How to Choose and Use the Right Dog Toy

How to Choose and Use the Right Dog Toy

If your pup’s anything like our dogs, they probably go into a frenzy of excitement at the mere mention of dog toys. Wagging tails, wide eyes and just going a little bit bonkers – it’s great to see our pets so overpowered with joy (sometimes). There are a myriad of dog toys out there on the market, and no doubt your four-legged friends have their own personal favourites. But for every dog toy in existence, there’s a specific purpose behind it when it comes to canine enrichment. Toys are mentally and physically stimulating and assist in fulfilling a dog’s emotional and physical needs. Even though dogs today are primarily bred as companion pets, they still need something to do. In the absence of a “job”, they will look for things to do to occupy their time and fulfill their chewing needs. If you don’t want them to choose their own chew toys, such as your sofa, pillows, or toilet paper rolls, provide them with appropriate outlets.

Toys are excellent mental stimulators that encourage active play and minimize periods of boredom. This reduces the risk of destructive or attention seeking behaviors manifesting in your pet. However, dogs are a lot like children, and they get bored with their toys quickly. When this happens, the value of the toy as a mental and physical outlet is lost. Our dog trainers recommend that customers select six to eight toys for each pet ensuring that each is different in texture, size and shape. The toys should be given out a few at a time, then rotated every few days so that the pet always has something different with which to play. Rotating toys is the best way to keep them effective.

All You Need To Know About Dog Toys And Their Importance

Dogs are prone to quite a few behavioral problems. These behavioral problems are usually a result of boredom or excessive pent-up energy. Dogs need physical stimulation as well as mental stimulation to have a happy and fulfilled life. Your dog must have a channel to direct its energy towards. Having so much energy and nothing to do with it is terrible for your dog and may result in behavioral problems such as excessive digging chewing furniture, clothes, shoes, and shrubbery.

Importance of dog toys

Being such intelligent animals, it is quite easy for dogs to get bored. Boredom can have a negative effect on dogs and may activate their destructive tendencies without enough exercise, dogs can get irritable and lethargic. In some cases, without exercise, dogs may have excess energy and without a means to channel this excess energy, they may become destructive. Dog toys are great for preventing these unwanted outcomes. Providing your dog with a good dog toy will help stimulate your dog’s mind. Your dog will be encouraged to use his instinct, for problem-solving, chasing, or searching. These activities are fun for your dog and your dog will enjoy playing with interactive dog toys. In addition, playing with rubber dog toys will encourage your dog to be active and healthy as a result. Interactive dog toys can be used to encourage learning while playing.

Why Dogs Need Toys

First things first, what’s the point to dog toys? Does your pet need them? Yes! Absolutely. All dogs can benefit from the right kind of toys. Dog toys provide both mental and physical stimulation for your pets. In the absence of the kind of experiences they’d gain in the wild, dogs can become a little bored if they don’t have something to do.

On top of this, dog toys can help prevent dogs from inappropriate chewing. If you’re dogs are consistently chewing cushions, furniture or anything else you don’t want them to, toys can distract them from damaging property while still encouraging them to fulfil their chewing needs.

Many behavior problems in dogs are the result of boredom or excess energy. Toys offer mental and physical stimulation and enrichment. Directing your dog’s energy into play with toys can prevent or help resolve such problems as digging and chewing on furniture, shoes or shrubbery.

Getting the most out of toys

• Rotate your dog’s toys weekly by making only four or five toys available at a time. Keep a variety of types easily accessible. If your dog has a favorite comfort toy, like a soft “baby,” you should probably leave it out all the time.
• Provide toys that offer a variety of uses – at least one toy to carry, one to “kill,” one to roll and one to “baby.”
• “Hide and Seek” is a fun game for dogs to play. “Found” toys are often much more attractive. Making an interactive game out of finding toys or treats is a good rainy-day activity for your dog, using up energy without the need for a lot of space. For example, scattering a handful of kibble in the grass or on a patterned carpet will require your dog to use his nose to find the food.
• Many of your dog’s toys should be interactive. Interactive play is very important for your dog because he needs active “people time.” By focusing on a specific task, like repeatedly returning a ball, Kong® or Frisbee ®, or playing “hide-and-seek” with treats or toys, your dog can expend pent-up mental and physical energy in a limited amount of time and space. This greatly reduces stress due to confinement, isolation and/or boredom. For young, high-energy and untrained dogs, interactive play also offers an opportunity for socialization and helps them learn about appropriate and inappropriate behavior, such as jumping up or being mouthy.

Tug of war

Tug of war has long been thought to be an absolute “don’t” in many dog-owning households. However, by taking a few precautions and setting some basic rules it can be a fun game for you and your dog.

• Choose a toy that will be reserved exclusively for this particular activity. This will help prevent your dog from grabbing and tugging anything you have in your hand.
• Teach two commands:
  • “Let’s tug” begins the game. Never allow the dog to initiate tug on his own and always use your starting phrase when you begin the game.
  • “Give” or “Out” ends the game. Teach your dog to release the toy by offering a treat or better toy in exchange. Do not start playing tug with your dog until he is consistently releasing the toy on command.

Safety

There are many factors that contribute to the safety or danger of a toy. Many of those factors are dependent upon your dog’s size, activity level and play style. Although we cannot guarantee your dog’s enthusiasm or his safety with any specific toy, we can offer the following guidelines:

• Toys should be appropriate for your dog’s current size. Balls and other toys that are too small can be easily swallowed or become lodged in your dog’s mouth or throat.
• Avoid or alter any toys that are not “dog-proof” by removing ribbons, strings, eyes or other parts that could be chewed off and ingested.
• Monitor your dog’s toys and discard any toy that starts to break into pieces or has pieces torn off.
• Ask your veterinarian about the safety of items like bones, hooves, pig’s ears and rawhides. Very hard rubber toys are safer and last longer.
• Take note of any toy that contains a “squeaker” buried in its center. Your dog may feel that he must find and destroy the squeak source and could ingest it, in which case squeaking toys should be given only under supervision.
• Know your dog’s chewing habits before leaving him alone with any toy. For example, some dogs will carry a plush toy around for years. Others will enjoy “disemboweling” the toy by pulling all the stuffing out. Still others will chew it apart and ingest the pieces, creating a safety hazard for that dog.

A guide to choosing safe chew toys for dogs

1. Understand what type of chewer is your dog

Not all dogs chew alike. To get safe chew toys for dogs, you need to identify your dog’s chewing type. According to our research, dogs exhibit 4 chewing patterns:

1. The Shredders:

This kind of chewing leads to your dog tearing or chewing everything to pieces. Eg: Your dog will tear carpets, pillows to pieces.

2. The eaters:

These dogs not only chew any object to piece but also tries to them. Eg: Have you seen your dog just gulp random stuff in its mouth?

3. The nibbler:

These are usually puppies who like to nibble on things. Eg: Puppies chewing on wires or slippers.

4. The tugger

These are not specifically chewers but they tug on things for their chewing needs.

2 Safe chew toys for dogs according to their chewing type

1. The shredders:

For a dog who likes tearing into things, durable dog toys like rubber toys for dogs are a great option. The reason we recommend this toy is because rubber toys are usually very hard to tear, and this means it will last long for your dog.

2. The eaters:

No specific toy is necessary, but get something large so that your dog cannot eat it.

3. The nibblers:

These type of chewers are the most destructive. PawsIndia recommends dog teething toys like a dental toy, as this toy allows your dog to nibble on the stick but also makes sure that your dog’s teeth get cleaned and get stronger by the day.

4. The tuggers:

We have special toys made for these types of chewers. Toys like tug of wall, rope toys are great for this type of chewers.

Chew toys to avoid:

A lot of pet parents use bones or hard treats as chewing toys, those are not the best option, as these treats are high in calories and too much of those may lead to your doggy becoming obese.

Another kind of toys to avoid would be anything too hard. There is a difference between durable toys and toy that are just too hard. Hard toys can cause your dog to lose their teeth.

Do’s and Don’ts for Picking Puppy Toys

Puppies tend to love toys, and it can be fun to shower them with new things. But there are many different types of toys out there, so how do you choose an appropriate item for your young furry friend?

When selecting a toy, keep your puppy’s changing size and strength in mind. You should also keep in mind that some toys may pose dangers for your pup, so talk to your veterinarian about the safest toys for your dog. When evaluating the safety of a toy, consider the following:

• Toys should not be small enough to be accidentally inhaled or swallowed.
• Toys should not have parts that can be pulled off and inhaled or swallowed.
• Toys should not have any sharp parts and should not form sharp edges when chewed.
• Puppies need to chew, but use rawhide and other chewies with the potential to be ingested only under supervision. If your puppy can chew off a big hunk of it, this can pose a choking hazard, so it’s best to get a larger size or tougher variety.
• Avoid hard items such as butcher shop bones or hooves, which can break teeth.
• Avoid linear objects such as strings, ribbons, pantyhose, socks and rubber bands, all of which can be swallowed.
• If your puppy is obsessed with dissecting squeaky toys to get to the squeaker, only let him have such toys when you can supervise him (and remove the squeaker before your dog can get it).
• Avoid any toys stuffed with beads or beans.
• Many toys that emit animal sounds or move on their own contain batteries, which can be toxic. Never leave a puppy alone with these toys, as he could potentially swallow the battery.
• Never give your puppy a container in which his head could become lodged.
• In general, it’s best not to allow your puppy to play with or chew on sticks, which can break and injure the mouth or other parts of the digestive tract.
• Do not use rocks as fetch toys.
• Avoid rubber toys that have a small hole in only one end. Some dogs have gotten their tongues stuck in the hole.

Remember that as your puppy grows, he will likely also grow out of his toys. For instance, toys that were once an appropriate size for him may become too small and pose choking hazards, and toys he once couldn’t chew up may easily be shredded when he’s older and stronger, again presenting choking or toxicity problems. So as he gets older, make sure he’s got appropriate toys — and make sure you make the time to play with him!

Have you ever thought what value do toys add to the lives of your dogs? They are not merely a playing substance for your pooches, but serve many greater purposes. They are not a luxury, but a necessity! Dog Toys add a new dimension to the lives of your furry ones. They create a room for personality development and well-being of your dogs. They are the objects that inspire play, enrich training, ease boredom, and curb problematic behaviours in dogs. Dog Toys have a great impact on your pooches’ lives.

Mental and Physical Stimulation

Dog Toys are excellent mental stimulators that encourage active play. Enrichment toys enhance your pup’s ability to learn, helping them develop new skills. They also promote their natural behaviour such as foraging and exploring. They assist in fulfilling a dog’s emotional and physical needs. Dogs look for things to do to occupy their time and fulfil their chewing needs, and in a bid to do that they choose their own chew toys, which may include your sofa, cushions, footwear etc. To avoid such situations, it is important to provide them with the dog toys that would satisfy their urge to chew. Dog Toys are fantastic at preventing problematic behaviours such as excessive barking and inappropriate chewing.

Encourage Independence in Dogs

A dog’s boundless devotion is one of the best traits of their species. Being pack animals they are not used to spending extended periods of time alone. But with work and other life commitments, it’s not always possible to attend to them all the time. Dog Toys help your pooches learn to have fun while you are away. They make them learn to give you your space when you are trying to finish your household work. Dog Toys help ensuring your pooches’ calmness and confidence whenever they are by themselves, making them more independent.

Dog Teething Toys

Anyone who has raised a puppy knows that the teething period is intense. Teething in puppies make them want to chew on everything. So, the best thing is to have lots of things that are appropriate for them to chew on; dog teething toys play a vital role during this period. Chewing dog teething toys can help ease the pain that puppies experience while teething. If your puppy’s gums seem extra tender, you can try putting a chew toy in freezer before giving it your pup for an added soothing effect. Chewing such puppy toys also promotes teeth growth, so that your puppy can develop healthy and strong adult dog teeth.

Choosing Dog Toys

When you have something to do, give your dog something to do! But wait… should that something be anything? Absolutely not! Be mindful, of what you give your dog as a toy. If you give them your old articles such as clothes, socks, slippers etc. to play with, chances are that they would identify all the clothings, socks, and slippers as their toys. So, you need to be careful of what you are giving them as toys.

Many factors are to be considered while selecting the right toys for your dog; your dog’s size, activity level, and preferences matter.

Another thing to consider is the environment where your dog spends its time.

Dog Toys should be safe, durable, and most of all fun.  Sharp, pointy objects are always a bad idea when it comes to dog toys.

You need to dog-proof your house by removing strings, ribbons, rubber bands, or other casual items that can be swallowed. Also, avoid or alter any toys that are not dog-proof.

Also, size of the toys needs to be appropriate as too small dog toys could land up in your dog’s throat.

You should not choose toys that are easily breakable or torn into pieces.

You also need to take note of any toy that contains squeaker buried in its center; your dog may feel that they must find and destroy the source of squeaking, which means they could ingest it if left unwatched, so with such dog toys, constant supervision is must.

Labels on dog toys need to be checked thoroughly. Stuffed toys that are safe for children under three years of age and that don’t contain any dangerous fillings are apt for your pooches’ playtime. Dog toys with harmful fillings such as nutshells, polystyrene beads etc. should be avoided.

Recommended Dog Toys

Dog Toys can be categorized under three different heads according to the purpose they solve – Active Toys, Distraction Toys, and Comfort Toys.

Active dog toys include hard rubber toys such as Nylabone® and Kong®-type products that are available in various shapes and sizes and are fun for chewing and for carrying around. Rope toys that are usually available in a bone shape with knotted ends also make a good option. Apart from these, tennis balls make great dog toys. But you need to keep an eye out for any of them, which could be chewed through, and so discard them accordingly.

Dog Toys filled with broken-up treats act as great distraction toys for your dogs. Such toys divert their mind, at the same time making your dogs fond of their toys and playtime. Kong®-type toys filled with your dog’s favourite treats, busy-box or feeder toys in large rubber shapes can be filled with treats. Many dogs that tend to eat their food too quickly benefit from being fed through a feeder-style toy.

Stuffed toys make good comfort dog toys; some would want to carry them around and some would want to shake them or kill them considering them as their prey. So choose the toy from your dog’s perspective – if your dog sees their toy as a companion, pick one that’s small enough to carry and if they consider them as their prey or enemy, choose one that’s large enough to prevent accidental swallowing and sturdy enough to withstand the dog’s attacks.

How to Make Dog Toys at Home

If you need budget friendly dog toys and have tried everything available in the market then, making one at home would be great idea. Here are a few dog toys that you can make at home easily with minimal materials.

You can make amazing interactive treat toys at home for you dogs. When you are finished reading your newspaper, tear some pages out and scrunch them up with a treat inside; dog’s love sniffing out the treat and ripping the paper up. Brown packing paper is especially good for this game. Toilet roll cardboard tubes are also great for hiding treats in. You can make it easy for your dog to begin with by only folding one end closed and make it harder by folding both ends closed. Empty boxes are also great fun; fill them partly with used paper, chuck your pooch’s favourite toy in or throw in some treats, close the lid, depending on how difficult you want to make it, and watch your dog solve the puzzle. This could be great mental stimulation activity for your dogs. Socks are equally good at hiding things in. If your dog has an old soft toy that got de-stuffed, don’t throw it away; scoop any remaining stuffing out, re-stitch any loose ends so it is secure, leaving a hole or two. Pop some treats in and let your dog go to town on it. Even something as simple as a treat under an old tea towel can be quite a challenge for your dog!

Dogs playing bungee is another great idea. You need to get a piece of rope with a bit of twang, secure a toy to one end and fix the other end to something sturdy like a tree. Then sit back and watch your dog go bonkers. Here you need to make sure your knots are good to avoid room for any injuries.

Crackling sock is yet another idea to keep your engaged. You would need an empty plastic bottle and a sock. Take the cap off your old bottle and throw it away to ensure safety of your dog; it’s a choking hazard. Squeeze all of the air out and pop it inside an old sock, tie a knot at the end to keep it in place. The sound of the crackling plastic will be something your canine will go nuts for if they like noisy toys!

What to Do If Your Dog Doesn’t Like to Share Toys

It’s good that your dogs are fond of their toys, but growling, snapping or biting for them would show that their love has gone a little overboard. Hiding and hoarding toys is perfectly normal behaviour but going aggressive for their toys is something you need to worry about. However, having said that, fixing this problem is not that difficult; it’s all about making dropping toys a stress-free interaction. Give your dog a toy, and then offer them another toy from behind your back and teach them to ‘take it’. When they engage with the new toy, say ‘drop it’ and give them a treat; this treat would be a reward for them to follow your command. This helps your dog to associate the phrase ‘drop it’ with a reward, and they’ll begin to see you as a treat-giver and bringer of exciting new toys!

There are a myriad of dog toys online and out there in the market, and no doubt your furry friends have their personal favourites too, but every dog toy has a specific purpose behind it. Different dog toys impact canine enrichment differently. We hope this article helps you find the right kind of toy for your pups overall development and well-being!

The Types of Dog Toy

Really, the right toy depends on your dog. Their temperament is a big signal to the type they’re going to like. Let’s run through a few.

Active Dogs

Do you struggle to keep up with your pup as they dash madly around the park? Then you need a way to burn off a little of their energy so you can go home and watch Netflix in peace! Throwing toys are great for dogs who love to play fetch.

Lazy Dogs

These are the type where it takes a little extra encouragement to get them up and at it. As much as it can sometimes drive us to distraction, dogs love a squeaky toy – it’s more like the prey they might have caught in the wild.

Smart Dogs

So, you think your dog’s a pretty smart pooch, huh? Well why not test them a little with an interactive toy that’ll test their mettle properly.

Playful Dogs

If there’s one thing we love about toys, it’s that it brings us and our dogs closer together. Sometimes we want to play too! Rope toys like the Extreme 2 Knot Rope Tugger are perfect for a game of tug o’ war, which can help build trust between you and your pet.

Chemicals That Are Potentially Toxic to Dogs

In 2007, Consumer Affairs revealed that it had found “elevated levels” of lead, chromium, and cadmium in two Chinese-made pet toys sold at Wal-Mart¹. The dog toy tested at 1 part per million for lead, leading Consumer Affairs to the conclusion that “if a dog is chewing on it or licking it, he’s getting a good source of lead.”

And this is especially true the longer a dog gnaws on or licks the toy, as the lead was also “leaching” out of the toys, meaning that the lead could then be swallowed with the dog’s saliva and be absorbed into the bloodstream through the gut, even if the dog didn’t swallow pieces of the toy itself.

Toxins That Might Be Present in Dog Chews and Dog Toys

• PVC: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by itself is generally not dangerous to dogs, but manufacturers often use toxic chemical additives to make the PVC more soft and flexible.
• Phthalates: An additive often used in PVC products. Over time, they can leach out and absorb through the skin (like your dog’s gums) and cause damage to their liver and kidneys.
• BPA: Bisphenol A is an endocrine-disrupting chemical, and “the presence of BPA in dogs was associated with changes to their gut microbiome and metabolism,” according to Time.
• Lead: Can damage multiple organs, including the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. Signs of lead poisoning in dogs might include a lack of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, anxiety, hysterical barking, jaw-champing (rapid clenching), salivation, blindness, lack of coordination, or muscle spasms. Note that some brands of tennis balls have had lead contamination problems in the past.

• Chromium: Though chromium has been used as an insulin supplement² for dogs (among other uses) high enough levels can be toxic and have been shown to cause cancer in humans³.
• Melamine: Has been linked with kidney failure from pet foods that were recalled due to the presence of melamine.
• Arsenic: Heavy metal mineral that can lead to symptoms such as vomiting and loss of consciousness, and even death in extreme doses.
• Bromine: A chemical often used as a pet-safer alternative to chlorine in pools, but it can cause digestive upset and changes to urination.
• Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is commonly used to preserve chews such as rawhides. With long-term exposure or high enough doses, it could cause problems for dogs, including possible respiratory or digestive irritation.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request.