Dog Toys and the Importance of them
All dogs love their toys but did you know that it is important for dogs to have different kinds of toys to chew on and play with. In this blog, I'm going to talk about different kinds of toys and why you should have a selection of toys for your dog.
I'm starting off with my favorite toy and a toy that I feel every dog should have, which is a Kong. This is a versatile toy that dogs can chew on, lick food out of, or play fetch with. It is durable and comes in different strengths and sizes to meet your dog's needs. The sizes go from x-small to xx-large. The x-small is good for dogs up to 5 lbs and the xx-large is good for dogs 85 lbs and up. The different colors are the strengths of the rubber. The red Kongs are for the regular chewers. They have tough jaws but not to tough. The black Kong is for the extreme chewers. It is a very durable plastic that and withstand those power chewers. The baby blue and pink Kongs are for puppies. They are made of a softer plastic that are soothing to puppies. The last one is the purple Kong which is for seniors. It is made from a strong but gentle plastic specifically made for senior dogs. The most popular thing to do with the Kong is to put food in it. You can put dog treats in it or make up your own treat, freeze it and let the dog lick the frozen food out of it. What I tell my clients to do is mix up some organic plain yogurt and plain canned pumpkin, mix equal parts and fill up ice cube trays 2/3rd full with the mixture. Once it is frozen, take an ice cube out, put it in the Kong and top it with some peanut butter. This will take your dog about 20 minutes or so to get all the food out. Once they are done they are tired and happy. Also, if your dog has separation anxiety, get the Kong ready and when you start to get ready to leave, put your dog in their cage or where ever they hang out when you leave and give them the Kong. This makes your leaving less traumatic and give them something to look forward to when you do leave. Before you know it, they aren't getting so worked up when you leave and are almost looking forward to it because they want their yummy treat. It is also good to use when you have had a long day and you just want to relax. Bring your dog's bed in to the area you want to relax in and give them the filled Kong on their bed. You are both happy! There are other mixtures you can put in the Kong like peanut butter and banana, chicken broth (if you are watching your dogs weight) just plug the bottom of the Kong if you are pouring it straight in the Kong, a ripe pear, the list goes on. If you have other recipes you put in your Kong, please share!
The next toy is Chuck-It Balls. I love these balls. They are very durable and can be chewed on as well as used to play fetch with. You can get the stick that lets your throw the ball far but I just like the balls itself. My dogs have had their chuck it balls for a long time and they are still in good condition. They may have some teeth marks on them from chewing but that it. I found these ball because I was sick of buying the doggy tennis balls and getting them chewed up the next day. Ever since I bought the chuck it balls, I have never bought a tennis ball again. I am very big on finding toys that my dogs can't destroy. I don't like spending money on toys and having them destroyed the next day.
Another one of my favorite chew toys are GI bones by Merrick. These are all natural bones that are filled with marrow and once your dog has chewed the marrow out, you are left with a solid bone that they can chew on. They don't chew and eat this bone. It is just a solid bone. If they get a piece off and ingest it that is ok. Also, the marrow won't stain your carpet or floors. It does have a little odor to it, but it goes away once the marrow is gone. I just love these bones because they are a long lasting bone and dogs love to chew on. I will say this, I have found that not all dogs like this bone but they are not expensive at all so it is worth a try.
Nylabone has been around for a long time and they make good solid products like Kong does. I love their bones because they are again very durable and good for your dogs teeth. They have a lot of different sizes and textures you can choose from. Below I have listed some of my favorite ones that have lasted a long time.
The Bob-A-Lot is a food dispensing toy that lets your dog work for it's food. What you do is put the food in the top of the Bob-A-Lot and on the side there is a door that slides open and close. To start, you open the door all the way so it is easy for the dog to get the food out. Once they figure out that food comes out of the toy you can close the door so only one kibble falls out at a time. This way it takes them a while to eat and when they are done they are happy and tired. It great to use when you are trying to get ready for work or when you are making dinner. It keeps your dog busy and happy.
Have a variety toys for your dog to chew and play with. Interactive toys are so important because it gives your dog a "job" that allows them to use their minds. Interactive toys include a food dispensing toy, playing a game of tug, or playing fetch. It lets them use their minds which is what makes for a happy dog. Chew toys are just as equally important because it satisfies their urge to chew. Having different textures of toys allows your dog to choose what they feel like chewing on. If you don't have different types of toys for your dog, they will go and find a "toy" to chew on that you might not be happy with. i.e. your table leg or couch cushions. The different textures would be cloth, soft plastic, hard plastic, bone and ribbed. All these textures will satisfy your dog's chewing desires.
Below are a couple more toys that I personally like and would recommend.
