Again, after last week’s heavy content I wanted to keep things light and fun… and less wordy this week.
So, I figured, what’s more fun than talking dog toys!? In a house with multiple dog, I’ve found myself buried under toys sometimes. I often have to get multiples of the same type of toy (because if one has fuzzy dot toy, they ALL want a fuzzy dot toy), more tennis balls than you can shake a stick at, and a crazy number of interactive toys/games. Hundreds and hundred of dollars worth of toys. Some are more well loved than others… some last longer than others… and some hardly ever leave the toy box (and have been demoted to bag of unloved toys in the closet). All that money spent on special toys, doodads, and gadgets and what are the things they love to play with the most (almost, frisbees and tennis balls are the top two toys in our house)? The freebie or repurposed toys.
Earlier this year we replaced an old garden hose with a longer one to reach our garden better. Well, I didn’t want to just toss this hose so I took pruning shears to it and cut it into 12-18in sections to use as toys. These recycled bits of rubber have become a favorite toy of Shayne (who is a tugging maniac). I’ve started using them for foundational frisbee practice because she goes after them with all the enthusiasm as her discs.
Even she’s doing her part to be green and help the earth… right? So here are a few other recycled toys we use… empty plastic bottles (crushed up or used as a treat dispensing toy), plastic bottle covers made out of old jeans, old socks (with knots tied into them), old t-shirts (either with some knots or torn and braided), cardboard boxes, old hand towels (rolled up and turned into tug toys), and old coffee cans that can be used as treat dispensing toys. These are just a few of the ways that my pups are going green (and saving me some green!).
Such a happy face chewing on the garden hose! She’s so proud of herself, it’s cute!
Shayne loves to be able to really sink her teeth into the soft rubber of the garden hose.
Tug, tug, tugging on the hose! This is a longer piece, but I like the bigger target when doing some frisbee foundation practice.
Shayne is taking a rest after practicing some “overs” and an intense game of tug!
Success Just Clicks 
These are fab photos of Shayne. You can tell she’s thoroughly enjoying her new tug toy!
I love the idea of repurposing a garden hose into a dog toy. I’ve recently been looking into more DIY toys and this is a very clever idea!
Thanks! She has thoroughly enjoyed them! I cut up the whole length of the hose and am giving them out to neighbors with dogs LOL… i’m also looking into using them in a new tug toy… but that’s a new adventure
Cohen’s favourite tug is a re-purposed scarf my aunt gave me.
My aunt lives in the middle of no where on the west coast, and she makes items out of old lobster nets. She sent me a golden lobster-net scarf a few years ago, which, while very thoughtful, I never once wore.
On a whim a few months ago I tested it out as a dog toy, and the dog loooooved it. I tied it up into something that looked slightly more like a tug, and went nuts. Firstly, its nice and loose, so she can really hook her teeth in there and hold on for dear life. Secondly it’s incredibly strong — even with all the tugging it’s still as good as new.
I’m not sure my aunt would be thrilled hearing about how her craft has been demoted to a dog toy, but I think someone could probably sell quite a few of these lobster net/dog tug toys if they desired.
I wont tell her if you dont tell her! LOL! i think it’s so funny what entertains the dogs and what they enjoy playing with… sometimes it’s just so random. The lobster netting is an interesting idea… very cool!
That’s a great idea! Wish I had thought of it when my husband ran over our hose with the snowblower this winter and destroyed it. LOL!
We reuse quite a bit. Socks are a favorite here. When socks are no longer fit for duty they get a cleaning and become puppy toys. Roll them together and they are a chew toy. Pull them and they become a doggy tug toy.
What an awesome idea. How do you make the treat dispenser out of coffee cans?
If you have the old metal cans, you can cut holes in the plastic lids and then tape the lids on to the can (if you have tools and can put holes in the metals can that works as well, but not everyone has the tools necessary. If you have the new plastic ones you can cut wholes in the can and then tape the lid on and let the dogs roll around the can *if you have a powerful chewer this may not work so well, Shayne just destroys the whole can.. LOL.