Budget-friendly ways to beat boredom and keep your dog amused

Why not reuse old boxes for budget-friendly ways to entertain your dog?

Dogs love variety, but it can be hard to constantly afford all the new toys they might enjoy.

We always seem to get a ton of packaging these days, so don’t just throw it out.

Here are some simple ways to reuse and recycle for entertainment and interaction fun!

Before you start

Safety first: This game is designed to be enjoyed under full supervision. If you know your dog is likely to eat the cardboard or paper, keep a close eye on them and be ready to distract them with a treat.

Check all items for sharp edges, staples or any other hazards and remove these in advance.

Treats: You need long treats! We used dental chews, but choose anything that your dog loves that they can nibble safely. Even a wooden spoon with some doggy peanut butter on the end works well.

Make sure the treat is long enough to allow your dog to put their mouth around it without touching your fingers.

Treat Tracker

A game that lets your dog enjoy pausing and hunting the holes where their treat might appear from! A bit like the game ‘whack-a-mole’ but without moles or any form of whacking, of course.

• Make a series of holes in one side of a cardboard box. The holes need to be large enough that your chosen treat can poke through.
• Allow your dog to see the treat going under the holes and quickly poke it through, waggling it so they can see and smell it.
• Let them have a little taste and then withdraw it, poking it through another hole. The goal is to let your dog learn that they need to watch the holes carefully, rather than snatch or dig.
• Watch for signs that your dog has worked out a strategy! This is an insight into their thinking and how they expect things to work. Are they using their eyes, or their nose, or both?
• Vary the rhythm of making the treat appear, and don’t forget to let your dog ‘win’ from time to time or they will quickly become demotivated.
• Variation for smaller dogs: Stand the box on its side to vary the game. This also helps a short dog reach the goodies more easily!

If your dog gets overexcited and starts to snatch, mouth or dig, ask them to sit calmly for a treat so that their head lifts away from the toy, and reward for this settled reaction. The goal is to hunt for the goodies, not destroy the containers!

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