Pet Toys: Choosing the Right Toy

How can you resist an adorable, soft, plushy stuffed pet toy for your puppy? "He'll love it!" you think to yourself, but some toys can be fatal to your dog. Choosing the right toy for your canine friend takes a lot of trial and error, and more importantly, supervision.  Remember, a busy dog is a good dog.  I am sure you will agree that it is better to have numerous dog toys as opposed to buying new furniture!

Before I discuss a bit about dog toys, humor me for a moment. Why would you give any dog your sock, or a toy that looks like a shoe, slipper or newspaper to play with? Dog owners actually DO this! All you are teaching your dog to do is chew your socks, shoes, slippers, and newspapers!  Your dog cannot differentiate your good slipper, from his fake slipper toy. Do yourself a favor and make sure that his pet toys do not resemble your real possessions!

Soft plushy toys are great for some dogs. Many dogs just like to carry their toys around, sleep and cuddle with them. Think of dog toys in "toughness" levels, from weak stuffed toys, to the ones that claim to be indestructible. It is easy to assume that certain breeds destroy their toys more than others do. That is true to a certain extent, but you should never underestimate the power of a mad Chihuahua! Little dogs can rip toys apart just as easily as big dogs. Some just like to spread the stuffing all over your floor. While that may be somewhat cute, the reality is that the stuffing can lead to choking and in some cases death. If you want to try giving your dog a soft toy, make sure that the only time he has the toy is when you are home and can supervise. Leave him alone with his toy, and then check on him. Do not leave him crated with a soft toy. See how it goes, maybe you got lucky!