4 upcycled DIY dog toys to keep your dog happy!
Bright, plastic dog toys fill the aisles of pet supply stores, ready for pet parents to bring home to their dogs. Unfortunately, the realities of these pup presents are often short-lived. After a few rounds of tug-of-war or catch, broken dog toys end up in the landfill as we head back to the dog store for more. This cycle of buy, play, break, repeat is unsustainable and can be awfully expensive — especially considering that sometimes our dogs are just as happy to play with an empty bottle as they are an expensive dog toy. You and your dog’s environmental impact can be lessened by making good choices on the products you purchase and opting to repurpose items around the house to create upcycled DIY dog supplies!
Save cash and the earth while not compromising dog’s happiness by creating the following creative and sustainable dog toys from home! As with any dog toy, be sure to discard them when they become too tattered!
1. Braided T-Shirt Knot
Clean out your closet by recycling old t-shirts that you have accumulated over the years while creating a fun pull toy for your dog! Cut a few different t-shirts into one-inch by two foot strips. Group them into three piles of around 15 scraps each (sort by color if you’d like!). After tying all strips into a knot on one end, braid them together and knot the end. This is the perfect dog toy to keep busy for you and your dog — the stretch of your old t-shirts makes this dog toy perfect for games of tug-of-war and fetch!
2. Wrapped-Up Water Bottle
Chewing is natural for dogs and chewing on the right toys can help keep a dog happy and healthy. Plastic water bottles can be convenient and mesmerizing for pups to carry and listen to! Although tossing an old water bottle to your dogs may seem harmless and an easy way to keep them occupied, the surface of a plastic bottle can be easily broken by your dogs’ teeth, allowing torn plastic or bottle caps to be dangerously ingested. A safe homemade bottle cruncher can be made by placing a water bottle in a thick sock and tying up its end. For those looking to avoid a mess with dog toys with no stuffing, a safely wrapped-up water bottle is the perfect dog toy for aggressive chewers. This easy DIY dog toy water bottle takes just minutes to make and can keep your dog busy for hours!
3. No-Sew Denim Knot
Old jeans serve as the perfect fabric for an indestructible dog toy for aggressive chewers or teething pups. All you need for this DIY is an old pair of jeans and scissors! Start by cutting off one leg from the jeans and cutting it into two strips. Lay the two on top of each other to form a cross and fold the vertical strip around the horizontal strip before passing the horizontal strip over and under the vertical strip. Pull to secure a knot and done! Get ready to play with your dog! (Repeat steps a few more times if you would like the denim knot to be larger).
4. Muffin Tin Puzzle
A simple muffin tin dog toy puzzle certainly proves that dog toys do not need to be complicated to make. All you need to set this game up is a muffin tin made for regular sized muffin, a tennis ball for each hole in the tin, and some of your pups favorite treats cut into small pieces. Just place a treat in each hole of the tin before placing a tennis ball on top of it. Set it up in front of your pup and watch as he is challenged to use his sight and smell or sniff for treats and attempt to find each treat. Easy to set up and play, this puzzle is perfect for food motivated dogs! Avoid store bought dog toy puzzles with this easy unbreakable dog toy that can be set up in just minutes.
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