Dog Care Tips
Safe Dog Toys
Dog owners like to buy toys for their dogs. It's a huge market and the
variety can be overwhelming at times. And dogs love toys. But it is
important to remember that dogs are not
children and the wrong toy can be dangerous or even possibly life-threatening.
You need to choose a toy that is practical, fun for the dog and safe.
You need to consider the size of the toy, the toy's durability, the kind
of chewing activity your dog prefers, and the construction of the toy
itself. Dog toys come in three basic categories:
- Active - these toys have been designed to challenge your dog mentally and keep him/her physically active;
- Distraction - these toys should keep your dog busy. Busy dogs are not bored dogs, and dogs that are not bored do not engage in unwanted activities; and
- Comfort - these toys are meant to make your dog feel secure while sleeping and are also useful for teaching tricks.
Active Toys are generally made of very hard rubber so that they won't get
easily worn when chewed upon. They are easy to carry around and come in a
huge variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Rope toys come in a variety of
styles and you can use
to tease your dog with by wiggling them on the floor or making it jump in
the air, as the dog tries to catch it. Sturdy rubber toys come in a
variety of shapes and sizes and generally
look quite interesting to dogs too. Most dogs love tennis balls but in
general, balls must be carefully selected to fit the dog. If the ball can
fit all the way into the dogs mouth it can become a chocking hazard,
particularly if the dog likes to catch balls when they have been thrown.
Balls must be discarded once they can be chewed through.
Distraction toys are toys that can be filled with bits of treats or peanut
butter. These toys can entertain puppies happily for hours as puppies love
to chew through them to get to the tasty treat. They can also be very useful
as a positive reinforcement when you are training your dog or teaching
him/her tricks. There are some very interesting toys that have a number of
holes in which to place treats. These toys require your dog to use his/her
nose, mouth and paws to get the goodies and dogs will spend hours trying to
figure out how to extract all those tasty tidbits!
Comfort Toys are the soft stuffed toys that are not for all dogs. These small
and light toys can easily be carried around and give quite a target for
dogs to 'shake' and 'mock-kill' games. They can be made in the size and
shape of the small animals such as a mouse, chipmunk or duck.
If your dog is friendly, these toys can be his best pals and he can even
hug them or sleep with them to feel cozier and more comfortable. These
toys should not be used for dogs that are aggressive chewers. A
"squeaker" toy is optional, and many dogs are attracted by the
sound.
When buying any toy, remember that you should buy only toys that have been
made specifically for dogs. The toy should not have ribbons, strings,
protruding parts or small parts that can be chewed off and swallowed. Keep a variety of
toys available, but rotate the dog's toys so that he/she has only a few out
at any time. Keep the other toys hidden from sight, and you can make your
dog feel like he/she is playing with new toys as you rotate them
periodically. And don't use old clothing, slippers or shoes as toys if you
don't want your dog chewing on your good clothing, slippers or shoes! If you
dog does grab something he/she should not be chewing, gently take it away,
tell the dog "thank you" and give them an appropriate toy.
Don't be afraid to play with your dog and make up games that you both enjoy. Playing with your dog is an important bonding activity. Dogs need the social interaction of playing with other dogs or people. Dogs also need physical activity to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, so playing games that make them run and catch the ball, or hide and seek can help them get that activity without wearing you out totally!