Benefits of Dog Toys Portland OR

Dog toys can prevent boredom, separation anxiety, and keep your dog from chewing on things he shouldn't, like your slippers. But there are other advantages of dog toys which you might not know about. For example, they can be good for coprophagia (dung eating), sleep disturbances, and dental problems. Hard rubber toys with grooves in them are ideal for cleaning your dog's teeth; you simply put meat flavored toothpaste in the grooves and let him chew on that.

Giving your dog a toy might distract him from digging or other destructive behaviours. Puppies need something to chew on to ease the pain of teething. Don't forget to praise them when they chew on toys rather than other stuff, and they will not engage in destructive behaviour. Getting your dog involved with fetching his favorite toy or chewing a ball can distract him from unwanted activities like digging holes in the backyard. Chew toys provide an acceptable alternative to biting people, by giving them a way to exercise their natural urge to use their teeth.

If your dog has trouble sleeping at night, leaving lots of toys with him will help pass the time. Try to change your dog's toys often, every day if possible, because this will keep him from getting bored. For example give him a chew toy one day and pull toy the next, and make sure to fit lots of time into your schedule twice a day to play with him, not just leave him alone with the toy. Types of dog toys Dogs love to pull, toss, tug and chew things. There are dog toys designed to let them exercise each of these behaviours. Chew toys, rope pulls, balls, stuffed toys, plastic, vinyl, hard rubber PVC, wooden toys. You can get small, medium, and big dog toys. (Don't let a big dog play with a small ball-the ball would be able to pass the dog's back teeth and could cause health problems or even death.)

Recommended dog toys Vets often recommend the Kong brand which are specially made to satisfy your pet's urge to chew. The Kong dog toy is virtually indestructible, I have found. Being wise as Solomon, I wanted to cut one in half for two dogs to prevent a fight, and had to use a hacksaw! Anything by Dog Planet is a good bet, as are those from Tuff Toy. A great challenging toy for any size of dog is the Buster Cube or something similar in which you put pieces of dry dog kibble. When the dog rolls it, the kibble falls out, keeping him interested in playing.

Hard nylon balls or basketballs are good choices for pitbull dogs because they are so strong. Nyla bones are good, and American customers can get free samples. A Kong or any other dog toy with a hollow center can be stuffed with peanut butter or food to keep him entertained for a long time. An agility group called CleanRun recommends Tuffies durable soft toys - Boomerang, Iron Fish, Rumble Ring, Stone Bone, and Tug-O-War. Dog toys to avoid Some other brands of dog toys are not quite so durable, like those made of rubber by Hartz. Soft vinyl or latex dog toys are not recommended, because they have been known to be fatal. Homemade dog toys Some people enjoy making homemade dog toys with squeakers inside for fun or profit.

A tennis ball sewed into an old sock can provide just as much fun as a $25 dog toy. You can find patterns and ideas for making your own dog toys on the internet. Where to find dog toys You can buy dog toys at your local dollar store, pet stores such as Petco, pet supply catalogs, E-bay, Wal-mart, etc. Some owners buy used children's toys at yard sales for their pet because they feel they are sturdier, and probably cheaper.