Play is important for a dog. And those pet owners who want to create a good life for their pet always try to provide him with a sufficient number of interesting and varied toys. However, pet products are far from the cheapest, and are often created in violation of product safety requirements and can be harmful to tailed pets. Therefore, many owners make toys for dogs with their own hands . It is enough to turn on a little imagination and spend your time - and a huge number of safe, correct and durable toys for your pet can appear in your home. We offer master classes on making some of them in this article.
DIY dog toys
Leaky bottle
The essence of this game is that you make several holes in a plastic bottle, fill it with treats and throw it on the floor. The dog should roll the bottle with its nose or paws, thus shaking out the food.
Please note that some dogs scratch the toy a lot and end up scratching the floor. In this case, it is better to play outside rather than at home.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take a plastic bottle, scissors and tape.
Step 2. Cut several holes in the bottle of such a size that the treat can freely fall out of them.
Step 3. Cover the edges of the holes with tape to prevent your dog from getting hurt while playing.
Step 4: Place some treats in the bottle.
Step 5. Throw the resulting toy on the floor and observe the actions of the dog.
For games, use treats that will not stick to the bottle or box, but will easily spill out.
Hodgepodge
If you pay attention to industrial intellectual games, you can see that they require considerable ingenuity from the dog. Some elements need to be moved aside, others raised. You can do something similar and even more interesting with your own hands. It is convenient to use a seedling tray with 6, 9 or 12 holes as a base. Each hole will have separate tasks. For example, these:
- A treat wrapped in paper;
- The hole is closed with the cut off top of the bottle. You will need to lift it by the lid with your teeth.
- A tall plastic cup with a tasty treat at the bottom;
- The hole is covered with cardboard with a loop that needs to be pulled.
- A piece of fabric is glued over the corner holes. The flap will need to be elevated with the nose.
You can come up with your own options, taking into account the dog’s abilities.
Game for dogs “Hodgepodge”
Rotating bottle
The spinning bottle game involves handing your dog a plastic bottle with a treat placed on a stick. The dog must push the bottle with its nose so that it rotates and food spills out of its neck.
You can use one bottle or several at once, putting them in a row. You can also complicate the task if you play outside - then the dog will have to additionally look for a fallen treat in the grass.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take a plastic bottle, scissors, stick (or rope).
Step 2. Make holes on two opposite sides of the bottle of such a size that the stick can fit through them freely.
Step 3: Fill the bottle with treats.
Step 4. Place the stick through the holes and make sure the bottle can rotate easily.
Step 5. Secure the stick between two chairs or simply hold it in your hands at the level of the dog's muzzle.
bottle
A brilliant idea for those who don’t know what to do with their dog when he’s alone at home. The volume of the bottle must match the size of the pet. For large breeds, two-liter ones are suitable, and for the smallest ones - 0.5 liters. A tripod is built for the game. It can have different designs and is made from any available materials. The main thing is that the bottles can be “strung” onto the top bar. Instead of a tripod, you can use a well-tensioned rope.
Just above the middle of the bottle, two parallel holes are made, through which it is put on a bar or rope. Dry food is thrown inside. To get the treat, the dog will have to twist the bottle upside down with its paw or muzzle.
Video example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JPn2h8bLuA
Delicious garland
This game consists of showing the dog a rope with a toilet paper base attached to it, under which a large piece of treat is hidden. The dog's task is to take the base in its teeth and move it to the side to open access to the hanging food.
Another version of the game is not to string the treat on a rope, but to place it inside the bases. In this case, the dog must shake and tilt the bases so that the food falls out.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take 1-2 toilet paper bases and a rope (or stick).
Step 2: Make a hole in the middle of the treat large enough to thread a string through (or buy a ring-shaped treat right away).
Step 3: Thread the string through the treat and the toilet paper base.
Step 4: Cover the treat with the base.
Step 5. Stretch the rope between the chairs or simply hold it in your hands at the level of the dog's muzzle. Over time, increase the number of bases.
Edible-inedible
To play, you will need a plastic bucket or any other container suitable for the size of the dog. It is filled to the brim with cardboard cylinders, cork plugs, tennis balls, any other small things and a handful of food is poured in. The dog's task is to get through many small obstacles to a tasty reward.
For experienced players, you can make the task more difficult by dividing the bucket into several sections. To do this, cut out a circle of cardboard of the same diameter. A U-shaped cutout is made in the middle and folded over. This will be the handle by which you will need to pull out the obstacle with your teeth.
Game for dogs “Edible-inedible”
DIY educational games for dogs will bring a lot of pleasure to both the owner and his four-legged friend.
Search box
The essence of this game is very simple - you throw a treat into a box, put balls of rolled up newspaper on top and watch the dog look for treats.
Instead of newspaper, you can use other “filler”, for example, plastic balls for a dry pool. But whatever you use, make sure that the items are large enough so that your dog won't accidentally swallow them.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take a short box and newspaper (or paper).
Step 2: Roll some newspaper into balls.
Step 3: Place the balls in the box and place a few treats in the bottom.
Step 4: Have your dog find a treat among the newspaper.
You can also use toilet paper bases, plastic balls, or rolled up socks instead of newspaper.
Agility equipment
FCI rules allow two types of agility competitions:
- Standard – classic style with three types of obstacles. The number of obstacles on the site is from 15 to 22.
- Jumping – only jumping obstacles.
This is interesting! In addition to standard and jumping, there are several other types of agility: joker, snooker and relay.
Standard type agility equipment that we reviewed above:
- Slide.
- Swing.
- Barrier.
- Ring.
- Long jump.
- Double barrier.
- Barrier fence.
Obstacles:
- Boom - similar to a slide, but it is a narrow crossbar with inclined boards along the edges.
- A tunnel is a barrel-shaped, lightweight corridor that is laid to create a sharp turn or turn. The exit from the tunnel is soft - it lies on the ground.
Additional projectiles:
- Slalom is a series of 12 poles (racks) through which the dog snakes its way.
- A podium is a platform (usually square) with a graying contact area. The height of the platform can vary from 2 to 75 cm. The platform is used to secure the dog in the contact area. The time for which the dog must stop is determined by the judge.
This is interesting! In agility, a variety of recommended commands are used, but arbitrary ones can also be used. The only condition is that the commands should not be consonant or of the same type.
Dog bell ringer
This game involves tying a bottle filled with treats to a strong tree branch or simply holding it on your raised hand, and the dog must grab the belt hanging below with its teeth and actively pull it so that food falls out of the bottle.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take a bottle with a handle (usually milk, water or juice bottles have this shape), scissors, rope and a belt (or long rope).
Step 2. Make several holes around the entire perimeter of the bottle, about 1 cm from the bottom. The holes should be of such a size that the treat can spill out of them freely.
Step 3. Tie a rope and belt to the handle. Place a treat inside the bottle.
Step 4. Tie the toy to a tree or simply hold the rope in your hand so that the dog can easily grab onto the strap.
Maintain a positive atmosphere while playing. If the dog doesn’t succeed in something, there is no need to be nervous - help him or move on to the next game.
What are they for?
A dog is an emotional and socialized creature. Animals love to move for a long time, they just need human communication and things to spend their energy on. If you don’t engage and communicate with the dog, then he will direct his attention to something else.
Toys are an important part of a dog's development.
Out of boredom, dogs often choose furniture, shoes, carpets and many other household items as toys. Often the owner is faced with the question of what can be done for the dog so that it does not get bored. To avoid this, you should prepare special toys for your pet that can keep him occupied for a while. In addition, such things will help the dog quickly develop its various positive qualities.
Rags with a surprise
You can even make an educational toy for a dog from an old hat or towel. Take a few fabric items that you don't mind, put a treat inside them and invite your dog to get it.
For example, you can give your dog a rolled-up towel containing a treat, which he must turn around with his nose to get to the pieces. Or put food inside a hat and gloves so your dog has to give things a good shake. You can also use a sock rolled up into a ball, which the pet must unfold. Start with one thing and gradually add the rest.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1: Take an old towel, sock, glove and hat.
Step 2. Place a few pieces of treats on the towel.
Step 3. Roll the towel into a tube.
Step 4: Place a small, heavy treat into the glove so it falls out easily and doesn't get stuck in your fingers.
Step 5 . Place food on the hat and fold it in two or four times.
Step 6. Place a treat on the sock and roll it into a ball.
Step 7: Lay things out on the floor and send your dog in search of food.
How to make a rope toy with your own hands
When making homemade toys for your pet, it is better to use durable natural materials.
A practical, affordable and harmless material for making homemade toys is ordinary rope. It is best to use durable natural jute; it is pleasant to the touch, durable, and safe. The thicker the rope, the more voluminous the toy will be. Such products are great for large dogs, as well as pets who like to chew on various objects. A thick rope is not so easy to break; the toy will delight the dog for many days.
From rope you can make a light ball, a bone for carrying, or weave a rope that not only puppies, but also adult dogs will have fun playing with. The larger the pet, the thicker and stronger the rope should be. If natural jute is not found, you can use blanks made of synthetic materials, for example, safe and strong lavsan.
What you will need for work:
- a piece of strong rope made of natural or synthetic fibers;
- safe quick-drying glue;
- dry treat or some ready-made food.
Between the rope layers, if desired, you can put pieces of treats for your pet
First, you can try making a ball. It does not have to be perfectly round; the main thing for the product is strength.
- After cutting a piece of rope, wrap it around your hand, forming wide loops.
- The layers need to be wound tightly and evenly.
- The end of the rope is pulled through the loops several times, securely fastening the structure.
- To prevent the craft from falling apart, the tip is fixed with superglue, having previously hidden it inside the toy.
- Having finished the winding, the ball is formed by hand, straightening the loops. If desired, you can place treats between the rope layers: dry food, dog biscuits, pieces of dried beef tendons.
Rope balls for your pet will become an interesting and useful toy
The size of the ball depends on the size of the pet. Large balls are made for puppies that are easy to bounce around the floor. Older dogs are interested in diarrhea. The ball must fit the size of the mouth and not slip out of it. If the dog ignores a new toy, you can modify it: add treats or wrap another layer of rope. Balls slightly damaged by dog teeth are restored in the same way. It is better to replace severely torn toys with new ones.
The bones are made in the same way. Their main difference is the narrow middle part. This toy is convenient to carry in your teeth, it is suitable for practicing the “Fetch” command. To make it, the rope is folded several times, then the loops are tightly wrapped so that the middle is smooth and rigid, and a voluminous fringe is formed at the ends. The end of the rope is folded inward and glued. To make the bone stronger and last longer, you can place a base inside: a wooden stick or a cardboard sleeve.
If there is no rope, it can be woven from any soft, durable scraps. Stripes cut from used knitted T-shirts, T-shirts, and sheets are suitable. To make the toy look elegant, it is better to use multi-colored fabric.
To work you will need:
- durable cotton fabric (preferably knitwear);
- scissors;
- fraying lavsan threads, needle.
To attract your pet's attention, the toy rope can be made in different shapes.
- From a piece of fabric, cut 4 identical strips about 1 m long and 10 cm wide.
- Stretch the resulting blanks with your hands so that the fabric slightly curls into a tube.
- Fold the ribbons, moving 7 cm from the edge, tie a knot and arrange 4 strips in the form of a cross. Holding the knot between your knees, begin weaving.
- Strips of fabric are laid out in loops one by one, loose strips are pulled between them and tightened tightly.
- In this way, a dense rope is woven, the ends are tied in a knot. If desired, the rope can be closed in a ring, secured with strong lavsan threads.
A puppy or small active dog will definitely like this toy. For representatives of large breeds, it is better to weave a rope or ring from durable jute or thick synthetic rope.
Boxes with treats
Another simple game option is using boxes of different shapes and sizes (toothpaste, candy or toys). Place the food in boxes, throw them on the floor and watch as your dog tries to get the pieces.
It is better to start with one box, gradually adding the rest. At first, do not close the box tightly so that the pet can definitely get the food and does not lose interest in the game.
Some of the boxes can be held with your hands or glued to the floor with double-sided tape. Small boxes (for example, toothpaste boxes) should not be glued - the dog should tear them apart with his teeth or paws and then shake out the contents.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take several boxes of different sizes.
Step 2. Place treats into boxes.
Step 3 . At first, help your dog by holding the boxes.
Octopus
An alternative to the rope can be a homemade octopus toy. The dog will be able to play with it both independently and with the owner. In addition, several animals will be able to compete in tugging the toy at once.
To create you will need:
- old T-shirt;
- scissors;
- any ball.
It is recommended to use a rubber ball with a squeak as dogs like things that squeak, but a tennis ball or other similar size will work.
First, you should cut the T-shirt into strips of equal width, based on photo 23.
Then the pieces of fabric are placed crosswise, placing the ball in the center. It is wrapped in the resulting strips and tied in a knot at the very base.
Next, you need to cut each of the four segments into three equal parts. All that remains is to braid the braids and the octopus is ready. If desired, you can take more fabric and make 6 or 8 tentacles.
The toy is suitable for small dogs and medium-sized pets.
Treat tower
The essence of the game is that you build a “tower” with tongues and, in front of the dog, throw a treat at it. The dog must figure out to pull the tabs to push out the treat, or drop it and pick up the food from the floor.
It’s better to start with one tongue, and when the dog understands the essence of the task, add all the others.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take thick cardboard, scissors and tape.
Step 2. Cut a large piece of cardboard, fold it 4 times to form a “tower” and secure with tape.
Step 3. Make 1-2 holes on each side of the tower. The holes should be the entire width of the tower and about 1 cm high.
Step 4. From the remnants of cardboard, make tongues of such a width that they move in and out of the holes relatively freely, and such a length that part of them fits into the tower, and the other part can be grabbed by the dog with its teeth.
Step 5. Throw a treat from the top of the tower so that it falls on the tongues.
Step 6: Hold the tower in your hands or secure it to furniture.
Kinds
Experts distinguish 3 types of pullers. Let's take a closer look at their differences and features:
- Puller Standard is a ring with a diameter of 28 cm. It is designed for large dogs. The equipment needs to be purchased by owners of boxers, huskies, shepherds and others. The thickness of the rings is 4 cm, and the weight is 260 g.
- Puller Mini is designed for training small purebred dogs. The outer diameter of its objects is 19 cm. The thickness of the material is 2.5 cm, and the weight is 70 g. The projectile has the same characteristics as the previous type, but is suitable for Chihuahuas, Pekingese, and French bulldogs.
- Puller Maxi is identical in diameter to the standard type, but has double the thickness and weight. These figures correspond to 6 cm and 590 g. Due to these features, the kit doubles the load on the chewing and neck muscles and promotes better grip. A special feature of this type of puller is a special recess for the owner’s hand. The maximum set is suitable for medium and large breeds that have strong jaws. Note that the thicker the rings, the longer their service life.
Important! For active pets of small breeds that show signs of working traits, experts advise buying maximum or standard pullers
.
Thimblerig
The game of thimbles is familiar to everyone - the host shows the ball, places it under one of three cups, mixes them up and offers to choose the right one. Playing with a dog looks similar, but instead of a ball there will be a treat. The dog can choose the right cup with his teeth or his paw - it doesn't matter.
It is better to start the game with one cup so that the dog learns to turn it over. Then you can increase their number to 3 or more.
You can read more about this exercise in a separate article - Playing thimbles with a dog.
Let's look at it step by step
Step 1. Take 3 identical non-transparent cups.
Step 2: In front of your dog, place a treat under one of them.
Step 3. Mix the cups.
Step. 4. Invite your dog to guess where the food is.
The main thing is safety
The main condition for homemade or purchased toys for dogs is their safety for the pet’s health. Toys must not:
- smell sharp;
- paint the owner’s hands and the animal’s mouth;
- have small parts that are easy to break off or chew (if there is a squeaker inside the ball, then it must be securely fixed or removed);
- toys made of fabric or rope should not easily tear or fall apart into fibers.
All play accessories for animals should be easy to wash or wash.
Toys that can be machine washed (or washed under the tap) are much safer for your pet’s health because they do not accumulate harmful bacteria or debris.
Important! It is not recommended to use children's toys for playing with your pet; they are not suitable for being chewed or torn into pieces. An animal can swallow a small part, cut itself with a sharp piece of debris, or be poisoned by non-food plastic.
Spinner for dogs
If you have a lot of free time and desire, you can build a very serious structure - a spinner. The essence of the game will be that the dog rotates the spinner with its nose and food flies out of it.
Depending on the size and activity level of your dog, you may need to further strengthen the original structure by increasing the thickness of the “rod” and adding additional fasteners.
Snuff mat
The goal of this interactive dog toy is to find treats hidden among fleece ribbons. There are many options for such rugs.
Today I will not talk about them in detail, since our blog has a whole article and a video where I tell and show how to make two versions of a sniffing mat for a dog with your own hands.
Glove and socks
Dogs love to chew on things, especially when they are teething. Toys filled with padding polyester look very cute, but they can break through, and then the dog will eat the filler! Why not make a toy that you can be confident in its contents?
You will need a kitchen mitten (pot holder) made from natural fabric. This is very important: use cotton or linen, not synthetics. Stuff it with socks or clean rags and sew it up from the bottom. Now you can give it to the dog to be torn to pieces.
Striped monster
And to make such a cute striped monster you will need: a bright striped sock with toes, padding polyester and two colored buttons.
We cut out the sock on both sides as shown in the figure below.
From the wrong side we sew the edges, leaving only a hole for stuffing with padding polyester, as shown by the red arrow in the figure below. We stuff the toy with padding polyester, sew up the hole and sew on the button eyes. The monster is ready.
Why fool your head?
Going to the store and buying, however, is much easier.
- The first was mentioned a little higher - a toy made by you will keep a part of the owner for the dog, and remind you of you, even when you are not at home.
- The financial factor is also important today. Firms, trendsetters in the field of pet products and flagship manufacturers do not sell their products for our four-legged friends cheaply. And once every couple of weeks, buy an expensive toy and after a year the cost will amount to a tidy sum.
- The third indirectly flows from the second. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, but don’t have the desire or time to do it yourself, then some may resort to buying Chinese analogues, not very well known, or even completely unknown manufacturers. In this case, no one guarantees you that the plastic, wood or glue in this product are not toxic, and it would be very unfortunate if your dog ends up in a hospital after playing with such a toy.
Homemade ropes
Puppies of any breed love to chew on everything around them. In order to protect things and furniture, you can make several ropes for your animal. To make a cord, you need to prepare several pieces of fleece - it is soft enough and will not injure the animal’s teeth and gums. Colors and sizes depend solely on the wishes of the master (Fig. 7, 8, 9).
The pieces of fleece must be cut into strips 2-2.5 cm wide. You can make them narrower, but this may affect the strength of the finished toy. The optimal width of one ribbon is 5 cm. It is necessary to weave using “lotus” weaving. Those who are encountering this technique for the first time can use the diagram (Fig. 10).
Some dogs become attached to ordinary soft toys - they sleep with them and carry them with them everywhere. You can make your pet an individual toy - a bone or a heart (Fig. 11).
To make such a craft you need to prepare:
- scraps of thick fabric
- stuffing material
- threads
- scissors
- needle
- pencil
The shape of the toy can be arbitrary; it does not have to stop at the bone. You can make the pattern yourself, or find a sample on the Internet.
It is much easier to draw the outline of the future product with a pencil or a piece of soap on the wrong side of the fabric. It is necessary to leave an allowance of 1-1.5 cm for the seam. The toy will consist of two parts. To make them the same shape, you can fold the fabric in half and cut out both parts at once. If you plan to make a craft of a complex shape, it is advisable to fasten the pieces of fabric together with pins.
The parts need to be sewn from the inside out, leaving a small hole at the end for stuffing. The last step is to turn the product inside out, stuff it with filling and sew up the hole, bending the edges slightly inward.
When choosing a filler, you should take into account the specific use of the toy. So, the best option would be scraps of cotton fabric - sooner or later the dog will chew the toy, and the eaten cotton will cause much less harm to it than from cotton wool or polyester. If you wish, you can fill the toy with dry rice - for small puppies this is the safest option. Moreover, rustling things seem especially interesting to them.
Such toys can also be used for training - as a fetch, a hidden thing for searching or catching in flight.
You can also make educational toys from ordinary socks (Fig. 12), putting yellow boxes from Kinder Surprise toys into them. When giving your puppy such a toy, you must constantly ensure that he does not chew the remains of the sock - they can cause digestive problems.
If you wish, you can make a wide variety of toys for your pet - for games and training. Making them takes minimal time and brings a lot of pleasure.
