important to keep her happy. Here are some DIY dog toy ideas from our guest contributor, Greer Grenley, Rover.com community member.
7 DIY Dog Toys You Can Make
I don’t know about you, but I have a dog that loves to destroy every toy I buy him. He feels like it’s his job to shred it up and leave pieces all over the floor. Needless to say, I end up spending more money than preferred at the pet store buying replacements that he will just destroy again in a few minutes.
Thankfully, there’s other ways to keep your dog stimulated without spending your entire paycheck on him. Below are some examples of dog toys you can make yourself, from those at Rover.com. Rover is the nation’s largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.
A Water Bottle Filled With Dog Treats
My dog is a weirdo and likes playing with empty plastic water bottles, but it’s more fun to fill them with something, like coins, pebbles, or treats. Some dogs don’t like the shaking noise, so test it out and see how they do. If you fill the water bottle with something that is not edible, make sure you keep your eye on them–dog treats may be the way to go in this case. Be sure to remove the outside label and cap so that Fido doesn’t eat it. You can also wrap the water bottle in an old t-shirt or sock.
Muffin Pan and Tennis Balls
Dogs have a great sense of smell and also need mental stimulation, so why not make a toy that gives them stimulation by using their noses? Put a couple of dog treats inside the dents of a muffin pan and then place tennis balls on top of them. They’ll be able to smell the treats and will have to figure out how to move the tennis balls to get them. This should keep them busy for a while!
Bubbles
This one is super easy – blow bubbles in your yard and watch your dog go crazy. You can use kid-safe homemade bubble solution and then flavor it with beef or chicken stock. To make your own bubbles, all you need is ¼ cup of kitchen dish soap, ½ cup of water, 1 tsp of sugar, and a good portion of stock. However, my dog enjoys bubbles with or without flavoring. He doesn’t eat or digest the bubbles since he isn’t able to catch all of them, but he does enjoy popping the ones he can catch!
Rope
Pretty self-explanatory. The thicker the rope, the better, as thinner rope will tear easily. You can tie large knots in the rope so that it’s easy to toss, or you can leave as is and play tug-of-war (my dog’s personal favorite game.)
Tennis Ball Treat Puzzle
Cut a slash in a tennis ball, the size depending on the type of treat you want to put inside and how hard you want the dog to work at getting it out.
Frozen Dog Toys
When my dog was teething as a puppy, I gave him ice cubes to crunch on so that he wouldn’t chew up everything around the house. To this day he runs into the kitchen when he hears the freezer door opening, hoping an ice cube will drop. If you have a dog that likes biting on cold things, you can freeze a dog toy for him. You can also use rags, old t-shirts, and socks.
Cardboard Tube
My dog loves taking empty paper towel and toilet paper tubes out of the recycling and chewing them up. I find pieces of them all over the house, but there’s a better option for using the tube without it making such a mess. You can flatten and fold one end of the tube, pour some dog treats inside, and then flatten and fold the other end. For sturdiness, seal each end and then the whole tube with duct tape. My dog is an excess chewer and will eventually be able to rip the duct tape off, so just make sure you always have your eye on your dog and take the toy away when he’s started to rip it up.
These are just a few ideas, but they’ve all been successful. Feel free to get creative and see what else your dog might enjoy – sometimes even just a good ol’ fashioned tummy rub or cuddle session will do the trick. Enjoy!
More awesome posts about dogs:
- Totally Pawsome Personalized Book for Dog Loving Kids
- How to Make a Homemade Dog Toy
- When Is The Best Time To Get A Small Pet For Kids
Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.