You have heard people talking about making their own dog toys out of items they have in their home, but are homemade dog toys safe? Sure, you want to save money, but not if it could potentially injure your pet. Here are a couple of things to consider if you are thinking of making your own homemade dog toys.

How Your Dog Plays With Their Toys

Not all dogs play with their toys the same way. Some dogs can have toys that will last months while others can destroy a toy in minutes. The first step in determining if homemade dog toys are safe for your pet is to find out how they play. If your dog can chew through anything in a matter of minute, you may want to think twice before you allow them to play with a homemade dog toy. Some Commercial toys are made specifically to stand up to aggressive or “power” chewers, but the materials found in your home probably will not be as durable. Also, if your dog is prone to eating or swallowing pieces of their toys, a homemade dog toy might be dangerous for them.

Materials Used For Homemade Dog Toys

Some of the materials you find in your home would not be safe to make a homemade dog toy from. These items may seem harmless enough, but they could harm your pet. For example, you should avoid using plastic bottles that had chemicals or cleaners in it as well as some food containers even if they are cleaned out. There could be residue left over that could be dangerous. However, a plastic soda bottle would be safe to use after it is thoroughly rinsed out. Also, any item that could break into pieces or splinter should not be used.

Are You Encouraging Bad Behavior?

One of the biggest things to think about when wondering if homemade dog toys are safe is whether or not you are encouraging your dog to play with “forbidden” items. If you decide to turn an old pair of sneakers or jeans into a homemade dog toy, your pet will probably think of all sneakers and jeans as toys. While this is not always the case, it is something to consider. Your dog will not understand why you are angry with them for chewing up your $100 pair of shoes if you keep giving them a toy made out of a shoe.

Pay Attention

A good way to make sure homemade dog toys are safe is to experiment with a few different types of toys and watch how your dog plays with them. Some types may work and some may not, but you will never know if you do not try them out! If it isn’t going to cost you anything, why not give it a try? Just make sure you supervise your pet until you know how safe the homemade dog toy will be for them .

Learning more about how your dog plays will help you determine if homemade dog toys are safe for them to play with. Think twice about the materials you are using to make your own dog toys and keep an eye on your dog until you are sure they will not harm themselves. Be careful about what you are giving your dog to play with. If it is a “forbidden” item, you might not want to make a homemade dog toy out of it. If you are still asking yourself if homemade dog toys are safe for your pet, consider asking your vet.