LazyPaw Animal Hospitals love toys! Er, I mean, we love giving toys to our favorite animal patient friends. There are plenty of expensive pet toys on the market, but just as the child who opens a new zillion-dollar gadget will often play with the box instead, most pets are glad to play with anything that’s interesting regardless of how much you spent.
Keeping Fido and Fluffy up to their ears in entertainment doesn’t have to cost a lot. Just use common sense and always keep an eye on animals when playing. As with any toy, check the condition of homemade toys regularly and watch for any frays or choking hazards. Supervised play is not only safest, it’s the most fun for both of you.
Crinkle, wrinkle, woohoo!
Crinkle fans who go crazy for the sound of anything that scrunches will love Ammo the Dachshund’s DIY for this water bottle toy. Made with an old plastic bottle and t-shirt, the concept is colorful and simple: Wrap the bottle inside the t-shirt, then tie off the ends with shirt scraps or ribbon to keep the toy together. For added interest, you can put some small items inside the bottle first for an extra rattle-tattle. If you’re feeling lazy, you can also put a small water bottle inside a sock and tie a knot in the end.
Go fishing any season of the year.
Dogs and cats will go nuts for the simple chase and fetch toy you can make with a hollow piece of PVC pipe or sturdy stick, rope, and any other regular or homemade dog or cat toy you wish. Cut a narrow piece of stick or PVC pipe to about two and a half feet long. Tie your string securely to one end, or drill a hole through the center and thread the string through before knotting it to hold in place. At the other end of the string, tie on a bunch of fabric scraps, your pet’s favorite toy, or a tennis ball cut with a small hole to insert the knotted rope. Now cast off and wait for a serious bite from your furry pal!
The sweet torture of treats…
Find a plastic jar that’s just longer in height than the length of your pet’s snout and smear a touch of bacon grease at the bottom (not too much, or you’ll have a messy house and a pup with an upset stomach). Put the jar in the fridge long enough for the tiny bit of fat to harden, then place the jar on the floor and let your pup lick away. If the jar is the right size, it could drive your dog crazy for quite awhile! Still feeling lazy? Hand over an empty plastic jar of peanut butter and let them go to work.