DIY Tennis Ball Treat Popper (And When to Skip the Craft Knife)

If you've got an old tennis ball lying around, this is one of the easiest treat puzzles you can make. No sewing, no gluing, just a few minutes and a snack your dog has to work for.

How to Make It

You need:

• A tennis ball
• A craft knife
• Treats

How to make it:

1. Cut a small slit into the ball with the craft knife.
2. Stuff a few treats inside.
3. Roll it across the floor and let your dog go find the reward.

It's cheap, it's fast, and for a lot of dogs it's an instant hit. A few things worth keeping in mind while you're at it: cut the slit small and controlled rather than sawing it open, keep an eye on your dog while they're working the felt (some dogs will chew straight through it), and this one's best for dogs who aren't aggressive chewers, since bits of felt aren't meant to be swallowed.

When This DIY Doesn't Cut It

We love this one for a lazy afternoon, but it has two real limitations once you actually watch a dog use it for a while.

The opening size is permanent. Once you cut that slit, that's it — that's the difficulty level for the life of the toy. If you cut it too big, your dog empties it in ten seconds and you're back to square one. If you cut it too small, they lose interest before they get anywhere. And there's no adjusting for a dog who's getting smarter and needs more of a challenge over time.

It rolls. A lot. That's kind of the point — rolling is what makes it fun — but a tennis ball on hardwood or tile doesn't stop where you want it to. One good nose-bump and it's gone under the couch, the fridge, the entertainment center, treats and all. Which means either you're on your hands and knees with a broom handle, or your dog just loses interest and wanders off.

The Ready-Made Alternative

If those two issues sound familiar, this is the toy we switched to: the Starmark Bob-A-Lot Treat Dispensing Toy. It solves both problems at once.

You design the opening size yourself — no permanent cut, no guessing. You can start easy and make it harder as your dog gets better at it, which a tennis ball simply can't do once it's been sliced open. And instead of rolling freely across the room, the weighted, wobbling base keeps it moving in place rather than escaping under the furniture, so the treats — and your dog's attention — stay right where you can see them.

Sherlock tests this one on video, so you can see exactly how it moves compared to a free-rolling ball.

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase through it, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

👉 Starmark Treat Dispensing Bob-A-Lot Small Dog Interactive Feeder Toy (Amazon)

Amazon product note: Starmark Treat Dispensing Bob-A-Lot Small Dog Interactive Feeder Toy — 4.4 stars, 35,016 ratings, Amazon's Choice.

If the noise gets old, our personalized dog feeding mat underneath does double duty — it muffles the wobble and catches every piece of kibble he sends flying.