Toy Selection

Wow! There are a lot of toy options these days. So many options for us to choose from. Here are some things to consider based on your dog’s temperament and play style. First thing to note, in general toys are designed for use with supervision. In reality this is not how most of us use them, myself included. Many of us leave them with our pets while we are gone… and usually that is when they get into trouble with their toys. Selecting toys that fit your risk tolerance given the dog you have is important.

Plush Toys

Loved by many, destroyed by some. When picking a new plush toy, evaluating durability given how strong of a chewer you have is important. If the toy has a squeaker, consider the crushed size and if your pet is likely and able to swallow. Toy parts when swallowed can block the intestines and can be difficult to identify on x-rays. Plush toys can also cause what veterinary professionals call a linear foreign body. This is where, usually a fabric toy is broken and a part is ingested. A part can get stuck and then a long strand like portion continues into the intestines. When the intestine pulls at the strand that is stuck it can saw through the intestines. If your dog is a plushy addict, regularly inspect them and remove the damaged toys. This also applies to rip and reveal toys. Once the fabric is damaged, dispose of it. Plush toys with recorded sounds are of the highest risk if the device is ingested because they contain batteries. These are high enough risk that if you choose to use them direct supervision is always recommended regardless of temperament.

Rubber Toys

Are made of different firmness material. They are often melted together from multiple parts. These seams are where major damage is most likely to occur. Ingested chunks of rubber can block the intestines. Some companies are adding barium to their rubber formulas making them easier for your veterinarian to identify on radiographs (x-rays). If you play fetch with a ball or firm rubber toy, make sure it has a hole of decent size (think finger sized not needle sized) on both ends. No tennis balls please. This is a safety feature to prevent negative suction holding the ball in place if your dog is choking. The holes make it easier for your or a professional to save your pets life. To avoid choking risks when playing fetch, do not throw the ball directly towards your dog’s head for them to catch it. Make them chase it. If you are adding food to a rubber toy, clean it thoroughly between each use. If your dog often struggles to get food out of the deepest crevices, you can first freeze water in the parts difficult for your pet to reach before adding food. This will make cleaning easier and can help make the activity last longer.

Chew Toys

Other than ingesting parts, which the same principles apply as with plush and rubber toys, the most common risk of chew toys is to dental health. Fractured teeth are painful and in dogs most commonly require extraction. Root canals are possible for dogs with specialists if treated promptly, but require no hard chewing after the crown is placed. To determine if a chew toy is at risk of causing fracture, try to dig your nail into it (not artificial nails ladies). The toy should dent before your nail bends to be comfortable the toy is low risk to your dog's teeth. This of course means the toy will break before the tooth, so you will likely need to replace these more often. Hard plastic toys and bones will fail this test. Some owners decide these are still worth the risk for them and their dogs. Fair. If this is you, I encourage you to master the mouth portion of Body Handling so you can comfortably and confidently check your dog's teeth. Regardless of chew toy choice, if you notice bleeding on the toy it is time to take a break from chew toys for a couple hours.

Ring Toys

These are any toys with a hole in the center. Ring toys cause issues when they get stuck over the lower jaw or around the neck. To avoid this issue pick rings with a center diameter too small even when stretched to fit over the lower canines or so big that it can easily slip off but too small to fit over the head when stretched. Bone rings can entrap the lower jaw when the pet eats the marrow out. Consider them like any other ring sizing, but keep in mind the inner diameter will change as the dog eats out the center soft portion.

Frizbees

When lunging to catch frisbee dogs can cut the eye or their mouth. To avoid injury choose frisbees with rounded or cushioned edges and, just like with playing ball, throw away from your dog so they have to chase.

Shaking Toys

These are things like ropes knotted at the end sometimes with toys looped on the rope. After ingestion of parts, the largest risk comes from having dogs of different sizes, and the large dog with the large toy causes trauma to the small dog by shaking the toy and hitting the small dog. If you have dogs of significantly different sizes that you leave together when unattended, consider putting up these toys when they are unattended.

Puzzle Toys

These are often used to make your dog work their brain to get access to their food. They are a great way to challenge the mind of a dog that gets destructive if they are bored. Solid construction puzzles with no loose parts can be used with less supervision. The more complex toys with removable parts, sliding doors and snuffle mats are best with supervision.