DIY Dog Toys Using Old Tennis Balls

Have your tennis balls lost their bounce? Try making one of these simple DIY dog toys using old tennis balls.

What do you do when your tennis balls lose their bounce? Old tennis balls are a favorite for pet lovers. Dogs don’t care that a tennis ball has lost it’s bounce. They love to run and fetch regardless of how old the ball is.

However, if you want to step up your toy game a little, I have three simple DIY projects for you to help turn your old tennis balls into dog toys for your four-legged friend. No sewing or glue gun required and the steps are simple enough that kids can help! In just a few minutes time you can have a whole new basket of dog toys for your furry friend!

:: Dog Treat Dispenser

The first of the DIY Dog Toys is the easiest of the three. Just grab an old tennis ball and use an Xacto knife to carefully make a cut along the seam of the ball. I make mine about 2-3” long but you can modify this based on what works best for your pet.

Then stick a few dry dog treats or kibble inside. Toss it to your pet and see if they can figure out how to get the treats out. It takes one of my dogs forever to figure it out and get all the treats out. The other dog does it pretty quickly but loves getting the ball of treats.

:: Ball Toss Toy

These DIY Dog Toys are a fancier version of a simple tennis ball. You can buy these fabric covered balls at pet stores for around $8 or you can make your own using supplies around the house! You need an old t-shirt, a tennis ball and a piece or ribbon or string. That’s it! I used a old t-shirt my boys outgrew.

Simply cut your fabric into 2 wide strips. Mine are about 6″ wide. Lay them out in an X and place your ball in the middle. Wrap the fabric strips around the ball and tie tightly with ribbon on string. Make sure it’s secure by wrapping it around several times. Then I cut each of the 4 pieces hanging down into three parts and braided them tightly.

:: Ball Tug Toy

The final DIY Dog Toys is another copy cat. You can find these at pet stores too but why pay when you can make your own! For this one you only need old t-shirts and a tennis ball. For the example above, I used several different old shirts so the toys would be really colorful but you ca use whatever you have. You really only need one shirt.

Simply cut the shirt into strips. You want to cut a bunch of strips so the toy will be thick and chunky. If you use too few it won’t be sturdy or strong enough for aggressive tuggers. If you cut too many strips you’ll have difficulty tying a secure knot. I recommend 9-12 strips about 3 inches wide. You can then braid the strips as tightly as you can or if you are a little more adventurous you can macrame them into a more unique pattern. Just make sure you are doing it tightly.

Before you tie the final knot, slide an old tennis ball over it. I drilled a quick hole in the top and bottom of the ball but you can just use scissors if you don’t want to break out the drill. Just make sure your hole is smaller than your knot so the ball will stay on.

So there you have it! Three simple DIY Dog Toys using old tennis balls. So next time you walk by the tennis court and see discarded balls or if you have any old ones of your own, gather them up and repurpose them for your favorite 4 legged friend.

Love your pets!? Don’t miss the cute dog feeding station I did in my Budget Laundry Room Makeover! And be sure to Follow Simply Shellie on Facebook and Pinterest for more simple ideas!