Is your pooch able to eviscerate a stuffed animal (or other dog toy) in under an hour? Then you may own a dog-toy shredder.
Shredder: Any dog that pulls all the stuffing out of their toy, pops the eyeballs off, locates and removes the squeaky inside, and basically destroys the toy in under a day. Why do they destroy their play toys? It could be instinctual.
The stimulation they get out of acting as they would in the wild, “catching” a small prey animal and then eating it. It could also be boredom or lack of stimulation. In the past, toys didn’t seem to last, irregardless of the indestructibility rating.
Now, we have the benefit of Internet product reviews and websites devoted to testing out the pros and cons of competing brands.
Below are three highly recommended, durable toys to try:
1. For dogs that prefer stuffed animals:
Small Dogs: Kyjen Invincibles Mini Plush Dog Toy
Pros: Plush, easy to carry around, durable plush, stimulates natural prey drive, squeaker
Large Dogs: Skineeze
Pro: Stuffing Free, durable, soft and furry, stimulates natural prey drive, squeaker
Check this website out if interested in the Skineeze.
2. For dogs that prefer to chew:
Rubber Kong
Pro: Can be filled with treat, aides dental health by cleaning teeth and gums, prevents boredom
You can find Kongs at Petco.
3. For dogs that like to play fetch/chase balls:
The Tug and Toss is a ball with a handle on it that the dog can grip with his teeth.
Pro: Made of extremely durable non-toxic polyethylene . The dog can grip it in his jaws and it will not deflate, even if punctured. They come in several sizes, for toy dogs up to large-breed.
The gripper ball is another option, with a squeaker inside
The key to remember is that you pay more for a more durable toy. Putting up a favorite, cheaper toy, and only allowing your dog to play with it in limited amounts of supervised time can prolong the life span.
