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Choosing the best toy
Dog toys are a vital part of a dogs life and it is important not to underestimate how valuable the right selection of toys can be. The right toys will serve a greater purpose than simply entertaining you pooch.
Thoughtfully chosen toys are not an indulgence but rather a necessity, they can help to bring out the best in your best friend.
Playing with appropriate toy cans:
- Provide exercise
- Occupy a dog's paws, jaws & mind
- Prodvide you dog with "legal" play items - helping to save hosehold items
- Reduce Stress
- Alleviate boredom and loneliness
- Distract dogs with anxiety (but not replace a good dog trainer)
- Provide envirnmental enrichment
- Help prevent behavioural problems
- Provide a great reward for good behaviour
We know choosing the right toys can be difficult. And a big part of this is trial and error. Things to consider when chosing a toy are:
- The right size - one size does NOT fit all. Chosing toys that are size appropriate is vital. Toys that are too big can be hard for your dog to handle, and ones that are too small can be easily destroyed or even worse, swallowed.
- Your dogs activity level, temperament and instictive behaviour. Is your dog gentle with their toys? Do they have a strong prey drive and like to pull their toys apart? Do they like to shake their toys? Are they problems solvers? Do they love to exercise their jaw strength? All dogs will have different preferences and will need toys whose material, design, and construction match their needs.
- What stimulates your dog? Some dogs are happy with the basics - balls, ropes, soft toys - but more often than not they will prefer the more challenging toys such as complex food dispensing puzzle toys.
- Variety is the Spice of Life. Developing a collection of toys that suit your dogs needs and then rotating them is vital. We would get bored doing the same activity over and over again.. and so do our dogs. Get you pooch a "toy basket" and rotate your toys every day - giving 3 or 4 at a time. This practice will help maintain each toys special appeal to you dog.
Types of toys
At PetO we pride ourselves on having the biggest range of dog toys in Sydney. And while nothing beats coming in and having a look for yourself, here is a brief overview of what we stock:
- Home alone Toys -treat loaders and puzzles toys are a great way to excerise your dog both physically and mentally. We stock a massive range including Kong, Busy Buddy, Nino Ottosson, Bob-a-lot, Hol-ee Mol-ee, Everlasting treat balls, Aussie Dog plus many more
- Play Together Toys - These toys are a great tool to use while interacting with your dog. They can be used for retieve, tug, problem solving, and bonding. We also have a huge range of floating toys, great for at the beach (we won't tell) or at the lagoon
- Cuddle Me Toys - While soft toys aren't for everyone, for the gentle dog or new puppy they can act as a sort of a security blanket. They can last for years or be destroyed in a blink of the eye, depending on the dog. For some they can be used for toss and retive or just for pure nuzzling and comfort. These are definately not suited to tenacious chewers or those with a high prey drive.
- Chew Toys - This is a "tough" one as we know how strong dogs jaws can be. It's important to choose carefully when looking for a specfic chew toy. We stock and recommend the Nylabone range, particularly the galileo. This range is made from tough nylon and can usually withstand some heavy chewing. Other recommended ranges are the WestPaw range made from recycled rubber or for a cheap and cheerful option there is always rope toys. Fresh raw meaty bones are a great alternative to a chew toy.
Remember with all toys it is important to monitor your dog and throw out any toys that are starting to break apart. |
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