Ava Williams
Dogs have a lifelong instinct to play. Playing promotes the dog’s development, stamina, and health and also strengthens the human-dog relationship. Retrieval games are particularly popular with dogs of all breeds and ages. Balls, sticks, or squeaky rubber balls are suitable for fetching. However, some objects are harmful to health or can lead to injuries. Therefore, you should also pay attention to a few points when it comes to dog toys:
What you should pay attention to when choosing a dog toy
- Palline da tennis: These are popular dog toys, but they can damage teeth and are usually chemically treated and not food safe. Instead of tennis balls, you should use cloth balls.
- Frisbee discs: Frisbees are also ideal for throwing games – from simple retrieval to ingeniously choreographed disc dogging or dog Frisbee. To avoid injuries, however, only unbreakable, soft Frisbee discs should be used.
- Squeaky toys: With squeaky dog toys – such as squeaky balls – you should make sure that the squeaking mechanism is housed as safely as possible inside the toy. If it can be chewed out easily, it is not suitable for the dog.
- Plastic balls: Plastic toys of any kind should be free of plasticizers. When chewed pieces of plastic enter the gastrointestinal tract, they can harden and cause injury.
- Rubber Balls: Even smaller rubber balls can be life-threatening if the ball is swallowed or gets stuck in the throat, blocking the airway.
- Rocce: Some dogs love to find and chew on rocks. However, stones not only damage teeth, but they can also be swallowed and, in the worst case, lead to intestinal obstruction. So better: get out of your mouth!
- Bastone: Even the famous stick is not entirely harmless as a dog toy. Although most dogs love wooden sticks. Branch splinters can come loose and cause serious injuries. It is also important for stick games that the dog always carries the stick across its mouth. If he holds it lengthwise in his mouth, he can be rammed in the neck if there are obstacles. Wood splinters in the stomach can also lead to inflammation.
- corde: Twisted, knotted ropes made from natural materials are generally recommended as dog toys. With knotted ropes made of plastic, however, swallowed fibers can lead to intestinal blockages.
- Scartato children’s toys: In general, what is recommended for small children cannot harm the dog either. Stuffed animals, for example, are quickly disassembled and their inner life is not very digestible for the dog’s stomach.
In any case, the dog toy should fit the dog’s size and be made of sturdy material that gives slight, such as natural rubber or solid wood.