DIY Christmas gifts for dogs
Giving gifts to family and friendsGiving gifts to family and friends is simply part of Christmas. But what about your beloved four-legged friend, who accompanies you every day and is simply the best friend you could ever wish for? We think: Our furry friends and felines deserve something truly special. Instead of buying toys for your four-legged companion, you can easily make them yourself.
Snuffle mat: homemade
Food games not only increase activity during feeding, but are also great for your pet's mind. Through strategic searching for food, your furry friend is optimally challenged and kept busy. At the same time, your pet relies on its nose and can improve its sniffing skills.
So you don't have to buy an expensive toy, you can easily make one yourself. For a snuffle mat, you’ll need:
an old blanket
rags and towels or other fabric scraps
sewing kit
To attach the old fabric scraps to the blanket, simply sew them close together and overlapping. Make sure as many scraps as possible overlap, so you can hidedry food or treats in between.
Fleece tug toy
Some pets are only semi-interested in squeaky chickens or mice on a string. If your four-legged friend prefers tug games, you’re in the right place. Playing with a tug toy can help your pet burn off excess energy. It’s important with these games that you decide when to start and stop to prevent things from getting out of hand or rebellious reactions from your pet.
For a DIY tug toy, you’ll need:
fleece (an old blanket or fabric scraps)
ruler and scissors
clothespin or bag clip
Let’s get started! Depending on the size you want, cut out4 fleece strips, each between 40 and 80 centimeters long. The strips should be about 10-12 cm wide. Stack the four strips on top of each other and secure one end with a clip. Then lay out the strips in a "+" shape to each other. As you braid, imagine that each strip points to a direction on the compass.
Start with the west strip and lay it over the north strip. Then lay that one over the east strip. Lay the east strip over the south strip. Now pull the south strip through the loop made by the west strip. Pull everything tight so a knot forms. Repeat these steps until you can’t knot the fleece strips any further. Done!
Plush and toss toy made from socks
For the cuddle bears and fetch lovers among us, here’s how to make your own toss plush toy.
You’ll need:
old socks
cord
scissors
optional: sewing kit
Take an old sock and stuff the toe area with as many other socks as you can until the sock forms a sort of large ball-shaped head shape. Now pull two socks over the ball—you can choose a nice color or an attractive pattern here—and then tie as tightly as possible a cord under the sock ball. Cut the remaining part under the ball into evenly sized strips. Always braid three strips together and tie a knot at the end to make the toy more durable. If you want, you can sew eyes onto the toy to turn it into an octopus!
