We may not be able to see you in person, but there are ways we can stay connected thanks to technology. Our supporters are so valuable to us, so we’ve come up with a few ways that you can be a virtual volunteer or master crafter from the comfort and safety of your home.

Make DIY dog toys and enrichment activities

Paws for Purple Hearts is always in need of toys and enrichment activities for our dogs (especially now that we have new puppies), and DIY projects are the perfect way to pass time at home during quarantine/lockdown/shelter-at-home. From tug toys, to agility equipment, we will gladly accept projects created by generous supporters! Using platforms like Pinterest and Youtube, you can find hundreds of DIY dog toys, but here are a few ideas that we’ve come up with:

Tug Toys:

Using old t-shirts, jeans, towels or blankets, you can create toys and training equipment that our dogs will love! Start by cutting long strips from old fabric, then braid the pieces together to create long tug toys. We will give some to our pups to enjoy and use the rest when teaching our dogs to open drawers, refrigerators, and doors! If you need some help or inspiration, check out this tutorial for some simple tips.

Snuffle Mats:

This DIY enrichment activity is a favorite among PPH dogs and their trainers! Snuffle mats provide a fun, exciting, and stimulating experience for our dogs and allow them to exercise their brains. For this craft, all you need is a pair of scissors, old t-shirts or fleece blankets, and a mat for the base. Take a look at this video for a quick tutorial on how to make a simple snuffle mat from materials at home.

Continue sharing your passion for PPH on social media

Social media is the best way to stay connected and up-to-date on what’s happening at PPH, and you can help us expand our reach by liking, commenting and sharing our posts. We love learning how our volunteers first got involved and seeing photos of their favorite dogs. Share your passion for PPH and tag us so we can spread awareness and create some real “pawsitivity” during this challenging time.  Just post a photo, video, or written message of encouragement on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube), and make sure you tag us @pawsforpurplehearts and use #OperationPawsitivity when you post!  Then we can share it on our social media channels for all of our Warriors to see.

Check in with the PPH location nearest you for more ways to help

The needs of our staff and dogs vary greatly from site to site. If you are looking for other ways to get involved and help during this time, you can reach out to the PPH location nearest you or check out your local site’s unique Amazon Wish List. This is a great place to pull inspiration for your next DIY project!

Our teams can’t wait until volunteers are back and we can return to our normal routine, but we hope that in the meantime this inspires you to keep helping us help America’s Warriors from home. Thank you!