Mary Allen
Boredom isn’t just uncomfortable for humans. Dogs also want to be occupied and love to discover new things. A bored dog is unhappy and more likely to develop bad habits. Dog toys help you entertain and train your four-legged friend. It is important that you find the right toy because dogs are as individual as people. The toys must be age-appropriate. For example, a clumsy puppy is overwhelmed with a demanding intelligence toy. The size must also be right. Playground equipment must never be so small that it can be accidentally swallowed. If they are too big, smaller dogs usually don’t enjoy playing. Also, offer your dog different toys for different activities.
Quality Features for Dog Toys
The toy for your dog should always meet three quality criteria: it should be attractive, robust, and made of harmless materials. A stable design is not only important for chewing and biting toys. All objects should be constructed in such a way that hardly any parts or individual pieces can be bitten off and swallowed. The colors must also be harmless so that no harmful substances are dissolved in the saliva and get into the dog’s body. High-quality play items such as the Kong dog toy are made from natural rubber. They are very resilient and encourage the urge to play with their hopping movements when they hit the ground. But even the best dog toy can be damaged. So that your dog does not injure itself on bitten-off parts or on sharp edges that may have arisen, never leave your dog unattended when using the toy!
Fun for the Little Ones: How to Find Good Puppy Toys
Puppies of all dog breeds are very playful. They are curious and like to try out what they can do with a new object. Bite, chew, poke, sniff, examine – a good puppy toy encourages discovery and learning. It is important that you choose age-appropriate play equipment. It shouldn’t be too big, too heavy, or too hard, because your young dog is still growing and developing and can be a bit clumsy at times. A ball is part of the basic equipment. Smaller models are usually more interesting for puppies than a large football. Knob balls that can be gripped and transported with the mouth are well suited. During the change of teeth, the need to chew increases. The little ones have a lot of fun with chewing toys that can be filled with treats. This allows your puppy to occupy itself for a longer period of time and also receives a reward. This will motivate him to chew on the toy rather than your shoes or furniture.
Outdoor Play: Retrieving, Tagging, and Searching
You can take different toys with you to add variety to your walk in the open country. Play items that you use outdoors should be sturdy, not too small, and easy to clean. Large, highly visible items are good for outdoor retrieval because they are less likely to be lost. Dog frisbee is becoming increasingly popular. The round playground equipment is available as rings or discs in different designs. If your dog enjoys playing Frisbee, it’s worth getting a model that’s the right size, weight, and design for him. Search games in the field are suitable for dogs with advanced training. To do this, you hide a toy that is interesting for your dog or an object that you have filled with a reward.
Refreshing Fun in the Water
Some dogs love water. If your four-legged friend is a real water rat and you often take him to the lake or river, suitable toys should not be missing. Retriever toys are a good option. However, normal balls or toys are not always suitable for water retrieval. Special swimming toys for dogs have better buoyancy, can be grabbed by the mouth, and are easy to see on the water. There are many fun and colorful items for your dog to play with within the water. If you have a garden or a large terrace, the water toy can also be used in a paddling pool. Playing in the cool water is a welcome refreshment, especially in the summer months.
Variety When Playing in the Apartment
Sometimes dogs need to be kept busy in their own four walls. So that the four-legged friend does not get bored, the owner has to come up with something. Play objects that keep the dog busy with a task for a long time are particularly suitable. For example, there are interactive objects that encourage the dog to continue playing with various noises and different sensory stimuli. Intelligence toys can be filled with food that the four-legged friend has to get out himself with patience and skill. Pulling and tugging games are well suited so that your dog can let off steam in a smaller apartment. They train the muscles and tendons and reduce the urge to move. Dummies, ropes, and toys with handles or loops are suitable for this fitness exercise.
A Challenge for Dog and Owner: Make Dog Toys Yourself
Beautiful dog toys are not only available for purchase. You can also make exciting dog toys yourself. Of course, doing it yourself is first and foremost a challenge to your own skills. Burrowing boxes are easy to make and let your dog search for a reward or toy in them. All you need is a sturdy box, which you can fill with crumpled-up waste paper or textiles, for example. Old towels in which you tie several tight knots are suitable as tug toys. So they are stable enough for the wild rope pulling between two- and four-legged friends. Cardboard tubes from toilet or kitchen paper can be turned into simple dexterity toys. Put a reward in the tube and fold both ends in such a way that your four-legged friend has to make a little effort to get the reward. If your apartment is big enough, you can also set up a small indoor agility class. For a simple slalom course, for example, you use large plastic bottles that you fill with sand.