The Best Dog Toys
The best dog toys are the ones your dog likes to play with. All dogs have their own likes and dislikes and this applies to toys as well. Some dogs like a nice plush toy with a squeaker. Other dogs like a firm rubber chew to bite down on. Balls are awesome toys for fetching or chewing on. Rope or tug toys are fun on their own or with someone tugging on the other end.
Toys are important for a dog’s well-being. They enrich the dog’s lives. If there are no toys around to chew on many dogs will opt for furniture, molding, rugs and sometimes you. Dogs should learn to entertain themselves with the toys. It’s always more fun when you are playing along but they should be able to play independently as well.
There are puzzle toys that dispense treats or meals. These are an excellent choice since they engage your dog’s brain as well as jaw. Be sure to use a combination of treats and their meals to fill the dispensing toys. There is no need to add excessive calories to your dog’s diet.
The Kong is a good choice since it is easy to fill, it can be frozen and they come in extra heavy duty for super chewers. You can use an old toothbrush to clean them out once the dog is finished.
Lick mats are flat rubber mats with a suction cup on the back to hold in place. For dogs who need and love to lick use these as a puzzle toy.
Remember
Don’t give a dog who love to chew and shred toys a regular child’s plush toy. These come apart too easily and have pieces that can be ingested by dogs like the eyes, tails etc.
Even though dogs love flip flops and slippers allowing them to use your old shoes as toys is confusing. Remember the always or never rule for dogs. I can always chew on slippers or I can never chew on slippers.
You can never have too many toys. You can have too many toys available to your dog at the same time. Have a toy basket for your dog’s toys and rotate toys to keep them exciting and fresh.