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'More
Toys, Please'
Toys are one of the first things that every new puppy owner
is told that they need to have a well-adjusted member of the family.
These are the items that will keep Bingo’s teeth off of the
antique table, the favorite pair of shoes, and even the kid’s hands.
But, how do you know what toys are interesting, durable, and safe
for your dog?
Chew
toys come in many different forms from squeaky balls, stuffed animals,
plastic bones, puzzle toys, ropes and natural chew items. All of these toys should be available in some fashion for
your pup to mess around with. Before
we discuss these different objects, there is one caveat I have for
everyone, don’t assume that every toy is safe with every dog.
All dogs chew on items differently so for your dogs safety please
make sure your dog is safe with each type of toy by watching how they
play with the toy. If they
are too destructive then throw that toy away and go get something more
durable.
Okay, on to the fun stuff.
I tend to have about three times the amount of toys than I think
my dogs will need. That way
I can rotate the toys periodically so that no one gets bored.
After all, how exciting can a squeaky soccer ball be day in and
day out. When buying
stuffed animals and squeaky toys make sure they are well built and
durable. I have found that
the original Vermont chewman are fairly tough for stuffed animals.
Plastic bone type toys are important because dogs like the
hardness and flavoring of certain Nylabones or Gumabones.
The Galileo is a very hard bone that both of my dogs love to mess
with. This however is probably not the best if you have hardwood
floors and a pup that likes to throw his toys around. Booda has also made great strides with digestible bones
such as their Velvets. There
are also the Nylabone Pop-Pups, which are made of anything from cheese,
potatoes, carrots, and even spinach.
When you are looking at the natural chew toys, you may be
taken aback a little because they are what they say they are: Cow
Hooves, Pig Ears, Pig Snouts, Cow Ears, And Bully Sticks.
These are good but I try not to make them a staple with my dogs
because they tend to be a little fatty and if eaten on a regular basis
can lead to loose stools. If
you have multiple dogs in the household you may want to separate them
these chew toys. Dogs may
not show any type of food aggression and guarding issues except when
something this inviting is presented.
As always, be safe and watch your dogs when introducing these
items.
As of late, the manufacturers of dog toys have realized the
need to give dogs a job while left alone.
Remember that your dog will chew on things, it just depends on if
what you are giving them is more interesting than your personal objects.
That is why the puzzle toys are so much fun.
When introducing the puzzles, make them easy to figure out for
your dog so they don’t get frustrated and discouraged.
My favorite is the Kong Toy.
The Kong is a molded rubber toy that is hollow with a large
opening on one end and small opening on the other.
The trick with this toy is to find things your dog loves i.e.
cheese, peanut butter, meat, biscuits, wet food etc., and stuff these
inside the Kong. As your
dog gets better at emptying the Kong you can stuff it more tightly or
even freeze it.
Other puzzles include Buster Cubes, Activity Balls, and the
Nylabone Crazy Ball. The
latter has a plastic inner ball with bone shape cutouts surrounded by a
plastic mesh ball. Treats or food are inserted into the inner ball and as the is
rolled around, treats fall out and your dog gets rewarded.
All of these puzzle toy can provide anywhere between minutes and
hours of enjoyment depending on your pooch.
These are just a few of the cool toys available now for your dog.
Get yourself a wide
variety to alleviate boredom and keep your dogs teeth where they are
supposed to be, in his mouth and off your items.
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