Fun Projects to do with Your Dog

By Lena Hansen, ZimmVet Pet Hotel and Dog Daycare Manager

If you have a day off from work and are wondering what to do with your day or if everyone in your household is home for the weekend, spend the afternoon creating fun crafts with your dog to get the entire family involved in quality bonding time.

Here are some cute craft ideas to do on a rainy day:

Pawprint Paintings

Using pet safe finger paint, press your dog’s paw in some color and then use it to draw a fun picture to hang on your fridge.  The painting doesn’t have to be just of a pawprint.  You can use the pawprints to form fun themes for holidays, like fireworks and flowers.  Have fun with it and experiment.  But make sure to go slow with your dog so they don’t get stressed out, and always reward with treats throughout the process so it’s fun for them too.

Pawprint Ornaments

You can make these ornaments with simple ingredients in your pantry.  Using ½ cup of salt, ½ cup of flour, and 1/8 cup water, just mix everything together and it will create a moldable dough.  Flatten the dough out to shape how you would like your ornament and make sure it allows for enough space to place your dog’s pawprint.  Take your dog’s paw and press it firmly into the dough.  Then place the ornament in the oven for a couple of hours on a low heat setting (150-200 degrees).  And that’s it.  The dough will harden and create a cute ornament that you or your kids can paint and decorate to put on your tree.

Rope Toys

Your dog might not be able to participate in making this one, but they will surely anticipate the gift once it’s finished.  You can make a rope toy for your dog by cutting strips out of an old shirt or a fleece blanket and braiding them tightly together.  The easiest way is to line up 9 strips and tie them at the top with a secure knot.  Then separate the strips into 3 sections and braid each section together from the knot down.  If you want to create a more advanced rope toy, there are plenty of videos online that will help you create the perfect toy for your beloved pet.