Toys are excellent tools for keeping your pup occupied and fighting boredom when you’re leaving your dog at home, providing them with something comforting to take away their anxiety. Although cats can be fussy about toys, dogs often play with whatever object they can find.
Ensuring Safety
Several factors contribute to danger or safety issues with a toy, and a number of them are dependent on the size of your dog, preferences, and activity level. You also need to consider the environment where your dog spends most of his time. You can follow these guidelines with regards to choosing toys for your dog:
- Dog proof your house by removing rubber bands, children’s toys, ribbons, pantyhose, and other items that your dog could swallow.
- Purchase toys that are the appropriate size for your dog. Toys that are too small can pose a choking hazard, or they can be lodged in your dog’s throat.
- There are specific concerns about squeaky toys as they could be ingested if your dog is playing unsupervised. Dogs often try to find the source of the squeaking and attempt to destroy it, hence swallowing them.
- Discard any toys that are torn or starting to break to avoid your dog chewing off loose parts and ingesting them. Check the safety labels on stuffed toys to see if they are safe for children under the age of three years, and they don’t contain hazardous fillings. Unsuitable fillings include polystyrene beads and nutshells and even stuffing who are considered as safe aren’t truly digestible.
- When you’re thinking about buying rawhide chew toys, check with your veterinarian first to find out which ones are appropriate and safe for your dog, since they can pose a choking hazard.
Recommended Toys For Dogs
Active Toys
- Hard rubber toys, which come in many sizes and shapes and are suitable for chewing and carrying around. Woven or rope toys that come in a bone shape with knotted ends, are perfect for dogs who love to play tug-of-war.
- Tennis balls are excellent options for fetching but don’t last very long since they get chewed through. Make sure they are discarded after being chewed through to avoid a choking hazard.
Distraction Toys
- Feeder or busy-box toys are made in large rubber shapes and are filled with treats. When your dog moves it with his paws, mouth or nose, he can get to the gifts. This toy is beneficial for dogs who tend to devour their food too quickly.
Comfort Toys
- Soft and cuddly stuffed toys are a good choice for a few purposes, but they aren’t the right toys for all dogs.
- Pick a toy that is small enough to carry since many dogs like to move soft toys around.
- Some dogs want to destroy their toys and shake them vigorously, therefore choosing one that is large enough to avoid your dog from swallowing it accidentally. Preferably it must be sturdy sufficient to withstand your dog’s assaults.
- Old t-shirts, towels, blankets, towels, or pillowcases are comforting objects to a dog, especially if they have your scent.