DIY Pet Toys for the Holidays!

We all have seen our pet’s light up when we bring home a new toy.  They are important for our pets especially during the busy holiday season when we’re busy getting ready for company or travel.  Let’s go over some of the benefits of toys for our pets and also check out a few DIY pet toys we can make (or a project to keep the human kids busy too!) for them for the holidays! 

Mental Stimulation

Animals experience a mental stimulation in the same way that we do when we are faced with a challenging puzzle or game; pets are extremely smart, therefore, they need to have that type of stimulation in order to exercise their brains, and develop their cognitive skills. Our pets are great at learning new skills, and they love to learn new things, again, just like we do.

To make a DIY toy for mental stimulation, you can take a tennis ball and slice a small hole in it and put their treats inside! They’ll love chewing on it and having treats come out!

You can make a more advanced version, check out this PVC pipe with holes cut in it to dispense treats. 

Helps with Being Alone

A lot of pets, especially dogs, prefer to be in the company of others, whether that is people or other animals, and if they spend too much time alone then boredom or anxiety can start to kick in. However, having plenty of toys around to keep your pet occupied will allow them to focus on this instead of worrying that they are alone, or even stop them from thinking about what other things around your house they can get their paws on.

Remember to schedule your dog for some time at dog daycare at Creekside Pet Hotel too!  This can be a great way to keep them from getting bored while you’re running errands and getting your holiday shopping done.  You can also sign them up for Yappy Hour/Meow Hour!

Check out this DIY Water Bottle Dog Toy you or your kids can easily make. You just need an old sock and a water bottle! It’s a good way to get rid of those old socks so you’ve been needing to ditch! This toy’s a bit noisy though.

Toys are FUN!

Like kids, pets want to have fun with toys too! We might not understand why pushing a ball around the house or tugging on a piece of rope for an hour is entertaining, but your pet is having a good time! Playing with toys is a little piece of added excitement for them, especially when they receive a new one!

There are also some great DIY toys you can make for your cat as well. If your cat loves swatting at things, they’ll love this DIY Turbo Track Cat Toy. Positive Feelings

Your pet will experience all kinds of positive feelings when they are playing, and you will see their mood increase whenever you show them a toy because toys make them truly happy. Playing with toys keeps them calm and relaxed because in those moments they are in their happy place. As a bonus, you will have an even more positive relationship with your pet, because after all, you are the giver of toys and they love you more than anyone!

If your dog loves rope toys, try making them a rope toy from fleece. Check out this Square Knot Fleece Dog Rope Toy. They’re really inexpensive and your dog can play with them alone or with you tugging at it!

Pet Toys and the Holidays

It is clear that toys are an essential part of being a pet owner, it keeps them happy, stress-free and busy, which is the perfect mood for your pet to be in during an extraordinarily busy and stressful time like the holidays. During the holidays, your home can be filled with more people than usual, perhaps there are more noises and louder music than normal, and the environment is just generally a busier one; but by ensuring your pet has enough toys to keep them relaxed and entertained, they will be able to get through the holidays just as well as you do.

Make sure you book their dog daycare at Creekside Pet Hotel, so they have plenty of playtime and are ready to get lots of naps when they get back home. If you’re heading out of town, book their boarding stay now, we can get really busy this time of year and you want to make sure they’re on the schedule.