Translated by Nick R
If you like crafts and want to make something cute for your doggy friend, keep reading. Here I’ll show you how you can easily create different toys that your dog will love.
Table of Contents
Why is it important for your dog to play?
Playing is essential for your dog to enjoy a healthy life, both physically and mentally. Remember that canines are very social and play and exercise will help them create closer emotional bonds with the family and also help them calm down and avoid the stress and anxiety that can generate a monotonous life.
Taking a walk with your dog daily brings multiple benefits, and you ought to distribute your time well so as to be able to play with your pet every day and reinforce your bond.
And, of course, your canine should have at his disposal different toys that will help to prevent him from chewing and tearing up the house.
DIY – Homemade toys for dogs
Braided rope
All you need for this toy is some fabric or old clothes that you can cut into strips. Cut out strips of the same size (the size you want depending on how big you want the toy to be).
Once you have several ready, just group them in threes and braid them tightly. You can ask someone to help you to hold one end of the fabric strips so you can braid them better.
After you have several braids you can take them again and braid them with the others you have already made; this way it will be very thick and your pet won’t tear it easily. Finally, you can use other strips of the same fabric to tie the ends tightly so that the braid doesn’t fall apart.
And that’s it, your dog will love this chew toy!
Note: you can make it as wide as you want and with different colors of fabric for a unique design.
Rope with ball
For this one, you need to make the previous toy first.
Then you can get a tennis ball, and cut 2 holes with a scalpel or a knife at both ends big enough for you to insert the ball through the rope.
Bring the ball almost to the end of the rope and tie a big and very tight knot and the same on the other end of the ball to keep it in place. In the end, you will have a rope and the ball at one end.
Note: you can cover the ball with braided fabric (as I explained in the first toy) if you wish.
You can play with your dog by holding the end that doesn’t have the ball so he can pull, or if you have 2 dogs they will have fun pulling on each end.
Ball with a treat
For this one, you also need a tennis ball, and you’ll cut a half circle on one side of it (it shouldn’t be too big).
You should be able to put treats in this hole, such as cookies or some snacks that your dog likes.
Then you cover it a little (since you only cut out half a circle leaving a kind of lid with the same ball) so that the treats don’t come out so easily and your dog has to make an effort to get them out.
This can replace the famous “kong” toy and it only takes a few minutes of your day to make it.
This toy will help if your dog suffers from stress or separation anxiety, because you’ll leave him with the toy full of treats, and he’ll have fun taking them out for a long time. He won’t even notice you’re gone!
Likewise, if your dog chews and destroys everything, this toy will help him concentrate all his energy on the trapped treats and not on your cushions.
Cloth doll
Some dogs like to play with dolls or stuffed animals, so if this is your dog’s case, you can use a sock, glove or rag that you don’t use to create a new toy.
Stuff the sock or glove with rags or foam until it’s well puffed and then you must sew the part where you inserted the stuffing, either by machine or with a needle.
Alternatively, if you have fabric, you can mold it into the shape of a dog or a teddy bear. So, how to do it?
Cut out two pieces of fabric in the shape you have chosen and sew the ends together on the inside so the seams are not visible. Leave a small opening to flip the material right side out, and after flipping it over, fill it with pieces of cloth or foam.
Finally, close the part you left with an invisible stitch and that’s it, your dog has a stuffed animal.
Hoop
Maybe you have a hoop or ula ula you don’t use at home, let me tell you that it can be very helpful to entertain your dog and teach him a new trick that will impress your friends and family.
I’m sure you’ve seen trained dogs jumping through the hoop and you’ve wanted yours to learn, but you just think it’s hard. Well, in fact, it’s quite the opposite, teaching them different tricks at home is not difficult and can be a great pastime for both of you.
To teach this trick you just have to:
- Get some reward for your dog, like a snack, since positive reinforcement is the best way to train them.
- Then hold the hoop with one hand and with the other one show the snack to your dog. He will follow your hand and you can lead him through the hoop that has to be stuck to the floor.
- As he goes through the hoop you can say some commands like “jump” and give him the treat.
- Little by little, you will take the hoop off the floor until you reach a comfortable height for your dog to jump easily.
- That’s it! That’s how a hoop that you had forgotten about can become one of your pet’s favorite toys.
Plastic bottle
Dogs love bottles! Sometimes when I leave a small bottle of water or soda at home my little dog goes crazy; she loves to play with them.
So, if you may have had a drink in a plastic bottle, this is a good way to keep reusing it.
You can just give it to your dog without anything else or you can fill it with snacks inside so your dog can entertain himself by pulling out his treats.
And to make it easier and more rewarding for your furry one, you can make some holes in the bottle to give him more chances of getting the treats inside.
And that’s it.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on toys! You can have fun with your pet in the simplest way, try to create one of these toys and you’ll see that your dog will be very happy.
