Your four-legged friend may easily become bored in the house while you spend your days at work, running errands, or simply living life. Spice up your pet’s day-to-day routine—and save money while you’re at it—by devoting an afternoon to crafting DIY pet enrichment toys. Here are five ways to create DIY pet toys using items you can find around your home.

#1: Cut up old towels to make a snuffle mat

Cats and dogs have an excellent sense of smell, and sniffing out treats occupies their mind and their time in a fun way. If you have a couple of old towels, you can design a snuffle mat foraging area. A snuffle mat is typically made from a fleece fabric, but you can use any fabric, like old towels or T-shirts. Then, your pet must sniff out the treats hidden inside the “fingers” of the mat, which are long fabric strips.

Cut your fabric into long strips. Ideally, use a sink or other waterproof mat that can become soaked with drool but keep the fabric strips intact. Poke a strip through each hole in the mat, knotting one end. Cover the mat in strips, hide treats throughout the fabric “fingers,” and watch your furry pal root out their snacks.

#2: Carve holes into plastic bottles to create food-dispensing toys

A plastic water bottle or two-liter soda bottle works well as a food-dispensing toy, provided your pet’s jaws are not powerful enough to crush the bottle. Choose a bottle based on your pet’s size and strength, and then cut out small holes around the bottle with a carpenter’s knife. Make the holes slightly larger than your pet’s kibble, but not so large that the food falls out with zero effort. As your pet noses the bottle along the floor, kibble should fall out randomly and keep them intrigued.

#3: Build a seek-and-find game out of cardboard boxes and tubes

Is your house a cemetery for discarded online shopping boxes? Instead of letting all those cardboard boxes pile up, put them to good use by creating fun puzzles for your pet. Snag the box that delivered your pet’s latest commercially produced toy, and line up cardboard tubes inside. Scatter a few small treats inside, and then let your cat attempt to scoop out the treats or kibble with a paw. Or, turn a cardboard box into a canine treat puzzle by tossing treats in a box along with an assortment of tennis balls, and squeaky and stuffed toys, and encourage your pup to root through the items for their snacks.

#4: Stuff a T-shirt with a plastic bottle or ball

Does your dog seem to destroy toys in seconds, no matter their claims of durability? Stop wasting your money on pricey dog toys that are quickly ruined and use up old items around your house. Stuff a ball, squeaky toy, or plastic water bottle inside a T-shirt and tie off the ends. Toss the toy for a game of fetch, or let your pooch gnaw on the toy and delight in the crinkly or squeaky sounds inside. When your mighty-jawed mutt destroys the toy, you won’t be out $20 or more.

#5: Whip up a fishing pole toy 

Fishing pole or wand toys are fun, and can be customized to your pet’s size and intensity level. If your pet plays rough with their toys, use part of a PVC pipe for the pole or wand. Otherwise, you can use a thin wooden stick or dowel rod. Then, tie an engaging toy, such as a catnip mouse, feathers, plush squeaky toy, or a hollow ball with a hole on each end, to the end of the pole with a thick string or rope. Flick the wand near your pet, piquing their interest with the moving object, and then watch them pounce on top of their new toy.

DIY enrichment toys can keep your four-legged friend entertained and engaged physically and mentally—at little cost. You can also enroll your pet in a training or sporting class to exercise their brain and body, and strengthen your bond. If you plan to sign up for a class, schedule an appointment with our Greenfield Veterinary Clinic team prior to their first session to ensure your pet is up to the class activities, and up-to-date on their vaccinations.