Gail Fisher, All Dogs Gym & Inn - The perfect place for pets and their people

In 2004, we took a poll that indicated that only 10% of pet owners don’t buy their dogs something for Christmas. While that statistic may be slightly higher this year, it’s still highly likely that you have included your pet on your Christmas list. With that in mind, here are some recommendations for safe toys your dog might like for Christmas (Hanukkah, birthday, or any other holiday or time of year).

Toys fall into two basic categories: pacifying and interactive. Pacifying toys are designed to keep your dog occupied on his own, and interactive toys and games are just that – you and your dog together.

Starting with pacifying toys, they can be teething toys for a puppy, chew toys for an adult or brain toys that keep your dog busy. Here’s a run-down of the safe ones, and some caveats about others.

Kongs (kongcompany.com) are hard rubber toys in a variety of shapes, sizes, and purposes. They can be filled with treats to keep your dog occupied while he’s left alone. There is even a Kong dispenser called Kong Time that will automatically toss out a new treat-filled Kong on a pre-set schedule throughout the day. Quite an invention! For more information, visit kongtime.com.

I like Kongs because they keep a dog occupied without destroying the toy. Of course some dogs can destroy absolutely anything, so don’t write to me if that’s your dog. Which brings me to the common sense caveat: If your dog breaks off pieces of any toy, throw it all away – the pieces and the toy itself.

Next on the list of pacifying toys are Nylabones, which also come in all shapes and sizes. Some dogs really like Nylabones, and others won’t touch ‘em. With these toys, as well, watch for your dog breaking off small pieces. And when the toy starts to get worn down to a size that could be swallowed, throw it away.

The list of “chewables” includes rawhides, hooves, pigs’ ears, and beef bones and beef knuckle bones. Of all these, the only ones I recommend are real bones, specifically manufactured for dogs. Rawhide toys, hooves, pigs’ ears and the like are all dangerous, and potentially lethal for your dog. Small pieces can be swallowed, causing choking. Big pieces can be swallowed, causing intestinal blockage, requiring surgery. If surgery isn’t performed in a timely fashion, such blockages will be fatal. And finally, some foreign countries that export to the U.S. use arsenic to for curing animal parts that are for canine consumption. In other words, they’re slowly poisoning your dog.

Even with real bones, supervise carefully, as they may splinter. Some vets recommend against any kind of hard bones since tooth breakage can occur – certainly something to consider.

Other pacifier toys include knotted ropes that your dog can shake, toss and pounce on. These can also be adequate chew toys, but be careful if your dog swallows pieces of it, which can cause intestinal blockage.

Other objects such as fleece toys and those with squeakers can be entertaining and fun for many dogs. Again, the caveat is for those dogs that tear toys apart. Avoid anything with small parts such as eye buttons or other decorations that can be swallowed, and toys with stuffing. Toys that are labeled child-safe for children under the age of three cannot contain dangerous fillings, but even so, if your dog is a chewer, watch carefully and remove any damaged toys immediately.

The final category of pacifier toys are “brain” toys – those that require some interaction, designed to activate your dog’s problem-solving skills. As I watched Cannon last night rummaging through his toy box looking for just the “right” toy of the moment, I thought something like this would be great fun for him. This list includes the Buster Cube (bustercube.com) and Tricky Treat ball (quieter than the Buster Cube). Filled with treats, these toys release food treats during play, keeping your dog active and occupied.

Next week I’ll write about some ideas for interactive toys to get you off the couch – and some others you won’t need to move for.

 

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Copyright © Gail T. Fisher, 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.alldogsgym.com For permission to reprint this article or suggestions for future topics, please contact us.

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