How can recycling keep your pet entertained?

We’ve all been there with the recycling.

 

Whether you turn around in the kitchen to find a milk bottle in the middle of the floor or you’re fighting your way out the back door with someone trying to pinch the edge of a pizza box.

A playful pup wants to be involved in everything that you’re doing, and they think it’s a bonus if there’s something to run off with!

 

So what can we do to interject a little something extra into their lives?

 

We all like to recycle and do our bit for the environment, so let’s get one more use out of those recyclables before they leave.

 

Here’s 5 ideas for common household items that can give your pet something new to play with:

 

Milk bottle on a String
 

This is the easiest of our five. Thread a string through the lid of a milk bottle and tie a knot. Some pups will find this plenty of entertainment. The best noises are made from them running round, towing it or just giving the soft plastic a chew. If your dog needs a little bit more entertainment, then push some tasty treats or even some of their dried food into the bottle before putting the lid back on. Make sure to pierce another hole for the treats to fall out, but be warned, this will double the noise that can be made!

 

The Egg Box Challenge
 

Half a dozen or a dozen, it doesn't matter. Grab some old envelopes or newspaper too. Open the egg box and screw up whatever paper you have into pieces big enough to fill each section. Take a treat or two and place them under the paper. Ask your pooch to search and let them find their reward!

If you have a super intelligent pup, be selective and only use a couple of treats. If they need a little extra help to grasp the concept, put a treat in each section until they understand what to do.

 

The Ultimate Sock Ball
 

Have you put on a pair of socks recently to find there's an uncomfortable hole in one?

Grab the other, put the unlucky one inside and tie a knot. This is great for your pooch as it harbours some of your scent which is comforting for them if you’re leaving them for the first time. It’s soft, a great shape and can be tossed and tugged around without any worries.

 

The Cardboard Box
 

We’ve used an egg box and newspaper, but a cardboard box can be hours of entertainment. With the increase in home deliveries it’s likely we’ve all got more than one box lying around. You can fill this with all your pets toys, just tennis balls, tissue paper, plastic recycling, anything you can find that your pooch can dig around in.

 

Another great game to play is paws up. Turn your cardboard box upside down and sit with your dog next to it. Ask your dog to put one paw on the box, then two. This is equally good for younger and older dogs. It will keep your puppy’s mind stimulated and for an older dog it will be a great stretching exercise.

 

The Hose Frisbee
 

If you’re still feeling that lockdown boredom or are feeling extra inventive then this is a special one for you. Grab a length of hose, piece of fabric or an old t-shirt and a short branch. Bring the two ends of the hose together to form a ring. Your branch should be thick enough to act as a connector by inserting into each end of the hose and pushing together. Once you’ve formed a ring, cut your fabric to fit the center with some ties. A great frisbee that won’t cause disappointment if it is chewed. If you give this a go and it just doesn’t want to work, tie the hose into a knot to make an equally fun tug toy!

 

Although the recycling men won’t be wanting to take your socks, it will give them another use before they leave your home. But with our other suggestions, once your dog has played till their heart's content, they can go straight back in the recycling!

 

 

This was quite dog owner focused, but our cardboard box digging, milk bottle on a string and egg box challenge can be great for any engaging cats too. Empty toilet roll tubes can also be great fun for batting around because they’re so light, and who hasn’t tried a rolled up piece of silver foil!

 

We wish every hand and paw in your household to continue staying safe. If you give any of our ideas a try - upload your pictures and tag us so we can spread the joyfulness too!

 

A little disclaimer note:

 

Pets should always be supervised with any toy given to them. If you create toys yourself, be doubly diligent to insure nothing is unintentionally swallowed!