If you have a dog, chances are you go through many supplies each month. From joint health to digestive support, supplements can help your dog to look and feel their best, and with more dogs taking supplements, most dog owners have a variety of plastic jars and containers floating around their house. Thankfully most of these supplement containers are recyclable or compostable, preventing them from sitting in landfills. However, if you’re feeling creative, you can give those jars a new life with these DIY projects! Here are some fun and easy ways to repurpose those supplement containers:
Enrichment Scent Game:
Collect different supplement containers and then use them to create an at-home scent enrichment search game for your dog. First, thoroughly wash out all the containers that you have collected and let them dry. Then, take those containers along with empty cardboard boxes and arrange them on the floor. Inside some of the containers, drop treats or some of your dog’s UnKibble. Then, set your dog loose to search for the hidden treats in the maze of containers. This game is a fun way to use your dog’s nose and challenge their mind! After your dog finds the hidden treats, rearrange the jars and boxes in the search area and send your dog off searching again.
Dog Puzzle Toy:
You can turn an old supplement container into a puzzle toy for dogs that enjoy a challenge. If the jar has a narrow neck, you can drop pieces of UnKibble or dog treats into the jar and give them to your dog to push around the house or yard with their nose and paws to release the treats. If the supplement jar has a broader mouth, you’ll need to cut one (or more) holes into the container for treats to pass through as your dog pushes the container around. Make sure to smooth the edges of the holes if there are any sharp parts to prevent your dog from getting injured while playing with the puzzle toy. Always supervise your dog when they are playing with this DIY puzzle toy, and remove it immediately from your dog if they try to chew on the container.
Herb Garden/ Flower Planter:
Old supplement containers make great planters for your garden. You can use these to plant indoor houseplants or outside on a patio or deck for a container garden. Before planting in the jar, use craft or spray paint on the outside. You can use a plain neutral color or get creative and make it bright and funky! For smaller supplement jars, you can nail them onto a fence or a board that can be hung for a vertical hanging garden. Before planting, you’ll also want to drill or hammer a few holes into the bottom of the jar so that it will have drainage when you water your plants.
Seed Starter
For smaller supplement jars, you can use them to start seeds that you’re not ready to plant outside or that need a little extra TLC before going into a more extensive garden or pot. These small jars work well for starting plants and are conveniently sized for moving around your house to place on windowsills to give your baby seeds plenty of light. If you want to make the jar more aesthetically pleasing, you can paint and decorate the outside of the jar before planting your seeds. Don’t forget to poke some holes in the bottom of the jar before planting so your plant babies will have drainage.
Piggy Bank:
Turn those old supplement containers you have lying around into piggy banks! Cut a small slit in the lid of the supplement container large enough to slip coins or folded bills into. Then use the piggy bank to collect the change you get in one place. You can decorate the jar however you want to make the piggy bank match any home decor. A pig or dog face would be classic, but you can also paint it a solid color or use old wrapping or scrapbook paper with a Modpodge layer to seal the design. When the jar is complete, use the money you saved up to do something fun to spoil your dog!
Organize Grooming Supplies:
If you have a lot of grooming supplies, you can use old supplement containers to organize your dog’s supplies on a shelf or in a cabinet. Remove the lid from the supplement jar, and then decorate the outside with paint, old wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, or pages from dog magazines to match your aesthetics. You can also use a label maker to label what supplies are in each container clearly. Once the container is dry, you can fill it with your dog’s combs, brushes, nail clippers, dremels, grooming scissors, ear wipes, and other grooming supplies. Keeping your dog’s grooming supplies organized makes it less frustrating to keep your dog regularly groomed since everything you need will be organized and easy to find.
Treat Container:
If your dog’s supplements come in a clear container, you can peel off the label, decorate the lid and turn the old supplement container into an aesthetic treat container to use around your house. For decorating the lid, you can use paint, hot glue, and even ribbon to create a decorative top for the treat container. When training and working with your dog, it’s always good to have lots of treats easily accessible to reward the behavior you like. Remember, rewarded behaviors are more likely to be repeated! Supplement containers work great for this as they generally have a solid sealing lid to keep your dog out and keep the treats freshness in, so they are ready to use.
Bird Feeder:
If you have extra supplement containers, you can use them to make bird feeders. First, drill small holes in the supplement jars at different heights and fit small dowels through the holes to create perches for the birds to sit on while they eat. Then, above the dowels, cut larger holes in the plastic so the birds can get the seeds out. Make sure to sand the edges of the plastic holes so they aren’t sharp and won’t injure the birds as they eat. Once your bird feeder is complete, fill it with bird seed designed for wild birds in your area, attach a string, and hang it for your neighborhood birds to feast on. These bird feeders are a great way to give some treats to the birds and can be fun, enriching entertainment for your dog. Hang the finished bird feeders near your windows so your dogs can watch the birds visiting your yard or balcony.
