Don't want to spring for an expensive puzzle toy for your dog's enrichment? Here are some crafty options you can make for free out of items you already have around your house.
We love interactive feeder toys for increasing dogs' enrichment time, slowing down their meals, and giving them an outlet for their chewing and licking instincts. But we'll be the first to admit that they can get a little expensive! And it's always annoying when you spend $25 on a puzzle toy for your dog only to have them solve it in three minutes flat, then never want to touch it again.
So here at Casper's Capers, we love the DIY, craftier options you can make out of stuff you already have at home—stuff that may even be sitting in your trash right now. Here are five of the cheapest, easiest, and quickest food puzzles you can make for your dog.
Towel Roll Up
This is the simplest puzzle toy you can make for your dog. Just lay out an old towel on the ground, sprinkle treats in a row along one edge of the towel, and start rolling. Add more treats for every roll. Then present the rolled-up towel for your dog to unroll.
Once they get familiar with the game, you can roll the towel on the long edge and tie it into a knot before giving it to your dog. The best part? Unlike a lot of these interactive feeder toys made of shreddable paper and cardboard, there's very little clean up involved.
Paper Bag Puzzle
Don't overthink things when it comes to your dog's enrichment. Dogs love to shred! Got a paper bag with your takeout? Make sure to remove any staples or receipts, then lay it flat, throw some kibble or treats inside (a mixture is best, so your dog is always surprised by what they find!) and roll it up. Your dog will shred and sniff, trying to get all the goodies out. Warning: this one can get a little messy. You'll probably end up with something like this:
That's the sign of a satisfied dog! Watch to make sure your dog isn't actively eating the paper, but most dogs tend to spit it out. And luckily, if they do ingest some brown paper, it won't be the end of the world.
Paper Towel Tube Toy
Don't throw away those cardboard toilet paper and paper towel tubes! To make them into a DIY dog toy, push in one side of the tube to form a flat-ish bottom. Sprinkle in a few treats, then close up the second side. Your dog will love shredding it apart to get at the treats inside. As with the last one, just be careful to watch them and ensure they don't consume the cardboard.
Egg Carton Puzzle
To start, grab a cardboard egg carton from the recycling bin and open it up. Sprinkle treats or kibble throughout. If your dog hasn't done any food puzzles before, you'll want to give it to them open or just barely closed. Then, once they understand that there are treats inside, you can close the carton before you give it to them. Add some rolled up paper inside each cup to add more challenge! Again, you'll want to supervise your dog to make sure they don't ingest any pieces.
Muffin Tin Puzzle
Get an empty muffin tin (or mini muffin tin!). Sprinkle treats or kibble throughout. Like the egg carton puzzle, if your dog is new to food puzzles you'll want to keep it easy initially. Present them with the muffin tin of treats as it is. As your dog gets more familiar with the game, you can place tennis balls or rolled up paper on top of the treats to make it more challenging.
You can use this technique with almost any kind of packaging that has divots in it—my dog's favorite is this cardboard packaging that came with a case of wine. I just sprinkle a mixture of treats and kibble in, put some stuff on top to make it a little more challenging, and he goes wild.
Puzzle Box
This one is a great way to get the most out of your recycling bin. Take a cardboard box and gather packing paper and/or your dog's toys. Crinkle up the paper, and spread the toys out. Sprinkle treats or kibble throughout. If your dog is a beginner, give them the box open to rifle through. As they get better at the game, try closing the box or nestling multiple boxes together! Note: we like cardboard boxes for their tearability, but you can also use a plastic tub or bin.
Want to talk more about enrichment, or need help dealing with your dog's evening witching hour? Book a session with us today!
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