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HOW TO CHOOSE INDESTRUCTIBLE DOG TOYS
Dogs are extremely lively, sociable and friendly animals, and play not only gives them exercise and stimulation, but it builds a significant bond between owner and pet. So choosing the right dog toys to encourage this natural behaviour is time well spent. But dogs can go through toys very quickly if you’re not careful, so the search for dog toys that last is one that many owners pursue with endless hope. This article might just help.
The first thing to state, and sorry to disappoint you so early, is that there is no such thing as an indestructible dog toy. If a dog gets it into it’s head that it wants to chew and shake something until it falls apart, then eventually it will fall apart, whether it takes days, weeks or months. There is a famous story of a lady going into a pet shop to complain that the dog toy she bought there only six months previously had been destroyed. When she left, there was a queue of people who’d heard her wanting to find out what the toy was to buy it for their own dog!
OBSERVING YOUR DOG'S BEHAVIOUR
So how do you select dog toys that your pooch will not only enjoy, but that you won’t be spending your hard-earned salary replacing every couple of weeks? The first thing to do is to judge your dog’s personality. Simply watching what it does when it’s excited can yield great clues – does it like to chase things, grab and pull things, pounce on things? If you can choose toys that mimic your dog’s natural play behaviour, you’re half way toward investing in something that you and your dog will see maximum benefit from.
TYPES OF DOG TOY
There are four main types of play behaviours that dogs exhibit, and four groups of dog toys that are designed to encourage these.> Tug of war: your dog grabs something in his mouth, you grab the other end, and one almighty game of shaking and growling begins. For this you need something tough if you want it to last more than 5 minutes! Heavily stitched canvas toys and strong rope toys tend to be the best for this type of play, and the Dirty Rotten Kitty from Doggy Hoots and the Petstages Orka Jack are great examples. The Dirty Rotten Kitty and The Ex Bark Target also prove that tug of war toys don’t have to be boring.
> Chewing: the bane of dog owners’ lives is chewing. If you want to avoid your shoes and the morning paper being ripped to shreds, you need something that your dog can really get his teeth into and that is built to last. By far the best of this type available is The Kong. It’s made of very tough rubber and can be filled with treats to encourage longer and more interesting chew play.
> Chase and retrieve: you throw something, he brings it back. You throw it again, he brings it back again. And on, and on. A simple tennis ball will do, but to give your dog more exercise, why not try a Ballistic Ball Thrower? These great devices allow you to chuck a ball much further than normal, and you don’t have to pick up a slimy tennis ball either! For something more fun, go for a Humunga Tongue or a Chuck A Duck Ring Toss, which also doubles as a tug of war toy.> Pounce and shake: a variation on tug of war, this behaviour is more of a solo game, where the dog will jump onto a toy, fling it around and then drop it, only to repeat the process several times. Squeeky rope toys are great for this as the sound encourages the play, and there are plenty available in all sorts of designs.
WHEN TO USE DOG TOYS
The key to playing with your dog is to enjoy very frequent playing sessions, both at home and when taking your dog out for a walk. By playing often for short sessions, rather than once a week for an hour, you keep your dog stimulated and stop him from getting bored, and you leave him looking forward to the next time you play. For this reason, play time should be fun for you too, so use an excited tone of voice and have fun! And when you’re done, tidy the toys away so that playtime is definitely over.
The key to playing with your dog is to enjoy very frequent playing sessions, both at home and when taking your dog out for a walk. By playing often for short sessions, rather than once a week for an hour, you keep your dog stimulated and stop him from getting bored, and you leave him looking forward to the next time you play. For this reason, play time should be fun for you too, so use an excited tone of voice and have fun! And when you’re done, tidy the toys away so that playtime is definitely over.
Finally, a word on buying dog toys. Make sure you’ve got a variety of dog toys available to match the mood your dog’s in at the time, and swap them around to keep your dog interested. Also, check them regularly to ensure there are no loose parts that could be ingested. And when it comes to replacing them, look for something that is well-made. You do get what you pay for when you buy dog toys, and spending a few pounds more on a quality toy is far better than spending the minimum amount on something that will fall apart quickly.