You know the old adage that is discussed at this time of the year when children are having more fun with the cardboard box than with the new toy that came in it? Well, dogs are not so different.
A large number of dogs embrace their destructive side so much you may struggle to get an average toy to last longer than a few days!
With the added benefit of not following trends, brands or facing peer pressure over the toys they have, dogs are easy to entertain with things you have lying to waste in your own home.
So, why not save some cash and even put the kids to work… and make some toys yourself.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started, but maybe you can come up with some of your own!
OLD SOCKS
Old socks make the best dog toys, so if you have a dog… you’ll never dispose of an old sock again, well not until the dog has had many hours of fun anyway.
Get an old tennis ball, put it in the end of the sock (the longer the better), tie a knot to secure the ball in the end and you now have a fabulous throw, fetch, tug toy. In hot weather, soak in water and freeze for a bit of cooling summer fun.
Another variation of the sock toy is to put an empty water bottle in side, makes a great fun crunchy noise. Just make sure you remove the lid and plastic lid ring.
OLD SHIRTS
Old work shirts that have done their dash make strong rope type toys. Simply tear the shirt into strips, don’t use any parts that have buttons or fastenings on. Then tie 3 or more strips in a knot at one end and braid them together, tying another knot to finish at the other end. Improve on this simple rope style toy by cutting a hole in a tennis ball and threading it onto the braided rope before tying the end.
OLD DENIM
It can’t get any simpler than cutting the legs off an old pair of jeans and tying a few knots in the length! And it just might be the best toy your dog has ever had! Denim is soft and strong so makes a great tug toy. Or if that is just too simple for you, cut the denim into strips to braid into wonderful creative structures of your own making. You can also incorporate the trusty old tennis ball as in the shirt version.
MUFFIN TIN GAME
This game is for the smart dogs that aren’t so into the rope type games. Just grab an old muffin baking tray and as many tennis balls as you can muster…. to take the place of muffins. Now, you are going to teach your dog the game by putting a treat under EVERY ball in the muffin tray to start with. Once your dog has got the idea, the aim is to slowly reduce the number of treats so that ultimately they are searching for a single treat amongst all the balls. Put that Border Collie to work!
DIY TREAT JAR
You can make your own treat jar easily. Simply get yourself a plastic jar with a plastic screw on lid. Something big enough to fit a couple of toilet rolls in. Decide what sort of treat (their usual dry food is ideal) you will use so you can cut a couple of holes in the jar that are big enough let the kibble pass through. Then, put a couple of toilet rolls in the jar along with a handful of treats…and watch your dog kill hours pushing the jar around to get the treats to fall out. If you need to make it easier, make the holes bigger. Might not suit dogs that will just try to tear the jar to pieces!
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