If you’re like me, you’ve amassed dozens (hundreds?) of dog toys. It’s time to call a halt to the madness. My friend Terri shared her fun idea: “I save all my cardboard product containers and fill up a grocery store paper bag. I put a treat in each recyclable box, pack the boxes back in the bag, and then let the dogs go at them!” What great mayhem! My pup Peaches thanks you, Terri!
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| Peaches' new favorite game is tearing apart recyclable boxes, looking for treats. |
Or try Janet’s way to beat the high cost of noisy toys: “Our puppy likes to play with empty water bottles. We remove the cap, the plastic ring and the label, and he carries them around the house crunching them lol.”
Marianne has an alternative to those expensive beginner’s puzzles: “An old muffin tin and tennis balls can be used as a puzzle (with a treat under one tennis ball, or ALL the tennis balls).”
And about those treats… There’s nothing better than homemade, but we need to avoid handing out Oreo-sized dog cookies, especially if games are going to last a while. The blog “Eileen and Dogs” has a great idea for repurposing a silicone mold so you can easily make 500 tiny treats!
My senior collie rescue, Eddie, is finding it difficult to make the 5-inch step from my back porch to my kitchen. I searched all the dog product sites, looking for a ramp. My goodness, those dog ramps are expensive -- and not entirely secure for a big, elderly dog. Instead, I found an industrial ramp that movers use at curbside. This heavy-duty rubber ramp costs much less than the pet products, and after a few tentative tries Eddie can now walk into the house like the dignified gentleman he is.
Deb shared her repurposing idea for helping her senior dogs into the car. “I repurposed my mounting block from horseback riding so Emily could get on the bed and into the car. Even better, Gail discovered the value of applying non-slip tape to it. It was the best idea ever. P.S., I’m not promoting this as a dog chew toy, LOL.”
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| Deb's smooth collie Maple loves the mounting block! |
So, what are some of your repurposing successes? Post them in the comment section, or send them to us at cpcrnblog@gmail.com. We’d love to share more ideas!
I go to Goodwill or another thrift store and find child size long-sleeved sweatshirts that will fit my Cairns for just a couple dollars. I cut off the cuffs so you can put their front legs through the sleeves and then I cut out a rectangle on the back for their private areas. That leaves whatever pattern is on the front of the sweatshirt on their back and they look adorable and best of all, very cosy.
ReplyDeleteI encourage my small nephews and nieces to send their used stuffed toys to my dogs. Right before Christmas each year the mothers and children sort through their toys and decide which ones they can live without. Some toys (Hot Wheels, etc.) go to a charity that collects such things and the stuff toys are bagged and brought to my dogs. They always check to make sure the toys have no 'bean bags' in them, and no details that could be pulled off and choke they pups. The dog boys love having these used toys (are they extra smelly?) and the children love to see the dogs playing with them when they come to visit my house.
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