Now that many of us are spending more time at home, we are also spending a lot more time with our furry friends; and maybe you noticed the same thing I did: They are bored! They are sick of the same old toys... so why not make them some new ones? Here are 4 easy DIY pet toys that you can make with stuff you have around your home.
Sock Toys!
Tug-Of- War Toy - For the Dog
Does your dog love tug-of-war? Do you have an abundance of mismatched socks? Well, this is the perfect pair! Take your largest sock (think knee-high, old soccer sock, a man’s tube sock) and stuff the end of it with a couple of plastic bags. Tie a knot near the bags so it makes a nice ball, easy for you to hold onto, and then tie another knot at the far end of the sock to give the dog something to hold onto; and there you have a brand new toy for your dog! You can entice them by squeezing the ball filled with plastic bags and they will love to try and get the toy away from you only to, of course, bring it right back for more fun! Dogs are great.
Sock Mouse - For the Cat
For this one, a smaller sock works best (so think the little anklet socks for women, or possibly a kid’s sock). The great thing about this craft is that if there is a hole in your sock, no worries! All you have to do is twist the sock right below where the hole is, and secure it tightly with some yarn. Then, stuff the sock with a small plastic bag, or a half of a plastic bag, smush it tightly together so it forms a little ball in about the shape of a mouse. Twist the sock and tie it off with some more yarn. Now, to get creative with it, tie one of the yarn ends into a bow, and trim apart the loops to make whiskers. For the tail, just cut one of the yarn lengths off at the base, and there you will have a cute toy mouse your cat will be happy to play with!
Whack-A-Mole - For the Cat
For this craft, you will need an empty box for a 12-pack of soda, scissors or an Exacto knife, a paper towel roll, tape, a bamboo kabob stick, pipe cleaners, yarn, and a plastic bag. To start off, cut the tabs off of the open end of your soda box. Then, using an Exacto knife, cut 4 holes randomly in the top of the box (they should be about soda can-sized). Now, the box is going to have to stand up to some rough kitty-play so make a support beam out of the paper towel roll. Just cut the roll to the same height as the box and tape it in, making sure not to block any holes. Now that your box is ready, time to make the toy. Tape up the pointy end of your bamboo kabob stick and on the other end twist the pipe cleaners around it to make a fun toy. Feel free to attach yarn, feathers, a plastic bag, anything you have that will attract the attention of your cat, then play away!
Find The Treat Game - For the Dog
This is an easy game for you to set up, and it will keep your dog busy for a good 15-30 minutes. All you need is a cupcake tin, some of your dog’s toys (tennis balls work best), and your dog’s favorite treats. Just put a couple of treats into the cupcake tin, maybe leave one or two empty, cover the treats with their favorite toys and present it to your furry friend. They will have a blast trying to get the treats out!