For real, how many pet dog toys does your dog have? Let’s be honest now. Maybe three? Perhaps a dozen? Yes, that plastic bottle under the couch counts. Or is it a little closer to 25 plus? Hmm? Have you ever stopped and pondered over the sheer amount of squeakers, balls, ropies and plushies you’ve got scattered around the house?
No worries, I’m not really concerned about the amount of dog toys your Buddy has. He could have 100; it’s all ok! When it comes to toys, we recommend you follow these 2 main pet dog toy principles:
1. Playtime Toy Management
2. Toy Awareness Assessment – “does he really need another one?”
Toys are an integral part of your dog’s everyday life. They become a necessity especially for energetic puppies that desperately need them for chewing and a host of other beneficial dog activities. Yes, I’m well aware wild dogs don’t have Kongs or Orbee-Tuff Balls lying around. But they have everything else the wonderful natural outdoors provides. Whatever catches their immediate attention, tree logs, rocks and often times, dead prey animals. Dead animals don’t really fit into our lifestyles. That’s why our modern dogs need a large variety of high quality dog toys. Like with all games, it’s good training to give your dog rules and limitations when playing with his toys.
Playtime Toy Management
Rule #1 is very simple. Your dog must understand that YOU are the sole proprietor of all his dog toys. YOU decide what he plays with and when, not the other way around. Trust me, doing so will alleviate a host of negative behavioral problems such as toy guarding. Plus you get to enjoy peaceful moments without your dog constantly nudging you with his fave ball, enticing eyes and tail wagging for some quick fetch.
One thing I could tell ya is this: Giving your dog complete access to his dog toy chest (24/7) is generally not a good idea. Some dogs can also become very bored and disinterested with their toys relatively quickly because they’re always there.
Your best bet is to keep a secret stash of pet dog toys hidden throughout the house and then surprise your dog with one here and there. I guarantee lotsa happiness, disbelief and total excitement from your four-legged friend. Try it out!
If your dog is not super energetic, an obsessive toy guarder or an extreme hyper player, it might be all right to give him all access. It’s up to your discretion. However, keeping the toys away helps implement rules and downtime.
Toy Awareness Assessment
“Does my dog really need another toy?” I know you might not want to hear this but generally the answer is no! Remember, the dog toys are for the dog not for you. Don’t be swayed by the new happy flowery poofy toys, the furry long squirrels or the supa dog store sales. Toys tally up quick and before you know it you’re spending heavy bills. Decide on a budget and stay with it. Don’t overspend on unnecessary pet dog toys. You’re much better of investing that money into all natural dog food instead.
We absolutely apply the Playtime Toy Management law in our house with our little donkey. Plus we’ve also created the “Toy comes in, toy goes out” rule and it works wonders. Whenever one of Halle’s dog toy becomes too used up (because of Halle’s jaws of death) we either donate it, recycle it or toss it – before we introduce a new one into the mix. This way the number of toys never goes into overload.
Please be wise when purchasing dog toys. You’re far better off spending a little more for good quality instead of shopping at the dollar store. We’re insanely against disposable dog toys. They’re not good for mother earth or for you. Plus, your dog will probably destroy them in no time. Not a good investment. Look for higher quality, longer lasting toys that will prolong your dollars and playtime.
“Can you keep a secret? I know exactly where Mom & Dad stash all my Surprise Toys!” – Halle
Always monitor your dog and stay on the safe side whenever he’s playing with pet dog toys. Accidents like choking or eating broken toy pieces can happen very fast. Keep your eyes open and be especially careful with young puppies and destructive chewers. I highly encourage you give the two principles a try with your dog. You’ll instantly notice better play manners and a higher dose of fun.
How many toys does your dog have? What kind of rules do you have in the house for playtime? Scroll down below and leave a comment.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
My dogs don’t have too many toys, for all of the reasons you stated. But theirs are available to them in a toy basket, if they’re interested. Mostly they pull out their Nylabones or elk antlers for a good chew, but occasionally Leo will dump out the whole basket and play with each and every item. Today I’m washing the plush ones- apparently there are 10 of those. I’d say it’s too many, but the 4 big ones are the toys that get the most attention. The smaller ones get buried at the bottom and forgotten about, and then are suddenly a “new”, hot item on the rare occasion that the whole basket gets upended, so he seems to have a newfound interest in the toys because of that. Nylabones’ “Cheeky Squeaky Pets” are a favorite. Any plush toys that I’ve put up because they need mending are welcomed home like a lost child when I finally make time to re-stitch seams and return them to the basket. The Frisbees, however, I keep in a secure cabinet and those only come out for Frisbee time, then I have two other squeaky toys I use just for training. Our dogs typically only get new toys at Christmas, when I take count of the remaining toys and decide to purchase a few. Even then I don’t dole out all the new toys at once, I keep some back for a special occasion like birthdays, or midway through the year when some of the older toys need to be retired.
We have two bigger squeaky balls outside, which the dogs used to love to play with, but now they just end up chasing each other instead. I keep any balls smaller than their mouths picked up, because dogs shouldn’t play with balls unsupervised if they’re small enough to get lodged in the back of their mouth/throat.
Now that’s that I called toy management. You definitely have your dog toys on lock… lol Thanks for sharing…
You always have to have something locked away for special occasions. We like to do that to whenever possible… avoid last minute B-Day or Xmas gifting for Halle the Barbarian.
Ok, I hate leaving this kind of comment but – great article! :-)
As for our dogs, they actually have very few toys. Some flying squirrels, used for fetch games in the lake or on land, or for tug. Some tennis balls, couple kongs. A rope I think.
They don’t really seem to have much need for toys except interacting with us, but for that often a stick found outside works fine.
I guess they are satisfied with the fun they get on their walks. We used to have more dog toys, but nobody was really interested in them. Our guys just rest between their walks -)
I totally agree with you Jana… most dogs, with a good exercise and life routine seldom need toys. Even ultra playful breeds like Halle can with a strong daily routine get by with very little toy play…
We keep Halle’s handful of toys tucked and take them out occasionally when we know we’re not planning a big walk or much training or tugging or whatever else Halle enjoys doing. We also use toys during training cause they’re very high value for her.
Really depends on each dog… but there’s absolutely no need to spend major dollars on toys. Especially on low quality disposable stuff.
Good tips! My dog only has one stuffie and one rope toy, a few Nylabones and then two or three tennis balls and several Frisbees. He’s lucky if I buy him one toy a year, and it’s usually at a garage sale. I know way too many dogs who have baskets full of toys or dozens of toys scattered around the house. Just like a 2-year-old, the dog could care less about the toys because he’s bored with them. Ace has one or two toys out at a time, and I rotate which toys are out.
By the way, I do the same thing with my cats. They get bored with their toys as well!
My Yorkie like shredding the core of toilet rolls, or I cut up the cor of a paper towel roll. Lasts just a few minutes, but that can be a fun play for her. Endless supply, free.
Hi Brian – oh those are fun and free like you said!
We did that with Halle when she was a very young pup … but eventually had to stop cause she would destroy the roll in no time :)
Now sometimes when a paper towel roll is finished we just chase her around with little taps on her back to bother her with it LOL so much fun!
What your Yorkie’s name?