There are tons of dog toys out there! How are you possibly supposed to decide which ones are the best for your dog?
Lucky for you, dogs tend to enjoy toys more often than not. However, it’s also important to consider the importance of toys. For growing animals, toys are an important part of development.
If your dog doesn’t have good toys, it won’t be able to develop its coordination, motor skills, or spatial awareness as well. Knowing that, it becomes more important to get a high-quality dog toy… or three.
How to Choose the Best Dog Toys
There are a few things to consider when trying to decide on the best toys.
Make Sure You Stay Safe!
Safety is key when it comes to buying a good toy. While most manufacturers are aware of this, it’s also important to remember if you’re thinking of making or building your own toys. Your dog’s size and energy levels also play into your decision.
In this regard, it’s probably more important to dogproof your house by looking around and identifying things that your dog might think are toys. Dangerous toys. This means you should get rid of anything that might hurt your dog, including anything that it might swallow.
Keep all small things out of reach and locked up. This means everything smaller than the size of a ball and thinner than a large marker.
What Type of Dog Toys Do You Need?
It’s also important to take into account what your dog wants. Do you have a hyperactive puppy, or a more sedate, mature dog? These things will factor into your decision.
Toys for High-Energy Dogs
If you’re getting a toy to help your dog expend its huge amount of energy, then you might want to invest in toys that can be used in activities.
- Tug-of-rope toys made of rope are fantastic
- Rubber toys are fun for fetching and running around with, in addition to being useful for teething
Toys for When You’re Busy
If you’re busy and you need something to keep your dog occupied for a while, then consider something like:
- ‘Feeders’ can be loaded with broken-up treats. Your dog will have to play around with the toy in order for it to release some tasty treats
- ‘Busy-boxes’ are another type of toy that can be loaded with treats and challenge your pup’s manual dexterity.
The promise of treats will keep them busy for hours.
Toys for Gentle Dogs
If your dog is gentle and has already gone through its teething phase, then you might want to get them stuffed toys. Stuffed toys might provide your dog with a sense of companionship and keep them comfortable while you’re out of the house.
You can also repurpose old items like pillows or old clothing into dog toys.
Conclusion
Dogs generally aren’t picky, so finding the perfect dog toy shouldn’t be too hard. With a bit of ingenuity, you can even make your own dog toys with some old clothing and some stuffing. Whatever the case, finding a toy to keep your dog safe and entertained is important.
