Puppies can be expensive. While far less expensive than other hobbies, dogs – especially puppies – come with expenses that can add up quickly. Walking the aisles of a pet supply store, it is easy to get the feeling that expensive puppy toys are a necessary expense. However, there are many options for inexpensive puppy toys that work great for young dogs. Some may actually be laying around your apartment right now.
Cheap Toys
Most dog owners know the feeling of bringing home an expensive new toy for your dog, only to find that the dog is more interested in chewing on the packaging than the toy itself. While we do recommend many commercial dog toys, many inexpensive puppy toys will do just fine.
Puppies often find the things you least want chewed to make their toys. Chew training a different, and more complex topic covered in depth in this post.
Rope
A two-foot length of rope with a knot tied on each end may seem drab to us humans. To a puppy it ticks all the boxes of an amazing toy! In fact, we at Apartment Dog rarely spend money on toys for new puppies. Instead we keep a few lengths of rope lying around. They work for fetch or tug and are safe for puppies to chew on. Our dogs were basically raised on these toys and they work great.
Tip:
Avoid nylon or fibrous ropes. The fibers in these ropes can get into your dog’s throat and irritate them. The best ropes are used rock climbing ropes with a braided sheath on the outside.
Chew Toy Alternatives
One of the all-time best hacks to occupy a high energy puppy is a chew toy with a small amount of something tasty like peanut butter hidden inside. This simple combination will occupy a dog for hours. It is also a great way to wear out your dog before a big nap.
We have been using the Kong toy for years, and definitely think this is worth the purchase. But, if you are on a budget, a racquet ball with a hole cut in it will do the trick. Simply punch out a hole in the ball about the size of a quarter, then punch a smaller hole on the other side to make it easy to rinse out. Swab a small amount of peanut butter inside the ball and watch your pup go after it for hours!
Warning for larger dogs:
Racquet balls are great toys for dogs, but it is possible for larger dogs to swallow them. This can be a very dangerous situation. If you own a large breed of dog, you might opt for a toy that is larger than a racquet ball.
Treats
There are a number of really expensive treats on the market that will likely leave your fingers smelly and your wallet empty. While we do use some of the commercially available treats, there are some common food options that work just as well. Here are a couple of our go-tos:
Kibble
Simple kibble, like the kind that you feed your pup during meals works great as a treat. These can be kept in your pocket, or a specific pouch, and doled out during training or play sessions.
Pro tip: Get the most out of your puppies meals. We often use “working meals” to combine training with feeding. These are a great way to use feed time to burn up a puppy’s energy and get a little training in. If your pup usually eats ½ cup of kibble at meals, simply put that ½ cup in your pocket and get your pup to work for it. Just remember, you can over-train a young puppy, so don’t make them work longer than about 5 minutes for their kibble. This short amount of time is enough for training. After that, simply feed them the rest. For older dogs, there’s no reason why they couldn’t work for their whole meal.
Hot Dogs
It is always a good idea to have a really extra special treat on hand. These are useful in training dogs in high-distraction situations, or when reinforcing a really important behavior like a recall. Hot dogs diced into ¼” cubes work great for this. You can go uber cheap here, but do your dog a favor and find pre-cooked hot dogs without nitrates in them.
Puppy Beds
Depending on where you shop, dog beds can feel like a luxury purchase. It is not uncommon to see fancy dog beds going for $100-200. Like most of our product recommendations, we have nothing against spending money on your dogs, especially if it makes your apartment look better. But, if you are constrained by a budget, there are some inexpensive options that will work great for a dog bed.
Most of our Border Collie puppies slept in the house on folded blankets. Old fleece blankets are great options for dogs. If you have one or two of them lying around, that will work perfectly well as a soft spot for your pup to snooze. Just fold blankets in a shape large enough for your pup to spread out on.
Shampoo
Dog shampoos vary widely from general cleaners to medicated or specific-use products. When using shampoo for general baths, a bottle of Johnson’s baby shampoo works perfectly well. This soap is gentle, non-irritating to the eyes and is fragrance-free. It is also a fraction of the cost of most dog shampoos.
A Word About Dog Scent
One of the most perplexing things to humans is a dog’s eagerness to roll in smelly, disgusting things. The smellier and more rotten, the better as far as a dog is concerned. There is an evolutionary explanation behind why a dog would want to do this. From a hunting perspective, if a wolf were coated in Gazelle poop, they smell horrible, but what they don’t smell like…is wolf. Big advantage when sneaking up on prey.
Where Not To Skimp
These are some of our favorite puppy budget hacks. But, there are some products that you simply do not want to skimp on.
Here is a list of dog items not to skimp on:
- Crate
- Collar
- Health Products
- Food
Crate
A crate is probably one of the most important things you can buy for a new puppy. Crate training gives your pup a sense of security, their own space and helps with potty training and separation anxiety. You definitely want to buy a high quality crate.
Health tip
When buying a crate for a new puppy who has not finished their vaccination series, you may want to avoid buying used unless you are absolutely sure that it came from owners whose dogs were vaccinated. Your big concern with puppies is parvovirus, which most young puppies are not protected against until about 16-18 weeks of age. Parvovirus infections cause severe illness in dogs, and the bill for the vet hospital stay might level any budget savings from the above hacks. There is no way to reliably clean used products, so you may as well buy new.
Collar
A good quality collar with a strong clasp can be a lifesaver. Most collars are not that expensive, so don’t go cheap on them. We recommend leather collars. They are long lasting, and they do not take on smell. Nylon collars can start to smell a bit “doggy” after a while.
Health Products
When it comes to health and grooming products like nail clippers, brushes, teeth cleaning products there is no reason to skimp here. Taking care of your dog’s health properly requires the right equipment.
Food
It is true, there are some supremely inexpensive dog foods on the market. I won’t name brands, but this is not an area to be cheap. Unless you are using a specific diet like raw feeding, your dog will subsist almost entirely on kibble. As their main source of nutrition, you want a product that is well formulated and made from ingredients that are healthy and well-tolerated by dogs. These tend to be a bit pricer than the bargain basement options. Good food is worth every penny.
These tips are meant to provide you with alternatives and suggestions for inexpensive puppy toys. Visit our website for more in depth descriptions of toys, products and training.
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