Tag Archives: dog toys

Indoor Activities for Stir-Crazy Pets

Bad weather can be tough on pets AND owners — your usual walks or yard time are cut short, sometimes for days on end. How can you keep your pets entertained and yourself sane? Here are a few ideas. Homemade toys can provide a few minutes (or hours) of entertainment so you can get some peace. I’ve been stuffing treats into paper towel tubes and then taping the ends shut, so the dogs have to chew or rip them open. Moose figured out that he can tear the tube on the seam and get to his treats quickly; Lally likes … Continue reading →

Hurt Paw = Sympathy Windfall

I mean to tell you, Murph has not minded his hurt paw very much. Another title for this blog could have easily been: “Murph Makes Out Like a Bandit.” That’s what’s happened ever since Murphy’s fan club got word of his demise. The Vet It all started when my friend Brenda sent Murph a care package. Inside was a note from her dog Mocha hoping Murph would get well soon, as well as a stuffed vet toy. When I thanked her, Brenda emailed me back and said, “I wasn’t really thinking. I guess he can’t really play right now.” “Oh … Continue reading →

DIY Chew Toy

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My brother’s two dogs are super chewers. We often have a hard time finding toys that will survive for more than a few minutes around their powerful jaws! Recently, I wondered if I could make a toy that would stand up to a power chewer. In theory, it isn’t hard to make a dog toy. Just take the fabric of your choosing, sew it into a simple shape like a rectangle or circle, stuff it with cotton batting, and close the hole. Easy, right? But when you’re dealing with power chewers, you have to be even more crafty. You need … Continue reading →

Halloween Tricks and Treats for Pets: Toys

As I was admiring all the cute Halloween costumes for dogs, I also came across some cute Halloween-themed toys. Some of these just might provoke a few tricks from your four-legged friend. Doctors Foster and Smith • Halloween Trio –Ghost, Pumpkin, or Frankenstein: These are smaller toys (six inches) for small and toy breed dogs. But don’t let the name fool you –you don’t get one of each in the “trio.” You have to order them all separately. However, singly they’re $2.99, but buy all three and they’re $2.29 each. • Spooky Musical Odd Toys –Pumpkin, Ghost, or Cyclops: These … Continue reading →

Reusing a Lost Pet’s Stuff

This is just the first of a few blogs I’m planning about reusing the stuff that belonged to another pet. Valorie had asked me about preparing a tank to house a new type of aquarium pet, and I’ll get to that shortly — promise! (That conversation is also what led to the hysterical story of the Turtles in The Hood.) But the question got me thinking about reusing a pet’s stuff. I was devastated when my dog Miko passed away in September, 2003. I gave away what was left of his food and treats that same day — I couldn’t … Continue reading →

Your Yard: Outdoor Areas for Pets

Is your pet outside often? Try these tips. Your Yard Most pets will develop certain habits over time, such as urinating and defecating in the same area. This can create mess and odor and it’s certainly not fun to clean up but it’s better than having these elements all over the yard. If your pet doesn’t have a spot, it is possible to train your pet to stay in the same area. Another handy way to deal with the problem is to keep a bucket of sand handy. Some people use kitty litter even for dogs. Cover the waste and … Continue reading →

The Great Pet Toy Swap

Wayne is always scolding me for spoiling our pets with new toys. It’s true. I do. Murphy, Kitty, and Tabby have so many toys they could play with a different one every day for at least two weeks. (If not maybe a whole month.) But in my partial defense (I say partial because I fully admit sometimes I go overboard with the spending), every toy was bought with them in mind. This is not as obvious a statement as it might seem. What I’m getting at is I know Kitty (and now Tabby) likes to hide in things. Hence the … Continue reading →

Do You Own A Canine Shredder?

A cousin of mine owns a pet store and always brings treats and toys for the dogs at holiday time. Michelle gifted all five dogs in the family — my two dogs, Moose and Lally; my brother’s two dogs, Kuma and Lily; and my parents’ dog Becca — with little squeaky stuffed animals. And the family watched in awe, humor, and horror as Kuma proceeded to mangle her little pink squeaky pig. The first thing to go? The snout. Then an ear, and an arm. Then the white cotton batting inside went flying! My cousin Steve decided it would be … Continue reading →

Crafts to Make for Your Pets

Does your puppy love to play? How about your kitty? Even older dogs and cats enjoy being playful sometimes. These projects will help you make easy toys for your pets: Squeaky Mouse You will need a squeaker from another toy, or a very small toy that contains a squeaker. You will also need some felt. It can be any color you like, but you may want gray or white so it looks more like a mouse. Cut out a circle. Fold it in half. Put the squeaker inside along with some fiberfill (pillow stuffing). Have a grown up help you … Continue reading →

Best Dog Toy Ever!

If you ask my girl Lally, the best toy EVER in the history of squeaky toys is the Freaky Squeaky ball from Zanies. We first encountered Freaky Squeakies at our vet in Vermont. And to be completely honest, the first one to fall in love with the oblong, colorful balls… was me. I thought the little face, the bright colors, and the little high-pitched squeak was TOO CUTE! At first, Lally wasn’t one hundred percent on board with the Freaky Squeakies. But it soon became her number one favorite toy. Your dog may act the same way when he is … Continue reading →