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Dog Toys And How To Use Them
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"Safe" Toys
There are many factors that contribute to the safety or danger of a
toy. Many of those factors, however, are completely dependent upon your
dog’s size, activity level and personal preference. Another factor to be
considered is the environment in which your dog spends his time.
Although we can’t guarantee your dog’s enthusiasm or his safety with any
specific toy, we can offer the following guidelines.
Be Cautious
The things that are usually the most attractive to dogs are often
the very things that are the most dangerous. Dog-proof your home by
checking for: string, ribbon, rubber bands, children’s toys, pantyhose
and anything else that could be ingested.
Toys should be appropriate for your dog’s current size. Balls and
other toys that are too small can easily be swallowed or become lodged
in your dog’s mouth or throat.
Avoid or alter any toys that aren’t "dog-proof" by removing
ribbons, strings, eyes or other parts that could be chewed and/or
ingested. Avoid any toy that starts to break into pieces or have pieces
torn off. You should also avoid "tug-of-war" toys, unless they’ll be
used between dogs, not between people and dogs.
Ask your veterinarian about which rawhide toys are safe and which
aren’t. Unless your veterinarian says otherwise, "chewies" like hooves,
pig’s ears and rawhides, should be supervision-only goodies. Very hard
rubber toys are safer and last longer.
Take note of any toy that contains a "squeaker" buried in its
center. Your dog may feel that he must find and destroy the
squeak-source and could ingest it, in which case squeaking objects
should be "supervision only" toys.
Check labels for child safety, as a stuffed toy that’s labeled as
safe for children under three years old, doesn’t contain dangerous
fillings. Problem fillings include things like nutshells and polystyrene
beads, however, even a "safe" stuffing isn’t truly digestible.
Remember that soft toys are not indestructible, but some are
sturdier than others. Soft toys should be machine washable.
Toys We Recommend
Active Toys:
Very hard rubber toys, like Nylabone-type products and Kong-type
products. These are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and are
fun for chewing and for carrying around.
"Rope" toys that are usually available in a "bone" shape with
knotted ends.
Tennis balls make great dog toys, but keep an eye out for any that
could be chewed through and discard them.
Distraction Toys:
Kong-type toys, especially when filled with broken-up treats or,
even better, a mixture of broken-up treats and peanut butter. The right
size Kong can keep a puppy or dog busy for hours. Only by chewing
diligently can your dog access the treats, and then only in small bits -
very rewarding! Double-check with your veterinarian about whether or not
you should give peanut butter to your dog.
"Busy-box" toys are large rubber cubes with hiding places for
treats. Only by moving the cube around with his nose, mouth and paws,
can your dog access the goodies.
Comfort Toys:
Overstuffed toys are good for several purposes, but
aren’t appropriate for all dogs. For some dogs, the stuffed toy should
be small enough to carry around. For dogs that want to shake or "kill"
the toy, it should be the size that "prey" would be for that size dog
(mouse-size, rabbit-size or duck-size).
Dirty laundry, like an old t-shirt, pillowcase, towel or blanket,
can be very comforting to a dog, especially if it smells like you! Be
forewarned that the item could be destroyed by industrious fluffing,
carrying and nosing.
Get The Most Out Of Toys!
Rotate your dog’s toys weekly by making only four or five toys
available at a time. Keep a variety of types easily accessible. If your
dog has a huge favorite, like a soft "baby," you should probably leave
it out all the time, or risk the wrath of your dog!
Provide toys that offer a variety of uses - at least one toy to
carry, one to "kill", one to roll and one to "baby."
"Hide and Seek" is a fun game for dogs to play. "Found" toys are
often much more attractive than a toy which is blatantly introduced.
Making an interactive game out of finding toys or treats is a good
"rainy-day" activity for your dog, using up energy without the need for
a lot of space.
Many of your dog’s toys should be interactive. Interactive play is
very important for your dog because he needs active "people time." By
focusing on a specific task, like repeatedly returning a ball, Kong or
Frisbee, or playing "hide-and-seek" with treats or toys, your dog can
expel pent-up mental and physical energy in a limited amount of
time and space. This greatly reduces stress due to confinement,
isolation and/or boredom. For young, high-energy and untrained dogs,
interactive play also offers an opportunity for socialization and helps
them learn about appropriate and inappropriate behavior with people and
with other animals, like jumping up or being
mouthy.
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