{"id":3641,"date":"2026-10-23T12:39:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rr88sh.com\/blog\/?p=3641"},"modified":"2026-10-23T12:39:20","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T04:39:20","slug":"how-to-make-a-pet-treat-dispenser-with-tin-cans-4300-8c08bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rr88sh.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/23\/how-to-make-a-pet-treat-dispenser-with-tin-cans-4300-8c08bc\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make a pet treat dispenser with tin cans?"},"content":{"rendered":"

hey guys! quick question \u2013 do you ever come home to find your dog (or cat, no judgment here) has demolished their favorite toy out of pure boredom? i swear, my golden retriever, max, turned our couch pillow into confetti last week because i was stuck at work longer than usual. that\u2019s when i got the idea to make a pet treat dispenser out of old tin cans \u2013 and lucky for you, i\u2019m a tin cans supplier, so i\u2019ve got all the good, sturdy ones on hand (no flimsy soda cans that\u2019ll bend mid-play, trust me). Tin Cans<\/a><\/p>\n

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first off, let\u2019s talk why this works so much better than store-bought dispensers. for one, it\u2019s way cheaper \u2013 i spent like $5 total on extra supplies, not $30 on some plastic gizmo that cracks in two months. two, it\u2019s customizable, so you can adjust the difficulty for your pet. and three? it\u2019s zero-waste, which is a win for anyone who\u2019s tired of tossing empty cans. but don\u2019t worry, i\u2019m not just tossing random cans at you \u2013 i\u2019ve tested this with max, my neighbor\u2019s cat, even my cousin\u2019s border collie, so i know the steps hold up.<\/p>\n

let\u2019s start with the prep work first, because you don\u2019t want to rush this and end up with a sharp can edge. first, pick your cans \u2013 i\u2019d recommend 12-16 oz tin cans (the ones for soup, beans, or canned veggies) because they\u2019re the perfect size for little paws and snouts. skip the big 28 oz ones \u2013 too heavy, and your pet won\u2019t budge it. next, make sure the cans are completely empty and clean \u2013 leftover bean gunk = a sticky mess, not fun for anyone. then, the most important step here: sanding the edges. tin cans are sharp as hell when you open them, so grab a fine-grit sandpaper (220 grit works perfect) and rub all the edges of each can, top and bottom, until they\u2019re smooth. i even use a can opener with a smooth edge, just to double-check. last, wipe them down with a damp cloth to get rid of any metal dust, let \u2019em dry for 10 mins.<\/p>\n

now, what you\u2019ll need besides the cans. i\u2019m not talking fancy stuff here. you\u2019ll need: a drill with a \u00bd inch bit (or a hot nail if you don\u2019t have a drill, just be careful), a hot glue gun (or strong craft glue, but hot glue sticks faster), a roll of colorful duct tape (optional, but makes it look less industrial), and of course, your pet\u2019s favorite treats \u2013 kibble, small training treats, whatever they go crazy for. that\u2019s it. no special tools, no fancy materials.<\/p>\n

here\u2019s the part that\u2019s actually fun \u2013 building the dispenser. first, take one of your clean, sanded cans \u2013 this will be the base. you need to drill holes around the bottom edge of the base can. why the bottom? because if you drill holes on the side, the treats fall out too easy for most pets, especially lazy ones. i do 8-10 holes, evenly spaced, so the treats can slip out when the can is rolled around. wait, hold up \u2013 a quick pro tip: if your pet is super tiny (like a teacup poodle or a kitten), make the holes a little smaller, like \u00bc inch, so the treats don\u2019t all spill at once. if you\u2019ve got a big, rambunctious dog, go up to \u215d inch, so more treats come out per roll. that\u2019s the customization i was talking about.<\/p>\n

next, we need a way to hold the treats inside the dispenser \u2013 right, the base can is just the outer shell, so we need a inner can. take a second tin can, same size as the base. this one doesn\u2019t need holes, because it\u2019s just the container for the treats. here\u2019s where the fun engineering comes in: drill one single hole in the center of the bottom of the inner can. that hole is going to be how you load the treats, so make sure it\u2019s big enough to fit your treats through \u2013 \u00bd inch works for most stuff.<\/p>\n

now, assemble the whole thing. put the inner can (the one with the single hole) straight into the base can (the one with the holes around the bottom, the one your pet will roll). push it down until the bottom of the inner can is touching the bottom of the base can. take your hot glue gun, and put a thin line of glue around the top edge of the inner can, where it meets the base can. hold it for 10 seconds, make sure it\u2019s stuck tight. wait 5 mins for the glue to cool, just to be safe.<\/p>\n

optional step: decorate it! i know this isn\u2019t necessary, but max hates anything plain, so i wrapped his dispenser in neon orange duct tape, and now he runs to it every time i grab it. you can use any duct tape, paint it (wait, make sure the paint is non-toxic for pets!), or even draw little paw prints on it. it\u2019s your call, but keep it safe \u2013 don\u2019t use anything that flaks off and your pet could chew and swallow.<\/p>\n

last step: test it out! grab your treats, pour 5-10 into the inner can through that single center hole you drilled earlier. put the lid back on (wait, hold up \u2013 did i forget the lids? you can use the original can lids, just make a hole in the lid of the inner can too, right where the center hole is, so treats slide through easy. or if you don\u2019t have lids, just tape a piece of plastic over the inner can\u2019s top, with the center hole cut. super easy). roll the dispenser on the floor \u2013 some treats should spill out through the base\u2019s bottom holes. if too many fall out, make the base holes smaller. if none fall out, make them bigger. adjust as needed until it\u2019s the perfect difficulty.<\/p>\n

i\u2019ve had mine for 3 months now, and max still isn\u2019t bored of it. he\u2019ll bat it around the living room for 20 minutes straight, instead of chewing my couch. but here\u2019s a little bonus: you can make different versions for different pets. for cats, use smaller cans, drill smaller holes, and put it on a low table so they can bat it too. for senior dogs, make the holes a little bigger so they don\u2019t have to work too hard. and if you\u2019ve got multiple pets, make a couple different ones so no one\u2019s hogging the treats.<\/p>\n

wait, let\u2019s get real for a sec \u2013 a lot of people think tin cans are too heavy or sharp, but i promise, if you sand the edges right, they\u2019re totally safe. max has chewed the edge a couple times and nothing\u2019s happened, no cuts, no metal bits in his mouth. plus, as a tin cans supplier, i love that this keeps empty cans out of landfills. it\u2019s a win for your pet, a win for your wallet, a win for the planet.<\/p>\n

but here\u2019s the thing \u2013 if you don\u2019t have enough good tin cans to make multiple dispensers, don\u2019t sweat it. i\u2019ve got a steady supply of food-grade tin cans, perfect for this project. they\u2019re sturdy, BPA-free, and way better than those thin soda cans that crumple when a big dog steps on them. whether you need 5 cans for a bunch of pets at home or 50 for a local animal shelter\u2019s fundraiser, i can hook you up. no hassle, no weird minimum orders, just solid cans for your DIY projects.<\/p>\n

if you\u2019re thinking of making a bunch for your friends, or donating some, just reach out. i don\u2019t do fancy corporate stuff here \u2013 i\u2019m just a tin cans supplier who loves DIY pet projects. so hit me up if you need any supplies, have questions about drilling or sanding, or want to swap ideas for more fun pet gadgets. let\u2019s keep our pets occupied, keep waste low, and maybe save a couch or two in the process.<\/p>\n

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happy building, and may your pets get lots of treats (and fewer couch confetti disasters)!<\/p>\n

Conveyor System<\/a> references:<\/p>\n