8 DIY Dog Toys Ideas
By Shreya Tragad
Some dog toys are not cheap to buy, especially if you have to go often to replace damaged toys, but don’t worry, there are many different DIY dog toys you can create by yourself at home! Remember to choose the right type of dog toys suitable for your puppy in specific. You do not have to be the craftiest person out there, these are very easy to make, you just have to take out a little bit of time for your furry friend!
Here are 8 different DIY dog toys you can create at home…
- Braided T-Shirt Dog Toy
This is an easy and fun DIY dog toy idea that is great for playing fetch or tug with your little one! All you need is a couple of t-shirts that you don’t use anymore and some scissors.
You need to start by cutting small 2-3 inches wide slits at the bottom of your shirt, then simply rip along the slits and you will create perfect little strips of fabric. Then, gather your t-shirt strips and tie off one end and divide your strips into thirds and just braid them together. Once you have braided your pieces, tie the bottom with any extra piece of t-shirt strips!
This is something simple to create and also does you a favour of getting rid of t-shirts that you do not need.
- Edible Filled Apple Dog Toy
This DIY dog toy is completely edible, healthy and your dog is going to have so much fun with it. All you need is a small organic granny smith apple, as they have the least amount of sugar, then you need organic peanut butter for the filling in the middle. Make sure you fully wash your apple and remove any stickers so that it is fully edible for your dog. All you need to do is create a hole in the middle and stuff it with peanut butter! This is also a healthy homemade dog food recipe that you can create often.
- Fabric Stuffed Puzzle Dog Toy
Dogs love any sort of puzzle toys, especially if they carry treats in them. To create this, all you need is a hol-ee roller dog toy, pre-cut pieces of fleece fabric, some small treats, and of course a dog who is excited to play!
Stuff the ball with pieces of fleece fabric, and then stuff some treats in the ball (optional). You can also stuff the treats in the fabric so as your dog tries to pull the fabric pieces out, they will find some treats and continue wanting to play! This is good mental stimulation for your dog to try and find their treats.
- Frozen Sock Dog Toy
This DIY dog toy has to be one of the easiest, all you need is a sock, but make sure it is washed and does not have any lint, and some water. Soak your knotted sock with some water carried in it and put it in the freezer for about an hour until it is solid. Then let your dog chew on it on a warm sunny day, this will help keep your dog cool during the summertime, and it also saves your favourite pairs of socks!
- Homemade Chew Ring Rope Dog Toy
This is another delicious edible toy that will be homemade by you, you will need sweet potatoes and hemp/jute rope. Wash your sweet potatoes well and you can either peel the skin off or leave it on, all up to you. Slice the sweet potatoes into rounds, each approximately half an inch thick, then using a cookie cutter, remove the centre of every cut piece.
You can choose to boil these pieces as it may make it easier to eat and digest if your puppy has any digestive issues. Then let them bake for 2 to 3 hours on each side, they will be dried out and hard once they are done. Make sure they are completely dry and cool before you move on to the next step, the fun step!
Make a knot at the end of your hemp rope and after you have strung on two potato rings, make another knot, and repeat this step between every few pieces. Your little one will enjoy chewing on this and will love you for all the time and love you have put into it for them!
- Plastic Bottle Dog Toy
Dogs love crunchy stuff, and this DIY dog toy idea will be perfect to keep your little one entertained and satisfied. All you need is an empty plastic bottle and a fabric of your choosing, such as a sock or a t-shirt. Wrap up your empty bottle in the fabric and make sure it is sealed and ready to play with!
You can also get creative and cut out the shape of a bone and create a pocket for your bottle to go in. This is a much safer and cuter way for your dog to play with a crunchy water bottle rather than the plastic itself!
- Rope and Tennis Ball Dog Toy
If you love playing tug with your dog, but do not have a tug toy, here is a very simple way you can create your own with just a rope and a tennis ball. All you need to do is cut a hole on each end of the tennis ball, large enough for the rope to go through. Fit the ball to the centre of the rope and tie knots on each end to keep it secure, and there you have it!
If your dog is a tough chewer, then you can use an old, braided fabric instead of the rope and toughen it up a little bit. Make sure the fabric or the rope is not fraying as your dog can swallow small pieces of it and can be harmful to their health.
- Tennis Ball Muffin Tin Puzzle
This DIY dog toy is a simple way you can keep your dog entertained, and the best part is that it’s super easy to make! All you have to do is place some treats in the muffin tin and just hide them by placing tennis balls over them! You can also pick and choose which spots you want to fill with treats to create some curiosity in your puppy.
