Do It Yourself! Ways to Engage Your Dog
The trend of “Do It Yourself” projects – or DIY – has grown tremendously over the past few years, especially through social media. There are so many things that are cheaper or more fun to make yourself rather than buying something already made. DIY projects to complete for or with your dog can be a great way to introduce some extra enrichment into your dog’s – and your family’s – life.
There are many dog DIY projects involving treats, ranging from homemade treats to DIY puzzle feeders. When doing anything DIY with food, always check to make sure the ingredients involved are dog safe; check out our blog Summer Safety: Keeping Your Dog Safe from Toxic Foods or search online to make sure the foods used are not toxic for dogs. It is also important to remember that while food DIY projects can be very fun, moderation is key. Your dog should not be getting more than 10% of their daily calories from treats. If you have a project planned using kibble, you could remove the portion of kibble from their meals. This way your dog is still receiving the same amount of food, just delivered in different portions. One way to use kibble in a DIY project is to put a few pieces of kibble in each cup of a muffin pan, then place a tennis ball on the cup. You have now created a puzzle feeder, which allows your dog to exercise their mind as they have to remove the ball to access the treats. Another way to make your own puzzle feeder is to tie a bunch of fleece strips together to make a mat with the fleece strips sticking out. Then, tuck kibble under the fleece strips. Your dog will have to sniff around the fleece and dig out the kibble.
One of the simplest DIY puzzle feeders is to simply cut a small hole in a tennis ball and fill it with some kibble. Your dog will have to learn how to move the ball so the kibble falls out. You can also make treats at home that are cheaper and healthier than store bought dog treats. One of the easiest DIY dog treats is simply freezing cut up watermelon. Watermelon is a safe and healthy treat – in moderation – for dogs, and freezing it helps it last longer as your dog is chewing it. You can also soak carrots in chicken or beef broth and then freeze them. This treat is crunchy and allows dogs to gnaw at it, which will entertain them for longer. Just make sure the broth you use does not contain any garlic or onion as both are toxic for dogs. There are also many dog biscuit recipes available, often made using peanut butter and oats. This is a fun activity for kids, too; they can help make the dough and cut out fun shapes prior to baking. Furthermore, these recipes often contain ingredients that are safe for human consumption, so it is okay if they accidentally ingest some of the dough. Your kids can then help with training, too, by using the homemade treats for that purpose.
There are many DIY projects that do not directly involve treats, which are great for dogs that have a stricter diet. One that can be fun for your dog and benefit you is a scratch board. All you need to do is glue or tape sandpaper to a small piece of plywood (1’ by 1’ should be big enough for even larger dogs). Start with a finer grit sandpaper, then adjust as needed based on your dog’s nails. Train them to scratch at the board by using positive reinforcement (praise, playtime, treats, etc.) every time they scratch the board. This helps to file the nails on your dog’s front paws. Many dogs are sensitive to their paws being touched. This DIY reduces the need to hold their paws to trim their nails, making it less stressful for your dog and much easier for you to complete this task. You can also make DIY toys for your dog. If you have any old t-shirts, cut them up into strips and braid the strips together. This is another project you can easily include kids in. They can experiment with the type of braid or knot they want to use, as well as which t-shirts and colors they want to put together. If you have a dog that is rough on toys, use more strips of t-shirt or extra knots to help make it more durable.
Another way to utilize old clothes is to tie a bunch of socks together to make a rope toy. You can also put an old sock over a plastic water bottle and tie it shut; the crinkle noise from the bottle will keep your dog entertained. It is important to remember to supervise anytime you give your dog a toy, especially a DIY one. Letting your dog play with these toys unsupervised could lead to them ingesting t-shirt scraps or socks that could cause an obstruction in their digestive system.
DIY projects can be used to help your dog exercise. One way to do this is to make an obstacle or agility course. You do not need to buy a bunch of equipment for this. Instead, use objects you already have, such as chairs, bean bags, and step stools. Items for kids, such as a ball pit or fabric tunnel, can also be great additions. Arrange your chosen objects for your dog to run through and reward them for completing the course. Your dog may need some assistance the first couple times they go through the course, but eventually they should be able to run through it on their own. You can also create a game of hide and seek for your dog. Place empty boxes around an area where your dog can run around. In one of the boxes, hide some treats or toys. Then, allow your dog to run around and search for the box with the reward. Start by doing this in a small area and guide your dog to the boxes to show them their goal involves the boxes. Eventually, you can do this in a large area so your dog has to run between each box to find the reward. Exercise is important for a dog, so finding ways like these DIYs to mix up your routine can help make it more fun!
The website It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken has an easy 3 ingredient dog treat recipe that can be made in under an hour. Find it here: Easy Homemade Dog Treats
The Spruce Crafts has a list of more DIY projects. See it here: 14 DIY Projects to Make for Your Dog
The American Kennel Club has a page with a list of their articles about dog DIYs. Find it here: DIY Projects
Have fun getting creative with your pups!
