Dog owner shares clever hack using old toilet paper rolls: 'This is great'

Enrichment activities can help enhance your dog's physical health, reduce their stress and anxiety, and even prevent behavioral problems. 

One dog owner on YouTube Shorts shared a method to do this without spending money on pricey enrichment toys.

"Enrichment doesn't have to be expensive," said the dog owner, who goes by one of their dogs' names on YouTube (@amospearce), at the start of the video. 

They then revealed exactly how to repurpose things you likely already have to create a perfect enrichment toy for your dog.

The scoop

All that's required is an empty egg carton, toilet paper rolls, and your dog's favorite food. 

Simply cut the toilet paper rolls in half so that they fit into the egg carton holes, and sprinkle your dog's food through the tubes. Close the egg carton, and watch your dog enjoy their new toy.

"Your dog will love being able to destroy something that they are allowed to, and get rewarded with yummy food," the creator explained. 

How it's helping

The benefits of this hack go beyond just your dog. 

By not spending money on enrichment toys, which can be quite costly, you are avoiding one expense that comes with dog ownership. 

The cost of owning a dog can easily approach $9,000 a year. Spending less on some necessary dog items by replacing them with DIY alternatives can help reduce these costs. 

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As a bonus, by making dog toys with reusable materials instead of buying them, you will reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills. 

Per the UF Thompson Earth Systems Institute, an estimated 634 million dog toys are thrown away in the U.S. every year and create 40,500 tons of waste. 

Purchasing fewer pet toys means that less waste will clog landfills, mitigating air, water, and soil pollution that can impact the health of humans and wildlife. 

What everyone's saying

Dog owners who love their furry friends rushed to the comment section to express their gratitude for the creator's useful hack.

"I am so going to do this! My girl loves to rip up a box. I have taught her to NOT eat the papers or cardboard, etc.," one replied.

Another commenter was simply excited to see Amos so happy with their enrichment activity.

"Love that sweet old man!" they commented. "He was waiting for his game/snack."

"This is great for the new puppy I got to stop him chewing his blanket," a third said.

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