DIY dog puzzle with toilet paper rolls: three games with cardboard tubes

Key points

• Toilet paper or paper towel tubes and a shoe box give you three puzzles: the candy, the beehive and the covered beehive.
• No glue, tape or staples: the tubes are closed by folding the ends.
• Tearing up the cardboard is allowed; swallowing it isn't. If your dog eats the pieces, this game isn't for them.
• Remove tubes that are soggy with drool: soft cardboard is easier to swallow.
• Always play under supervision and pick up every scrap when you're done.

A DIY dog puzzle made with toilet paper rolls is the cheapest toy you'll ever make: cardboard tubes, a shoe box and a few treats. With that you can set up three games of increasing difficulty, from the cardboard candy that opens with one bite to the covered beehive of tubes that takes patience and a good nose.

It uses no glue, tape or staples: everything holds together by folding and fitting the cardboard. The rule is simple and worth being clear about from the start: tearing up the cardboard is part of the game, eating it isn't. That's why it's played with you right there and the scraps are picked up afterward.

Why cardboard tubes work

A tube with a treat inside gives your dog a problem to solve: they can smell the food but can't get to it. They have to try things, nudge it with their nose, hold it with their paws or unfold the ends. That trial and error is mental stimulation, and for many dogs pulling cardboard apart is also very satisfying.

It's a good option for afternoons stuck indoors, for young dogs with lots of energy or to keep your dog settled while you get something done around the house. Unlike a store-bought toy, you can switch it up every day and it costs nothing.

Safety: cardboard gets torn, not eaten

• Plain cardboard only: toilet paper or paper towel tubes, clean and dry. Remove leftover paper and throw out any with plastic, sticky labels or product residue.
• No glue, tape, staples, rubber bands or string to close the tubes: they're easily swallowed and can cause blockages.
• Always supervise. If your dog gets a big piece in their mouth, trade it for a treat instead of chasing them: that way they don't learn to swallow it fast.
• Remove wet cardboard. Soaked with drool, it turns into a mush they can swallow without noticing.
• It isn't for every dog: if your dog already has a habit of eating paper, tissues or cardboard, play the cup game instead.
• Size: a large dog can fit a whole toilet paper tube in their mouth. For them, use paper towel tubes and build the beehive inside a big box.

A small piece of cardboard usually passes without any trouble. But if your dog has eaten a large amount, or you see repeated vomiting, refusal to eat, belly pain, lethargy or that they stop pooping, call your vet: these are signs of a possible blockage.

Three levels of difficulty

Level	What it is	Who it's for
1. The candy	A tube with treats inside and both ends folded in.	Beginners, puppies with supervision and older dogs.
2. The beehive	A shoe box packed with standing tubes, tightly together, with treats in some of them.	Dogs that have already opened candies.
3. The covered beehive	The same beehive, but each tube has a paper ball on top hiding the treat.	Patient dogs with a good nose.

Move up a level when your dog solves the previous one without getting frustrated. If they give up or start barking at the puzzle, go back a level or leave a tube open so they succeed right away.

Which treats to put inside

Small, dry treats that won't stain or soften the cardboard: pieces of apple and carrot biscuits, sweet potato chews or simply their kibble. Two or three pieces per tube is enough, and in the beehive you don't need to fill them all: empty tubes make them sniff and choose.

Avoid wet fillings like yogurt or pumpkin inside the cardboard: they soak it and make it easier to eat. Those fillings work better on a lick mat. And remember to subtract the treats from their daily allowance.

What you need

• 6 to 12 toilet paper or paper towel tubes, clean and dry
• A shoe box or cardboard box without a lid, with no staples or tape
• Brown packing paper or newspaper, for level 3
• Small dry treats or pieces of their kibble
• Scissors, to cut paper towel tubes in half if needed

Step by step

1. Collect and check the tubes

   Save tubes for a few days. Before using them, remove leftover paper, labels and any plastic. Throw out any that are damp or torn.

2. Make the candies

   Fold one end of the tube inward, like closing a box, drop in two or three treats and fold the other end. At first, leave a small gap open so they can smell it better. Give your dog the candy on the floor and encourage them to open it.

3. Build the beehive

   Take the lid off the shoe box and fill it with standing tubes, packed close together so they don't fall over. Put treats in three or four tubes, not all of them. If the tubes are loose, cut a few in half to fill the gaps.

4. Cover it for the hard level

   Make paper balls that fit snugly in the opening of the tubes and put one in each, with or without a treat. Your dog will have to sniff each tube, remove the ball or pull the tube out of the box. If they hold on to the paper balls instead of dropping them, trade them for a treat and go back to level 2.

5. Stay with them while they play

   Stay close. If they get stuck, tip a tube so they can see a treat. If they put big pieces of cardboard in their mouth, offer a treat in exchange and take the piece away.

6. Tidy up and recycle

   When they finish, or after 10-15 minutes, pick up all the cardboard, including the little bits, and put it in the recycling bin. Save any whole tubes that stayed dry for another day.

Frequently asked questions

Is it bad for my dog to play with toilet paper rolls?

No, as long as they play with you there and they're tearing them up, not eating them. The cardboard in the tubes is plain and is often used in nose work games. Problems come when a dog swallows big pieces or a lot of it, or when the tubes are closed with tape or rubber bands. Remove wet cardboard and pick up the scraps when you're done.

What happens if my dog eats a toilet paper roll?

A small piece usually passes and comes out in the stool within a day or two. If they've eaten a whole tube or a lot of cardboard, and especially if it's a small dog, call your vet and tell them. Watch for repeated vomiting, refusal to eat, belly pain, lethargy or not pooping: these are signs of a possible blockage and your dog needs to be seen.

How do I make easy DIY dog toys?

With what you have at home: cardboard tubes with treats, a box with crumpled paper, three unbreakable cups to hide food under or an old towel rolled up with treats inside. The key is that they're bigger than your dog's mouth, have no tape, rubber bands, threads or buttons, and that you use them with supervision and put them away afterward.

Will tearing up cardboard make my dog destroy other things at home?

There's no evidence that it does, and with many dogs the opposite happens: if they have a place where chewing and tearing is allowed, they tend to go after other things less. It helps if the game has a clear start and finish, you set it up and you tidy it away afterward. If you notice them starting to look for paper or boxes on their own, switch to nose work games without cardboard.