DIY toys are a great way to keep things fun and exciting for your dog – and are easy on your wallet, too. When you make your own pet toys you are also doing good for both your dog and the planet. My dog’s love when I stuff toilet paper rolls with their food and/or some treats.  I close the ends and they get to shred them to get the food out.  Check out these boredom-busting DIY toys, puzzles, and more!

**As is the case with any toy, think of your pup’s safety first. Supervise your dog when they’re playing with all toys and regularly inspect them for damage.

What’s below:

  1. Hide & Seek Muffin Tin
  2. Rope Ball Surprise
  3. T-Shirt-Wrapped Water Bottle
  4. Tennis Ball Puzzle Toy
  5. Cereal Box Dog Puzzle
  6. T-Shirt Tuggable Toy
  7. Tennis Ball & T-Shirt Fetch Toy
  8. Dog Toy Fishing Pole
  9. Tennis Ball Foxtail

 

1.) Hide & Seek Muffin Tin Treat Game

Hide treats underneath tennis balls and let your pup sniff them out! Similar to a snuffle mat, this DIY enrichment toy will stimulate your dog’s brain while encouraging their natural foraging skills.

How It Works:

  1. Find muffin tin
  2. Find tennis balls
  3. Hide treats underneath
2.) Stuff Treats Inside This Rope Ball Surprise Toy

Hiding treats can be fun and enriching for both you and your pup. Tie some spare rope into a monkey’s fist, but before you finish, slip in some dry food or a dog treat! This toy is an elevated brain game toy.

How It Works:

  1. Tie a monkey’s fist(this might take some practice)
  2. Slip a treat inside
  3. Let your dog have fun!
3.) DIY T-Shirt-Wrapped Water Bottle

It’s the perfect chew toy for a pup that likes crinkle sounds. (Let’s hope you like them too!)

How It Works:

  1. Find empty water bottle
  2. Find old t-shirt
  3. Cut strips of fabric
  4. Wrap the bottle in the t-shirt and tie with strips
  5. Let your dog chomp away!
4.) Test Their Wits With This Tennis Ball Treat Puzzle

Make a cut along the seam, stuff with your dog’s favorite treats or dry kibble, and voila! (Best part? The felt on the tennis ball keeps the rubber from tearing.) This tennis ball food puzzle is a highly interactive toy, perfect for stimulating smart dog brains. As a bonus for any dog parent, this is one of our dog enrichment ideas that is fairly quiet.

How It Works:

  1. Find tennis ball
  2. Make incision along the seam
  3. Stuff with kibble
  4. You REALLY need to supervise this one! Make sure your dog doesn’t eat the tennis ball.

 

5.) Hide Treats Inside A Cereal Box, Then Tape It Shut

(Destruction intended.) Toss some dog food or treats inside an empty box, tape it shut, and watch your pup tear it to shreds.  They’ll love this one, just stash some of their kibble and/or treats inside and watch them go!

How It Works:

  1. Find empty cereal box
  2. Hide treats inside
  3. Tape it shut
6.) Turn Old T-Shirts Into A Tuggable Toy

Just grab two t-shirts and some scissors, and you can quickly fashion this t-shirt dog toy! Great for determined chewers!

How It Works:

  1. Cut strips
  2. Braid together
  3. Bring on the tug-of-war
7.) DIY Tennis Ball & T-Shirt

Fashion this swingable, tuggable, tossable t-shirt and tennis ball combo for the pup who loves to fetch, with the old shirt on its last legs.

How It Works:

  1. Cut fabric into wide strips
  2. Wrap tennis ball inside
  3. Tie with t-shirt strips
8.) Dog Toy Fishing Pole

Tie one of your dog’s favorite toys to the end of a PVC pipe and go fishin’! This interactive dog toy keeps everyone entertained!

How It Works:

  1. Attach dog toy to rope
  2. Thread rope through pipe & wrap around/tie a knot on the opposite end
  3. Pretend your dog is a cat
9.) DIY Tennis Ball Foxtail

Stitch the foxtail to the seam of a tennis ball and go wild! For even more fun, drop a tennis ball in an old tube sock and tie a knot!

How It Works:

  • Cut a 30 x 9 piece of fabric that tapers down to 2 inches
  • Fold and sew a cone
  • Stitch tennis ball inside with needle and thread
  • Toss that baby across the yard

 

 

#DIYpettoys, #dogtoys, #petoyideas, #homemadedogtoys, #dogenrichment, #keepdogsbusy, #boredombusters, #toys, #toylife, #doglife, #boreddog