There are a plethora of toys available for dogs on the market, and new ones are coming out all the time. We have been hard at work testing out different toys in our kennel enrichment program and finding out which toys our dogs enjoy the most, which toys stand up well to retriever-levels of play, and which toys seem to exercise their brains as well as their bodies. The following toys have been the most successful. Remember that food-dispensing toys are considered a “high value” resource to dogs; watch for any guarding behaviors and use caution if you have other dogs. Some toys are best given to each dog separately or while the puppy is confined. You can also use food-dispensing toys to slow down a fast eater. Keep in mind that any food or treats your dog gets from the toy have to be subtracted from their regular meals.
Kong toys:
Kong has long been a favorite among puppy raisers, trainers, and guide dog users. They make a variety of toys, most of which are appropriate for our puppies. They also have a variety of strengths as well as different types of toys. The Classic Kong is a bee-hive shaped rubber toy that can be stuffed with food or treats. For young puppies, there are “teething strength” Kongs that have a tie-dyed appearance. For average chewers, there are red strength Kongs. For tougher chewers, there are black and royal blue strength Kongs.
Kong also makes several other shapes and types of toys, such as the Genius, the Goodie Bone, the Stuff-a-ball, the Wobbler, and the Traxx tire. These are designed for chewing, dispensing kibble, or stuffing with food. To stuff a Kong, you can moisten their dry food and mash it into the Kong, use the canned puppy food counterpart, or use a treat such as Kong Stuff’ns or a peanut butter. Freeze the stuffed Kongs to make them last even longer.
Do not use any Kong products that are made from ropes, have squeakers or are shaped like tennis balls.
Nylabones:
Another favorite toy is the Nylabone. The Nylabone brand offers a lot of options for a variety of chewers. The Puppy Chew, Gumabone/Flexi Chew, Rhino, and Romp n Chomp are good for teething pups or soft chewers. For more intense chewers, the Dura Chew, Big Chew, and Galileo bones are good options.
Do not use any Nylabone products with ropes or squeakers, or the edible bones.
Stuffable toys:
There are some other brands of toys that can help to occupy your puppy. The Starmark brand makes some excellent treat-dispensing toys that we’ve used in our enrichment program. In particular, the Everlasting Treat Ball, Bento Ball, and Fire Plug engage the dogs and hold up well. The cone-shaped Everlasting Treats are best used for older puppies, as they are fairly large. For younger puppies, small treats or kibble can be stuffed into the center of the toy. Very determined chewers may be able to rip pieces off of this toy. We have found that the Everlasting Treats do keep them more interested in the treats themselves rather than the toy, and MOST dogs take their time working on the treats. I know there are stories of dogs who removed the large treat within minutes, and those dogs may not benefit from this toy. But I have truly been stunned at the length of time the dogs spend working on this toy.
Some other good options are available from Premier Busy Buddy. Popular choices are the Twist and Treat, the Waggle, and the Magic Mushroom. (Yes, I am literally laughing out loud as I am typing these names) Petstages also makes some good chew toys such as the Occupi and the Orka Jack. Bionic has a great teething bone available.
Puzzle toys:
This category of toys encourages problem-solving. These toys are great ways of feeding meals to a high energy, intelligent dog. It not only slows down their eating, but it also provides them with a challenging, mentally-stimulating task. These toys are not generally designed to withstand chewing, although they hold up well to being tossed around. These toys WILL make a lot of noise on tile floors; sensitive puppies might benefit from playing with the toys outside or on carpet. There are several brands of puzzle toy, but generally Nina Ottosson is considered the biggest innovator. We most often use the Tornado and the Treat Maze. Since Nina’s toys came on the market, many other toy companies have followed suit. The Kyjen brand has some excellent, readily available puzzle toys. The Kong Wobbler is another interactive, food-dispensing toy worth a try.
Unsafe toys:
There are toys that we do not want our puppies to have access to. Here are the toys that they are not allowed to have, as well as the reasons why:
Sterile bones and antlers:Any toy can pose a danger to a dog. The position of Board Certified Veterinary Dentists on chewing is as follows: if you would not hit yourself in the knee with the toy, or if you cannot dent it with your fingernail, it is not a safe for teeth. We do allow some “hard toys” in our puppy program (nylon bones) but have tried to reduce the most dangerous. When a dog chews on a toy that doesn’t have any flexibility, there is a risk that they can break or crack their teeth. The most common breaks are slab fractures (molars) or cracked canines. These most often occur with “dedicated chewers”, who take a toy like a sterile bone into the back of their mouth and start chomping. It is for that reason that we do not allow sterile bones or antlers in our program. However, the softer toys can often be destroyed and there is a risk of the puppy ingesting pieces. There is not one toy that is universally indestructible and also teeth-safe. Choice of chew toys will depend heavily on the puppy’s individual personality and chewing style.
Rope toys:
While rope toys have long been popular in the pet-owning community, we do not allow them for guide dog puppies. Ropes, when ingested, become string that is not easily passed. It can cause severe, irreparable damage to the digestive tract. The strings get wound up and can actually saw through intestines. We have had to perform surgeries on some program dogs, and have seen the damage firsthand that these toys can cause. Braided felt or fleece toys are a safer option for young, teething puppies.
Squeaky toys:
We do not allow toys with squeakers in our program due to the distracting nature of them. Dogs enjoy squeakers for various reasons, but it is likely related to prey drive. Besides the choking hazard of squeakers, toys that squeak are extremely distracting to a guide dog who has enjoyed playing with them in the past. We also don’t want to encourage our guide dogs to enjoy picking up small furry things that squeak! Please also avoid toys that resemble children’s stuffed animals (teddy bears, etc). Toys without stuffing, fleece braids/tugs, and canvas toys are preferable options for dogs who like soft toys. Again, the use of toys needs to be supervised. If a dog starts ripping pieces off of a toy, dispose of it immediately.
Balls:
Tennis balls and other balls that roll along the floor are not allowed due to their use building “chase drive”. Toys that roll in a straight line encourage the chasing of moving objects, which not only creates distraction for balls (tennis courts, soccer fields, etc), but also can encourage the chasing of small animals. Toys that bounce erratically or stop when they land are better choices for retrieving games. Stop tossing any toy if the dog becomes fixated or too intense. The game should remain fun, not become a serious obsession. Speaking of obsessions, NEVER use a laser pointer to play with a puppy. It can not only damage their eyes, but also can lead to obsessive behavior towards lights and shadows.
Rawhide:
Rawhide is not meant to be ingested, but many dogs gulp down large chunks. They create a choking hazard as well as a blockage risk. They can also cause stomach upset. We do want you to expose the dog to the rawhide aisle of the petstore, as some dogs react fearfully towards the odorous chews. But do not allow your puppy rawhide of any kind, including rawhide bones, compressed rawhide, Gnawhide, crushed rawhide, Dingo bones, pig ears, cow hooves, or bully sticks.
