Top Dog Toys

If you are a new dog owner or even an experienced one looking around the pet store, you may be overwhelmed by the selection of dog toys. Bones and pull ropes or squeaky balls and boomerangs, which one to choose? Depending on the breed and age, your dog will have different needs. I have compiled a list, from experience, that will be appreciated by your dog, as well as your pocket book. (Note:this list is based on the needs of a Retriever and Sporting type dog).

1- Balls! A must have. It is worth while to invest in real tennis balls of the almost indestructible ball, $10.









2-Plush Toy
A plush toy to a dog, is like a little friend. Sooner or later, your dog may take it upon themselves to choose something from your personal items (slippers, socks children's toy) that suits the purpose of chew toy, companion and bed time buddy. This is one of those hard choices. With such a variety, be careful to choose one that does not have small pieces, like eyes and noses, as they are chocking hazard. The best choice in this category, are the ones that are flat, or without fuzzy insides, for obvious reasons. The now offer faux squirrels, beavers, ducks, etc, that have a velcro opening to insert squeakers(below $12 @ PetSmart). These are machine washable and the only thing you need to replace is the squeakers , which you can find for $3.
Vote:Is this a squirrel or a beaver?












3 - Bones

The allure of a bone is not easily understood to humans, but this simple things can keep your pup busy for hours. Whether its a real bone from the butcher shop (I suggest a Shank Bone), rawhide chews, an edible or non-edible Nylabone, it will help clean their teeth and provide entertainment. Consult with your Vet regarding the proper type of bone depending on your dogs age. Especially careful with the choice for your puppy. I suggest a variety of edible and non edible bones. Buy in bulk and put some away for a rainy day.

If teeth cleaning is of top concern, Greenies make a nice green toothbursh version. Check out this link for a free sample
http://www.greenies.com/en_ca/FreeSample/

My personal favorite, for a treat, is the DentaBone or BusyBones.














The Chilly Bone. Dogs love chillin' out with the chilly bone! This is perfect for puppys and last well into their adult life. A good investment.











4 - Indestructible Rubber
The Hol-ee Roller
This is a great indoor/outdoor toy. a Must have. It has a variety of uses. Chew toy, fetch toy and challenge toy. Put some large dog biscuits in here and amuse your K-9! Its light weight is perfect for the retriever type. Available in variety of colours and diameters of 3.5" to 8", up to $14.


Also
Dogs in Action Rubber Dog Toy for Large Dogs


Great for chewing or tug-o-war, $10.



5 The king of all dog toys..

THE KONG

Kong has been around since 1976 and claims to be the best. Time has proven this true and today they have such a large selection of great dog toys, you can't beat investing on one. They even have a bird kong!

Thanks to the durability, Kongs are safely used in a variety of ways. You can put a treat or peanut butter inside and it can be used to help your pup learn to use their paws for holding.


Kongs range from Puppy to Extreme.

Puppy Kong is softer for their delicate needs.


They also offer Squeakers, Wubbas, Kongs on a rope and more, price ranges $3 to $15.
Check out this chart to determine your needs. I would call ahead to make sure the store has what you want, because I found certain items to be quite popular and not in stock. But wait, with online shopping, who goes to the store anymore? Me and my dog, thats who!



View another Kong chart here:


http://www.kongcompany.com/KONGSizeChart.pdf



Note on Top Dog Toys.

Toys can be fun for both you and your dog. Playing together is an important part of your relationship, so do it well. Your dog doesnt need at 5 of his toys at once, he'll get bored regardless of how fun they once were. Rotate his selection and re-introduce them seasonally to maximze their effectiveness.


Though I list items in a decent price range, I wish to remind all of you that the best things in this life are free...

Now grab a stick and play fetch!