Has the lockdown cut short your weekly trips to the pet store and deprived your dog of his goodies? Here are some easy to make DIY toys, using simple stuff from around the houses by Tanya Patel – Dog Trainer & Behaviourist:
1. Braided cloth – take an old t-shirt, bedsheet or pillow cover. Cut it into three strips which are joined at the top and then make a regular braid. Tie multiple knots at both ends so it doesn’t open up easily. This give you a nice rope toy.
2. Shredded cloth toy – If your dog is one that likes to pull on the ends of carpets or chews on hanging curtains or gets tempted by a hanging dupatta, this is a good one for you. You can use any material but a slightly thicker one is recommended. Take a rectangular piece of cloth and fold it in half. Use a scissor to cut along the breadth leaving at least an inch at each end. Keep the width of each strip about 1.5 inches. Do this all the way till the bottom of the cloth. Once done open it out and after every fourth frill use two of them to tie a knot. This will leave you with a toy that has hanging frills and you can tie it to a table leg or to the top of your dog’s crate so he can pull on it and play by himself.
3. Rope – You can use a jute or nylon rope from the house and poke it through the end of a plastic bottle. Once through tie a few big knots at both ends of the rope so it can’t slip out. You could even use more than a single bottle make this a fun, noisy, long toy and get your dog to chase it around.
4. DIY squeaky toy – This one is really easy! Use an empty plastic bottle without the cap, the label or the ring. Stuff it inside an old sock and tie a knot so it can’t come out. This then becomes a squeaky toy which you can press to make noises but with the smooth texture of the cloth on top.
5. Treat dispenser – Take an empty plastic bottle with a narrow mouth. You can poke some hole along the body of the bottle, making sure they’re big enough for treat pieces to fall out. Put some dry treats or kibble inside the bottle in front of your dog and shake it about to get him excited. Then give him the bottle and let him push it around till all the food inside falls out.
