What Should I Consider When Buying Dog Toys?

Though it may seem of little consequence, choosing the right dog toys for your furry friend is important. Dogs need ways to entertain themselves, interact with their environment, and relieve frustration and pent-up energy. Dog toys can help accomplish all these tasks if they are properly chosen with the individual dog in mind.

Before purchasing dog toys, consider the size of your dog and purchase only those dog toys that are appropriate for your dog. For example, small toy breeds such as the Bichon Frise or Miniature Pinscher will not get the same level of enjoyment out of dog toys designed for bigger dogs as they will those made for smaller dogs. Similarly, if you purchase small dog toys for large breed dogs, they will simply destroy it swiftly and become quickly bored.

Also take into account what your dog enjoys doing. If your dog seems to enjoy chewing, you should supply him with durable, safe, dog toys for chewing. Make sure you purchase chew toys that do not shred easily and avoid giving rawhide too frequently because it is sometimes difficult to digest and can pose a risk to some dogs’ digestive tracts. Conversely, if your dog enjoys playing fetch, you should purchase dog toys suitable for that activity. Again, remember the size of your dog and buy it fetch toys that it can easily retrieve and carry.

Dog toys that are designed as tug-of-war toys can be purchased for fetch as well as tugging, but experts suggest refraining from tug-of-war games with aggressive dogs. This is because tug of war allows aggressive dogs to exert dominance over their owner when playing. If you are prepared to always win or if you have a passive dog, then tug of war is a fun and appropriate game to play.

Some dog toys are designed to teach a dog while playing by allowing treats to be hidden inside. Similarly, if you own a dog that demands a great deal of attention, giving them dog toys with treats hidden inside can keep them occupied for stretches of time allowing you to accomplish other tasks uninterrupted.

There are literally hundreds of different types dog toys for your canine companion and choosing the right ones is simply a matter of choosing suitable toys. Squeaky dog toys may entertain your dog, but be prepared to offer other toys as substitutes when the noise finally grates on your nerves. By supplying your dog with a variety of toys, you can help them entertain themselves and create an opportunity for bonding playtime between the two of you.