Nifty Homemade Toys

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 11:54 am

Hey Y'all,

Last night Annie was bored (I was all out of chewies) and making a pest of herself. So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a "Busy Box" that she is just loving. Basically, I just found a small cardboard box, dropped some food bits inside it, then stuffed a tug rope in so it was sticking out the top, and closed each of the flaps down alternating on top of each other, so the top stayed closed without tape-- the tug rope was wedged in securely enough that I could pick the box up by the tug rope and shake it to rattle the food bits. Then I gave it to Annie. She had a lot of fun picking it up and tossing it around, and shaking it, until she could get the top open-- then she stuck her whole head inside and gobbled up the bits.

I also used another box that was a different shape and size. Again, I put food bits in, and closed the top flaps overlapping. I cut holes in the sides of the box and wedged some squeaky toys into the holes so they were sticking out part way. Annie had to pull the squeaky toys out of the holes, then shake the box around to dislodge the food bits.

One more: I had saved a plastic coffee canister with lid. I cut a small hole in the center of the lid, then put food bits in the coffee canister, and put the lid on. Yep, it's a lot of work to get those tidbits out, heh, heh. It keeps her plenty busy, too.

The other idea I had was to make the hole in the lid a bit bigger, and thread a tug rope through it, to see if pulling on the tug rope would pull the lid off. I haven't tried it yet, though. Maybe later.

By the way, I crochet, so I made my own tug ropes too-- they have turned out to be much more durable and longer lasting than the store bought tug ropes.

So... does anyone else have any ideas for some fun homemade dog toys/puzzles?

Horace's Mum · Post by **Horace's Mum** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:52 pm

Errm, my boy has decided that my wooden chest of drawers is his own personal toy, he has great fun when I'm away opening each drawer to see what's inside. I caught him at it once, he has learnt to take the little wooden knobs in his mouth and then walk backwards - not something I ever taught him but he has seen me open the drawers so probably copied. Now I have a grid of elastic bands across it all to flummox him!!

I use Pringles tubes to make games - a favourite is cutting slots down it and putting cardboard in the slots, putting treats in the bottom before you put the cardboard in and they have to pull the cardboard out to get the treats to fall out. Also coke bottles are good for putting treats in, the bigger the bottle the better.

And toilet rolls with something smelly in the middle and newspaper or cloth stuffed in each end.

I do like the sound of the tuggy box, have to try that!

wvvdiup1 · Post by **wvvdiup1** » Sun Dec 06, 2009 5:16 pm

Sounds like fun for the dogs, but I'd be a bit concerned about any dog chewing plastic and possibly swallowing it!

Horace's Mum · Post by **Horace's Mum** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:54 pm

Depends on your dog I suppose. I know that Horus will not swallow plastic, and all these things are things I would do when I am around, not toys to leave him with. Which plastic bits were you concerned about? Our ideas seem to be mainly cardboard and rope, my coke bottles are for the dogs to roll around to get treats out the end, not to chew through.

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:38 pm

In my case, the coffee canister is a more durable plastic, but it is also not a good size and shape for chewing. It has a handle, so Annie can pick it up and toss it, but mostly it gets rolled and tipped over by use of her paws.

She is likely to chew and crunch down on a soda bottle however, and since she has "recycled" several of my sons' Legos over the years, I don't let her have the soda bottles. I also worry about the rough edges abrading her gums and making her mouth bleed.

Like HM said, it really depends on the dog. Some are more destructive chewers than others, and many dogs have their preferences of chewing materials-- Dottie, for example, has a particular fondness for soft fabric toys.

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 10:32 pm

Max has a fondness for socks & shoes, LOL

However I have notice d lately that he doesn't chew/play with any one thing for more than 5-10 mts--even the shoes & socks. He basically takes them for attention & when ignored he just drops it.

Anyway Fundog can you post a pic of the toys you've made. It would be great if there was a short segment on IMOTD showing how to make cheap safe toys.

VS if you read this pitch the idea to your producers.

Sarah83 · Post by **Sarah83** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:39 am

Not really a home made toy but for those with dogs who like destroying stuffed toys, try the charity shops. Just make sure to take off any glass/button eyes and noses etc and other loose parts first. I hate paying the prices of stuffed dog toys when I know they're going to be destuffed and torn into tiny pieces within ten minutes but don't mind paying 50p or so from a 2nd hand shop.

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:48 am

Sure, Maximoo-- I will have to wait for my geek-child to come home from school so he can help me transfer the pics from my phone to my laptop, then I can post them. You will probably be able to see them here by the time you wake up Wednesday morning.

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:15 pm

Okay, here they are. Just click on it to make the picture bigger so you can see it better. On this first one, see how the top flaps of the box are interlaced, and the tug rope is just "plugged in" to the center? Nothing is holding it there, but the pressure of the box flaps. I had punched some small holes in the side to make it easier, but it wasn't necessary. This box has already had a lot of use, and still has more life in it! Even Dottie tried it out, and got it stuck on her head, lol!

http://img15.imageshack.us/content.php? ... 090802.jpg

In these two, you can see how I've cut some small holes in the sides, and then plugged the holes with a couple of soft toys. This box has also had a lot of use. It was hilarious watching Annie stick her paw in the top, and get her leg stuck, then pick up the box and shake it, trying to open the top that way. She can also dislodge the toys to make the food fall out that way. There's more than one way to open a box, lol!

http://img9.imageshack.us/content.php?p ... 090803.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/content.php? ... 090804.jpg

This third one is the plastic coffee canister. It is the most challenging of the three. I actually ended up cutting the hole a bit bigger, and a bit bigger still, to help Annie from getting too frustrated. This toy kept her busy for a good 20 minutes! Eventually she even managed to work the lid off, clever girl!

http://img40.imageshack.us/content.php? ... 090804.jpg

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 11:17 pm

Oops, sorry, I goofed. Here's the coffee canister:

http://img692.imageshack.us/content.php ... 90804a.jpg

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:33 am

Another idea I just came up with a few minutes ago, was to put a very large cow ear/rawhide chip, sort of triangular in shape, into the small square box. It's shape caused it to be wedged in a way that made it a bit more challenging to work out. It took Annie almost a full five minutes to get out of the box (that was hilarious good fun to watch, heh, heh

), and of course, she will be working on her "prize" for some time yet as well.

Bottom line: Get creative, and have fun. It is the ultimate license to "prank" your dog without being mean.

maximoo · Post by **maximoo** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 5:39 am

Awesome! Very creative & cheap

Maybe a smaller rope could be put thru the hole in the coffee jug with the treats inside. As the rope goes in treats will fall out--similiar to a tug a jug. Or wedge a toy in the hole so that its tight & dog had to work getting it out & once they do the yummy treats will also fall out
I don't drink coffe but maybe I'll start just so I can have the plastic container LOL

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:56 am

Okay, I came up with two more-- I've been having Annie test them for a couple of days before "putting them on the market," lol.

Egg Cartons

I get the cardboard cartons, not the styrofoam. And the ones I get have little "eye holes" in the top of the carton. If yours don't have these, you could probably make some. Anyway, I just put a couple of tidbits in each egg cup, close the lid, and hand it over to the dog. By tossing the carton repeatedly, the tidbits fall out of the little holes in the top of the carton. This one is so simple, even Dottie can do it!

False Bottom

For this one, I used a small flat box, the size a book might come in the mail. I put the food bits on the bottom of the box, then laid either a piece of cardboard or even a paper towel over the food bits, to cover them up. Then I loosely closed the flaps of the box lid and gave it to Annie. She had fun (and no problem) opening the lid, then lifting the false bottom out of the box to uncover her goodies.

Fundog · Post by **Fundog** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:37 am

Okay, I had another brain storm and came up with some more ideas. Some of the ideas are mostly just modifications on the "busy boxes," since as Annie solves each puzzle she just gets smarter and quicker, and then I have to come up with another way to challenge her.

But I did get one original idea, one that, I'm pleased to say, is my very own --I thought of it all by myself!

The "Gift Bag" or "Rag Bag":

First, to help you picture this, you know those little paper gift bags, and we "hide" the present nestled in amongst layer upon layer of tissue paper? And the recipient of the gift has to pull out all the tissue, being very careful not to accidently lose the delightful present hidden inside? You know what I'm talking about?

Now imagine a cloth bag. In the bottom, drop a couple of tasty bits. Now drop a clean rag on top of that, so it falls in a natural heap and covers the bits. Drop a couple more tasty bits on the rag, and if they get hidden in the folds of the rag, wonderful. Drop another rag on top of that... and so forth, until the bag is full. Then set it on the floor for your dog. She has to pick the bag up, shake it, "kill" it, pull the rags out, shake them, "kill" them, etc, and use her nose to help her find the tasty tidbits that are hidden amongs the many folds of cloth. This is a really good thing for dogs that are more likely to consume paper and cardboard, but don't actually eat cloth.

Since I crochet, I plan to use some of my scrap yarn to crochet a "rag bag" and some colorful "rags" to go in it, so I don't have to use my cleaning rags. I plan to close in the stitches a little bit as I finish, to make the opening a bit smaller-- that will make it slightly more challenging to get all the stuffings out. (I hope so, anyway)

Now, one of the modifications I've had to make to the "busy boxes" are to cut several pieces of cardboard (we have lots of scrap cardboard cluttering up the garage, lol), made to just fit inside the box-- so that it wedges in, and doesn't necessarily drop to the bottom. You want to create layers with spaces in between. You put in some food, then wedge a piece of cardboard over it, then put some more food on top of that, then wedge in another piece of cardboard... etc. until you are out of cardboard, or the box is full, or you are just tired of doing that, or whatever. Then close the top so the four flaps of the box are over-lapping-- anything you can do to stump your dog, and slow him down! Now give it to him. It took Annie the amount of time it took me to fix myself a bowl of oatmeal (less than five minutes) to get all those layers out of the box, and all the treats eaten up. I don't know what I'm gonna do with that dog.

Now I have just one more, but I can't take credit for this one, since this is one I've both seen and read about in several places. But I thought I should post it while I'm thinking about it, for anyone else who hasn't seen it or heard of it yet, or who maybe just forgot about it, or didn't know if it would be fun....

Get several cloths or rags, or towels, or whatever. Place a treat on the floor, then cover with a cloth, then a treat on top of that, then cover with a cloth-- maybe criss-cross the layers-- make several layers. This is a good one for my Dottie, who isn't quite as clever as Annie. But these simple puzzles are helping Dottie to get smarter every day. Dottie really likes the egg carton one too-- of course, Annie can solve three puzzles before Dottie can get one egg carton unloaded.

(Poor little cotton-head)

I have to tell you, my girls are really loving these puzzles. Every morning after they finish their breakfast, they start looking at me expectantly-- I know they want me to set up their educational puzzles for them-- It's like pre-school for dogs!

wvvdiup1 · Post by **wvvdiup1** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 3:18 am

Makes me worried about the threads, yarn, cardboard, and so on. I don't any of these articles twisting inside my dog causing severe medical/health problems. You see, my "four-legged-bottomless-pit-trash-compacter-recycler" eats anything, so I have to watch her.