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13 DIY Dog Toys To Make With Things Around Your House (With Pictures)

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By Nicole Cosgrove

dog pulling toy playing

Your puppy or dog may have already made themselves a chew toy from things you didn’t want them to find around your house. Why not make your own dog toys out of items you actually want your pup to have? Save money by recycling regular, everyday objects into a dog toy.

We’ve collected a list of 15 DIY dog toys that teach you how to make dog toys of your very own and from things around your house – including all the supplies you’ll need. You’ll find toys that help with mental stimulation, appease chewers, provide your dog with exercise, and are ideal for puppies.

Keep in mind that you should always monitor your dog’s toys for damage and discard loose pieces that can become choking hazards. If your dog is an aggressive chewer, be selective to choose more durable DIY ideas.

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Top 13 DIY Dog Toys To Make From Things Around Your Home

1. Tennis Ball Foxtail From Instructables Living

Homemade Foxtail-type Toy
Image by: instructables
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Puppies and exercise
  • Materials: Tennis ball, scrap fabric, sewing machine, dental floss, sewing needle, and needle-nose pliers

This fun toy designed by Instructables Living takes tossing a tennis ball to the next level. With some sewing skills, you can make this foxtail for far less money than buying one. If your dog or puppy likes to play fetch, they’ll get plenty of exercise.


2. Water Bottle Treat Puzzle From Proud Dog Mom

DIY Dog Puzzle- Takes Less Than 5 Minutes To Make
Image by: prouddogmom
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Empty water bottle, scissors, and treats

In less than five minutes, you can make a more challenging way for your dog to earn a treat. Simply take an empty water bottle and convert it into a treat puzzle. Your dog will need to figure out how to roll it just right to release the treats through the holes you cut into it.

  • Fun Tip: This puzzle can be used with a washed-out milk jug, which dogs like chewing on

3. PVC Treat Puzzle From Dog Tipper

DIY- How to Make an Interactive Dog Toy
Image by: dogtipper
Description
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: PVC pipe, PVC caps, PVC cement, handsaw, drill, drill bit, sandpaper, rat-tail file, and vise

If you want to make a durable treat puzzle and are handy with tools and have extra PVC pipe taking up space in your garage or shed, you can make this fun, interactive treat puzzle from Dog Tipper. After cutting the PVC pipe to a reasonable length and drilling several holes, cap up one side, add treats or dry kibble, cap closed the other end, and give it to your dog.


4. Ball and Tug Toy From She Knows

Your dog will love this DIY tug toy
Image by: sheknows
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Chewers, puppies, and exercise
  • Materials: Old t-shirt, tennis ball, and scissors

Make this fun chew toy from She Knows in about five to 10 minutes. Made from an old t-shirt and a tennis ball, this DIY project doesn’t require sewing skills. Be sure to click the instructional video for the exact steps. You could also make this toy out of a long sock.


5. Flirt Pole From German Shepherd Corner

How to Make a Flirt Pole for Dogs
Image by: germanshepherdcorner
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Puppies and exercise
  • Materials: PVC pipe, paracord or rope, washers, sports tape, and dog toy

This clever toy from German Shepherd Corner will provide your puppy or active dog with plenty of playtime fun. Follow the five easy steps to make one of your own for your pup.


6. Braided T-shirt Chew Toy From Bark Post

How Do You Make Dog Toys Out Of T-Shirts
Image by: post.bark
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Chewers and puppies
  • Materials: T-shirt and scissors

This braided t-shirt chew toy from Bark Post is easy to make. The soft chewing material eases your puppy’s gums. If you use gently worn t-shirts that still have your scent, your puppy can be comforted from separation anxiety as well.

  • Fun tip: You can make this braid out of rope for more durability

7. Tennis Ball Muffin Tin From Cheerful Hound

Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Muffin tin, dog treats, and 12 tennis balls

For this simple brain teaser created by Cheerful Hound, place one small treat in each or some of the muffin cups and cover each of the muffin cups with a tennis ball. Your dog will need to figure out how to remove the tennis ball and get to the treats.


8. Water Bottle Chew and Toss Toy From Ammo the Dachshund

Birthday Week_ DIY Dog Toys
Image by: ammothedachshund
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Puppies, light chewers, and exercise
  • Materials: Empty water bottle, fabric or bed sheet, and scissors

This post from Ammo the Dachshund has two great DIY ideas for chew toys that you can toss. For the water bottle directions, scroll down to the second part of the article. We chose to feature the water bottle DIY craft for its crunchy sound and texture that your puppy or dog should enjoy enormously.

  • Fun tip: You can substitute a sock or a t-shirt for the fabric

9. Knotted Denim Chew Toy From Instructables Living

Denim Dog Toy1
Image by: instructables
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Chewers and puppies
  • Materials: Old denim jeans and scissors

Take your old denim jeans and turn them into a sturdy chew toy for your dog. Instructables Living has easy-to-follow steps with helpful photos. Your dog should get much satisfaction out of gnawing the denim knot. You can knot other materials such as dish towels or socks.

  • Fun tip: On a hot day, soak the knot in water and freeze it before giving it to your dog

10. Tennis Ball Treat Puzzle From Instructables Living

Easy & Cheap Dog Toy
Image by: instructables
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Tennis ball, serrated steak knife or utility knife, and treats

This super simple idea from Instructables Living gives your dog a modest challenge to get their treats. Make a cut or a crosscut into the tennis ball, pop in a treat or two, and test your dog’s problem-solving skills.

  • Fun tip: You can hide treats in the fingers of an old glove

11. Toilet Paper Roll Treat Puzzle From Instructables Living

DIY Treat Dog Puzzle1
Image by: instructables
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Toilet paper roll and treats

Instructables Living offers a fun place to hide treats: a toilet paper roll. Follow the easy instructions for how to fold the ends, and you’ll have a toilet paper roll burrito to keep your dog busy for a short while.


12. Toilet Paper Roll Boredom Buster From Club Dogue

DIY Dog Boredom Buster _ Interactive Dog Toy
Image by: dogue
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Toilet paper rolls, container such as an empty butter tub or plastic bowl, and treats

You’ll need to collect several toilet paper rolls for this treat puzzle from Club Dogue. This challenge involves assembling the toilet paper rolls vertically in a container, dropping some treats into the open ends, and placing this whole setup on the floor for your dog to have at it.


13. Pulling Fabric Toy From Club Dogue

Make Your Own Interactive Dog Toy
Image by: dogue
Description
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Best Suited for: Mental stimulation
  • Materials: Dog chew toy, old socks or fabric scraps, and dog treats

For this interactive idea from Club Dogue, you’ll need a dog chew toy with open spaces. After wrapping a dog treat in a smaller size sock or a piece of fabric recycled from an old t-shirt, stuff it into the opening of the chew toy. Repeat filling and stuffing until nearly all the openings on the toy are filled. Your dog should be occupied for at least as long as it took you to learn how to make a dog toy.

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Featured Image Credit: Josh Sorenson, Pexels

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