DIY dog toy: how to make it yourself!

Toys are not only a great activity for dogs, but also promote their mental and physical fitness. Instead of buying expensive dog toys, you can make great alternatives yourself with a little creativity and simple everyday objects. In this article, we'll show you how to make Zergel, sniffer rugs, throwing toys and much more for your furry friend!

Why make your own dog toys?

Homemade dog toys offer many advantages:

• Customization: You can customize the toy to your dog's preferences and needs.
• Sustainability: By upcycling discarded fabric scraps, plastic bottles or bed sheets, you protect the environment.
• Saving money: Many DIY ideas can be realized with materials you already have at home.
• Fun factor: Crafting is not only fun for you, but also for your nose!

DIY ideas for dog toys

1. tug toy - the perfect tug toy

A tug toy is ideal for tugging games and promotes your dog's chewing muscles.

Material:

• Old fleece blankets or worn scraps of fabric
• scissors
• string

Instructions:

1. Cut strips of fabric into pieces about 3-4 cm wide and 30-50 cm long.
2. Braid the strips into a tight plait.
3. Tie a double knot at both ends so that nothing comes loose.

2. sniffer carpet - activity for the sniffer nose

A sniffer carpet is a great intelligence toy that your dog can use to sniff out treats.

Material:

• A sink liner or a honeycomb-like perforated mat
• Fleece strips or scraps of fabric
• treats

Instructions:

1. Pull the fabric strips through the holes in the sink insert and knot them.
2. Cover the entire mat with strips.
3. Put treats between the strips of fabric and let your dog sniff!

3. throwing toy with tennis ball

This throwing toy is easy to make and perfect for fetch games.

Material:

• A tennis ball
• A discarded bed sheet or a thick cloth towel
• A string

Instructions:

1. Place the tennis ball in the center of the cloth.
2. Wrap the cloth around the ball and knot it tightly underneath with a string.
3. Weave the ends of the cloth that are sticking out into tails.

4. search games with a muffin tin

A simple memory game for dogs that stimulates their sense of smell.

Material:

• One muffin tray
• Tennis balls
• Treats

Instructions:

1. Place treats in some of the cavities of the muffin tray.
2. Cover all the cavities with tennis balls.
3. Your dog has to lift the right balls to get to the treats!

5. crackle bottle - exciting nibbling toy

A toy with a sound that will keep your dog busy.

Material:

• An empty plastic bottle
• Scraps of fabric or an old bed sheet
• Treats

Instructions:

1. Fill the bottle with treats.
2. Wrap the bottle with fabric and knot it tightly.
3. Your dog will try to get to the treats!

6. newspaper octopus

A simple toy for nibbling and tugging.

Material:

• Old newspaper
• String or climbing rope

Instructions:

1. Loosely crumple up newspaper.
2. Tie a knot with string or climbing rope to form an "octopus".
3. Your dog can shred it to his heart's content!

7. hide and seek with a cardboard roll

A great intelligence toy that is easy to make.

Material:

• An empty cardboard roll (e.g. from kitchen paper)
• Treats
• Newspaper

Instructions:

1. Fill the cardboard roll with treats.
2. Stuff the ends with newspaper.
3. Your dog has to take the roll apart to get to the treats!

Tips for safe DIY dog toys

• Make sure that no loose small parts can be swallowed.
• Only use non-toxic materials without sharp edges.
• If you are working with a sewing machine, there should be no threads or pieces of fabric sticking out.
• Check regularly to see if the toy is damaged.

Conclusion: Creative fun for you and your dog

You can make creative and individual toys for your dog in just a few simple steps. Whether sniffing games, tugging toys or intelligence games - there are no limits to your creativity! Your dog will love discovering his new favorite toys together with you.

Photo by Caspar Camille Rubin on Unsplash