Shaker
This toy will take you about 5 minutes to make. Take the paper towel roll when it’s empty (or the toilet paper roll for small dogs) and fill it up with a couple of small doggie treats. Seal both ends with some masking tape. Shake it in front of your dog and watch him go crazy when you give it to him. They will be able to smell the treats with their keen sense of smell. You may want to make two or three of them at a time if you have a destructive dog. They will have so much fun with it. You can use your imagination with whatever you want to put in the toy. Your dog will love it! Cost: Free
Frisbee Rope
I’m sure you have noticed how the hard plastic in a Frisbee is very hard on your dog’s mouth so you should make a Frisbee out of a softer material but yet still strong. The pet stores will charge you over $10 for a good cotton rope, but you can get one for less than $2. Make a trip to the hardware store and buy a foot (more or less) of thick braided cotton rope. When you get it home, sew the two ends together with some heavy stitches. You can do this by hand…yes, you can. You now have a Frisbee Rope and your dog will love it. Cost: Around $2
Tug of War
Another way you can use the rope you bought from the hardware store is to tie both ends of the rope and play “Tug of War.” What dog doesn’t love to do that? Again, the pet store charges too much money for something so simple. Your dog certainly doesn’t care where it came from. This rope is very good for strengthening their jaw muscles not to mention how much fun they will have playing with you. Cost: Around $2
Mr. Sock
There are a few variations of using this toy, but these two are the most popular:
Take a new sweat sock and put a tennis ball into it. You can draw a funny face on it if you want and then put a knot in the sock to hold the ball in place. You can only imagine how much fun your dog can have with this. They will love throwing that sock around and chasing it when it bounces. This is a good game of fetch, too. Cost: Around $2
Next, take another new sweat sock, draw a funny face on it and stuff your hand inside. Use it as a hand puppet by talking and gently nipping at your dog’s ears and nose. They might be confused at first, but will catch on real fast. Always use a new sock because it will make them seem different from the ones you wear. If they don’t have your scent and there’s a face drawn on them, they won’t look like the ones you wear around the house. Cost: Around $2
The Shell Game
Use three plastic cups (make sure they’re not clear) and a dog treat for this game. Turn the cups upside down and put the treat under one of them. Keep switching the cups around really fast so it confuses your dog. Once you stop, make your dog pick which cup the treat is under. Trust me, your dog will always win and will have lots of fun doing so. Cost: Free
Smash the Pinata
This game is a lot like the one humans play. Take a brown paper bag, draw a traditional
piñata design on it and fill it with some doggie treats. Then attach it to a pole with a rope on the end and swing it in front of your dog. This is great exercise due to all the jumping your dog will do. They will love it! Cost: Free
Swing the Plastic Bottle
Things you’ll need: Empty plastic bottle (any size); a straw; knitting needle
Punch holes on each side of your plastic bottle.
Run your straw through the holes and then put your knitting needle through the straw. It should be able to swing so you will need the knitting needle longer than the straw.
You should be able to have both hands on each side of the knitting needle that is holding up the bottle. Make sure the holes are about a quarter of the way down the bottle, which will keep your bottle from becoming too top heavy. Put a treat inside the bottle, hold your hand on each side of it and have your dog swing the bottle until the treat falls out of the open top. This will keep them entertained for a long time. Cost: Around $3