Dog Toys: what to look for in safety and fun

Dog Toys: what to look for in safety and fun

Dog toys can be lots of fun to buy for your dog. It's like buying a toy for a child. After all, you know that your pooch will be excited about getting something, and you hope that he will get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. However, just like with children, there are certain toys that are good, and certain ones that are not. Safety should be the first consideration, and then the "fun factor" a close second.

Dog toys are one of the best ways that you can keep your dog's life from getting boring. They're also great ways to share in activities with him or her, such as with a tug toy, or something that can be thrown for a game of fetch.

Beyond safety, the perfect plaything really is a matter of taste between you and your dog. Some dogs are partial to the very latest in gadgets and plastic toys, while others are more interested in the ol' traditional toys. Some are very picky and hard to predict, while others don't want any toys at all.

The majority of dogs are quite energetic, so giving them the proper dog toy can provide them for a fun and enjoyable outlet for that energy. However, you do need to be careful, because if your dog uses a toy to release energy and it is not properly designed, it can become quite dangerous. Balls, stuffed animals, and other toys that are too small can be swallowed, or can lodge themselves in your dog's throat or mouth. Any toys - no matter how loved - that are broken into pieces or that have pieces torn off should be discarded right away. Any toys that have inner parts should also be discarded if those inner parts become exposed.

Remember that the main thing that a dog will do with a toy is to put them in his mouth. This includes:

• Carrying them around
  
• Tossing them about
  
• Catching them when thrown
  
• And chewing them.

For this reason, it's critically important that you ensure that the toy is too big to be swallowed.

When your dog first starts playing with a toy, supervise them for the first while to make sure it is performing as it should.

Get to know your dog's chewing habits so you can select dog toys that are designed to withstand that level of chewing and destructiveness.

The two primary levels of chewing are aggressive chewers and semi-aggressive chewers.

• Aggressive chewers - these dogs tear their toys apart. In this case, you need to watch for parts being lodged in their mouths or throat, or being swallowed.

Aggressive chewers should have only durable, hard rubber or nylon toys that have been designated for this level of chewing.

• Semi-aggressive chewers - these dogs don't rip apart their toys, but they will chew on a toy until it has worn down.

Semi-aggressive chewers will enjoy canvas, plush, fleece, berber, or rope toys. These are softer toys, but they'll still withstand a certain amount of chewing.

Overall, when you're deciding on a dog toy to buy for your companion for chewing reasons, you should pick one made out of hard rubber or nylon so that they can get the satisfaction of biting and chewing, without ingesting or choking on bits of plastic or other substances.

Soft foam balls - as popular as they seem to be - are not at all good choices for dogs. They are extremely easy to be torn apart, and even the least chewy dog could destroy it within a single afternoon. Furthermore, they're a huge choking hazard, cause neon-colored drool that stains, and can make dogs very sick if they're ingested.

Children's toys are also not good dog toys as they're easily chewed up and torn apart. The eyes of stuffed animals are terrible choking hazards for dogs.

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