4 DIY enrichment Activities For Dogs Using Egg Cartons
For those that don’t know, I have a dog named Annie who is a cattle dog/aussie/pointer mix who is too smart for her own good! Now, don’t get me wrong, her being smart is extremely fun and we get to do a ton of cool things together. But, she also can use her smarts for evil (ha!) and get into things like the trash can or anything else she can find when she gets bored.
It was Annie who really introduced me to enrichment activities for dogs. Since then I have taken this deep dive into canine enrichment and have discovered so many fun dog enrichment activities that both my dogs enjoy, and I have created many DIY dog enrichment activities using household items dog owners already have! This post is about exactly that.
Below I’m sharing 4 DIY enrichment activities for dogs using egg cartons that can be made in under five minutes! For these activities, I do recommend using cardboard egg cartons (mine are from Aldi because #ballinonabudget ha!) since plastic ones don’t work as great for all of the DIY dog enrichment ideas.
1. DIY “Muffin Pan” Enrichment Idea
The first DIY dog enrichment idea is a alternative take on the class Muffin Pan DIY dog enrichment activity. Since not everyone might have a muffin pan, I wanted to create another version so everyone could try this fun enrichment activity for dogs! To get started all you need is an egg carton, your dog’s food or treats and some small toys like tennis balls, small plush toys, etc.
P.S. If you want to see the classic DIY dog puzzle game + find other easy DIY dog enrichment ideas, check out my most popular dog enrichment post: 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Ideas To Combat Dog Cabin Fever.
Here’s how to make:
Step 1: Grab your egg carton & open it up.
Step 2: Drop in your dog’s treats or food into the holes.
Step 3: Cover the holes with your dog’s toys.
Give to your dog and watch them enjoy!
Even though I have two large/extra large breed dogs, what I love about this version, is that if you do have a smaller breed dog, I personally think this version is a great option since you can fit their smaller tennis balls or toys in the egg carton!
Note: With this DIY dog enrichment idea and all of the dog enrichment activities shared in this post, always supervise your dog. It is ok for your dog to rip apart the egg carton, but it is never ok for them to eat it. Also, after reading each idea, determine which ones you think would be best for your dog. For example, Annie gets more of the puzzle type since she loves to problem solve, whereas my boy Diesel will get some of the easier puzzles & destruction ideas since he tends to go that route instead, ha!
2. DIY Dog Treat Dispenser
The second DIY dog enrichment idea is to turn your egg carton into a DIY dog treat dispenser! If you’ve seen my post about 3 DIY Dog Treat Dispensers, you know that this could go either way: ripped up or used as a treat dispensing dog toy! Since every dog is different, the best things you can do is to supervise their play. Plus, I have a few tips below that will help keep it as a treat dispensing toy (but no promises, ha!).
For this DIY dog treat dispenser, you’ll need an egg carton, scissors, heavy duty tape and your dog’s food or treats.
Here’s how to make:
Step 1: Grab your egg carton & scissors and begin cutting holes throughout.
Pro Tip: Make sure the holes are big enough for the treats to come out! If they’re too small, your dog is more likely to rip it apart to get the treats out since they won’t come out themselves. Speaking from experience, ha!
Step 2: Fill the egg carton with your dog’s food or treats.
Step 3: Secure the egg carton with heavy duty tape. I would do the front and the sides, just make sure you’re not taping over any holes!
Give to your dog and watch them enjoy!
This DIY homemade dog puzzle toy also doubles as a fun scenting game for dogs since your dog will have to use their nose in order to determine if there are still treats inside. Easily use this in place of your dog’s bowl to create a DIY slow feeder dog bowl or use it as a fun dog enrichment activity to do throughout the week!
3. DIY Scenting Game For Dogs
The third DIY dog enrichment idea is to create your very own DIY scenting game for dogs! I love doing nose work games for dogs with Annie and Diesel because it’s a great way to tap into their natural instincts and let them use their nose to find extra savory tips.
Pro Tip: Make sure for this dog enrichment idea that you’re using a more smelly treat. For any sniffing games for dogs, having something that’s very savory or smelly (I love using fish treats, like these Alaskan Cod Chips from Polkadog) will help them find the reward faster, especially if you use my added challenge tip below.
For this, all you need is an egg carton and some smelly treats.
Here’s how to make:
Step 1: Grab your egg carton, treats and invite your dog over to you.
Step 2: Let your dog smell the treats so they can establish the scent.
Step 3: Place the treats in the egg carton in front of your dog. Allowing them to see this step when first starting out is helpful for introducing the game.
Step 4: “Hide” the egg carton filled with treats only a few feet in front of them.
Step 5: Ask them them to “Find It” and praise them when they do! This begins introducing the “Find It” command and it shows them that they did the game correctly.
Added Challenge Tip: Once you’ve done this a few times in the same room/in close proximity, then you can begin to move it a bit farther away. Again, this is where having those smelly treats is important! You won’t have to show them filling it every time from here on out, but I do recommend allowing them to smell what they will be finding so that they know exactly what they’re looking for!
4. DIY Destruction Dog Enrichment Activity
The last DIY dog enrichment idea, and one of my boy Diesel’s favorites, is the destruction dog enrichment activity. Now, you might be thinking, what is the point of letting my dog destroy something? Aren’t we trying to prevent that? Not necessarily!
Think about when your dog finds a stick or chews on a bone, that act of chewing and destroying something releases tension and is a fun, relaxing activity for your dog. The same applies here! I do regular puzzles with Diesel and Annie all the time, but every now and then it’s fun to just give them something that they’re allowed to rip up and have fun with.
For this dog enrichment idea, all you need is an egg carton, your dog’s food or treats and heavy duty tape (optional).
Here’s how to make:
Step 1: Grab your egg carton & fill with your dog’s food or treats
Step 2: Secure with tape all around (optional)
Give to your dog and let them destroy! With this idea, there’s no need to do any scent holes or take any extra steps (which is why the tape is optional). This is purely for total egg carton destruction fun, ha!
Since this activity can go rather quickly, this one can be fun to pair with another dog enrichment activity or DIY dog scenting game that requires more problem solving that you know your dog won’t destroy!
What did you think of these 4 DIY dog enrichment activities using egg cartons? I try to create as many DIY scenting games for dogs and DIY homemade puzzle dog toys because there really is so much fun we can have with our dogs with everyday household items that we’re already buying!
If you loved these enrichment ideas for dogs, and are a huge fan of dog enrichment activities, check out some of my favorite posts featuring some more fun DIY puzzle toys for dogs, Lickimat recipes, KONG filling ideas, and more:
- 3 Easy Dog Lick Mat Ideas
- 3 DIY Dog Treat Dispensers
- 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Ideas To Combat Dog Cabin Fever
- 3 Dog Enrichment Activities Using Toilet Paper Rolls
- 3 DIY Puzzle Toys For Dogs
- 3 Easy Scenting Games For Dogs
- 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother
- 3 Snuffle Toys For Dogs
- DIY Snuffle Mat Ball: JW HOLEE Roller Ball Dog Toy Idea
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Photography: Kate Kelley Collection