How to Make Homemade Dog Toys

It's really quite simple to put together inexpensive dog toys if you use a little imagination and creativity. Here are quick and easy ways to make dog toys your canine will appreciate.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Think out of the box.
   
   A dog toy doesn't necessarily have to be a bone or a ball. Something as simple as a piece of fruit can keep your dog entertained. Fill up a big pail with water and drop a fresh apple into the water .Now watch your dog entertain himself while he participates in his own game of bobbing for apples. Plus, you don't have to worry about safety. If your dog destroys the apple by eating it, the only thing he'll only get is a healthy dose of antioxidants.

2. Use your sewing machine to make inexpensive, homemade dog toys.
   
   This can be as simple as taking scrap, heavy duty fabric such as canvas material and cutting it into squares. With the wrong side of the fabric facing outwards, sew around the edges of three sides of the square. Turn the fabric inside out so the right side of the fabric faces outwards again. Now stuff the fabric pocket you've created with soft stuffing material and sew the open edge closed. Give it to your dog to enjoy.

3. Avoid using clothing or shoes as toys.
   
   Some well meaning dog owners will give their dog an old shoe that they no longer need for chewing purposes. Unfortunately, your dog may generalize from that old shoe to other shoes you wear on a daily basis and steal one of them for his chewing pleasure. It's best to reinforce with your dog that all shoes are off limits.

4. Recycle an old rope.
   
   If you have a large rope laying around the house, tie several knots at each end and you have a perfect homemade dog toy for chewing and fetching. This is a simple and inexpensive dog toy that can go a long ways towards relieving dog boredom.

5. Give new life to your dog's old bones.
   
   Sometimes a dog will chew on a bone for awhile and then become bored with it. You can renew interest in those deserted bones by flavoring them with a small amount of peanut butter. This works well for bones that have a hollow interior where you can place the peanut butter to make it challenging. Dogs will sometimes lick these bones for hours to savor that last hint of peanut butter flavor.