Yellow Brick Dogs  Richmond, VA

All About Toys

Anyone with a dog knows that dogs come with a lot of...stuff. Leashes, collars, beds, toys, all kinds of acoutrements. This article will focus on the fun of toys! I'll also discuss chewables and their levels of appropriateness.

When I think of dog toys, I think of the huge garbage bag I keep in the basement that is FULL of Gussy's plush toys. An important aspect of toy selection is figuring out what *your* dog likes. Gussy, for example, likes big, soft, floppy toys. She also has a life-long love of soccer balls and basketballs. Basically, the bigger the better, in her opinion. She has never been a destroyer of toys, and prefers to carry them around, gnaw on them a bit, and loves some good games of catch and tug. So, she's pretty easy to buy toys for. They don't have to be too strong, and I don't have to worry about her shredding them. Also, I am able to leave toys out for her because I know she won't eat them.

KNOW YOUR DOG.

Experiment with different toys and games, and get to know what your dog will do with various items. If your dog immediately shreds anything remotely soft, that doesn't mean he can never have a plush toy. He might need something sturdier for now, and supervision with the toy (so, don't leave him alone with the toy, no matter how sturdy it is!), but someday when he's settled down some, he can probably have a nice fluffy toy.

Make your own toys! Tug toys are extremely easy to make, and the ones you make yourself are usually better and less expensive than tugs from the pet supply store. Just buy some fleece fabric from the craft or fabric store, cut the fleece into strips, and then braid away! You can braid a handle into the toy, add a tennis ball, or simply tie the ends off in knots. These tugs are great because you can make extra long tugs. The longer the tug the better (to a certain extent!), in my opinion, so you can play all sorts of tug, without giving your dog the option to tug on your hands instead of the toy (remember, it's all about setting your dog up for success).

Another toy I have made for clients who have hyper, jumpy, and mouthy dogs is called "The Whip." If you don't have a tack store or farm supply store nearby, you might have trouble finding the main component of the toy, but it is possible to order online. The main component is a long lunge whip, used to lunge horses on a line. The whip itself is usually made from a fiberglass pole covered in fabric, from 5-8 feet long. At the end of the pole is a thin cord usually the same length as the pole. There is a "popper" at the end of the cord, which I remove. Then, you can take any tug toy, plush toy, or even a ball with a hole in it, and tie it to the end of the cord. Voila! An extra long, fast, whippy, intriguing tug toy. If your dog has high prey drive he will love this, as will any dog who loves chasing bugs. The toy looks like a bird fluttering through the air! You can wear your dog out fast using this toy in the back yard, only letting them catch it ocassionally (make sure you have previously trained an "out" or "release", so you can get the toy back when they catch it...

Another class of toys is one I like to call "Enrichment Devices." These are toys that challenge your dog's mind and body. They might dispense food or other toys, or they might be something your dog has to work hard to take apart. Common examples of these are Kongs, various treat balls, extra large and/or weighted balls that your dog can "herd" or push around, and anything that makes your dog think. Food dispensers are excellent. If your dog has never used one, you might have to help him out by demonstrating what to do with the toy (yes, get on the floor and bat the toy around...I'm serious!) or for dogs who are really inexperienced, you can play a shaping game with the toy as your prop. They'll figure out pretty quickly that *they* can make the food happen on their own.

Chewies!

Dogs need to chew. They like to chew. If your dog isn't chewing or appears hesitant to chew, please, please, please get his teeth checked out by the vet. He might have a broken or infected tooth that is hurting him. A dog's drive to chew will sometimes slow down with age, but they all have it in them. If your dog has been reinforced for chewing appropriate items from puppy-hood, you'll have a joyful chewer for life. Chewing is good for dogs, it keeps them busy, helps digestion, and can actually become a self-soothing behavior.

The most common type of chew is probably the ubiquitous rawhide bone. I personally don't feed rawhide because Gussy isn't interested in it. But, I know plenty of people who do, and I have given it to previous dogs (and Gussy when she was younger and less picky!). Some people completely disavow rawhide, and it does have a few risks. Dogs who eat quickly ("gulpers") or heavy chewers can bite off large pieces of the softened hide and either choke on the piece or experience a blockage from it. Any risks associated with rawhide and any other chew are greatly minimized by feeding the chews when you're around to intervene if need be, by taking away pieces your dog might swallow.

The next chewables I'll discuss are the various fully (allegedly) edible chews. These are things like Greenies, Jumbones, Booda bones, etc. These chews can have some really nasty ingredients. That being said, I do feed them from time to time as a special treat. I treat them like I treat junk food. You probably should eat deep fried processed food every day, but on ocassion, it's not too bad. Everything in moderation. The downsides to these chews is their short life. Unless you have a tiny dog, even the biggest of these don't last long (and the big ones have a LOT of calories!). Some types are very easy to chew into small pieces, and should not be given to hard chewers.

Bully sticks, tracheas, and tendon products are a pretty good bet. They don't last too long, depending on the dog. Gussy, an elderly German Shepherd, takes about 17 minutes to finish a 12" bully stick. Tracheas are handy for stuffing with other treats (or kibble mixed with something sticky) and can keep your dog busy for a while. Read up on the processing of different brands, as some are better than others.

BONES are what your dog was designed to chew. Your dog has teeth specially designed for tearing, pulling, and grinding, so let him try it out on a nice RAW bone. Raw knuckle bones and marrow bones are great. I prefer the knuckle bones because they are harder for dogs to get a hold of, thereby preventing any hard biting on the bone, which can cause broken teeth. Marrow bones are perfectly fine for the average chewer. If your dog is new to chewing, try a raw bone first. He'll love it. As far as cleanliness goes, if you're worried, baby gate your dog in the kitchen or another room with easy to clean floors, or even crate your dog with bone. If you have a yard, toss the bone into the yard and let your dog go to town. Raw bones are the best (in my oh so humble opinion) way to clean your dog's teeth. Processed or smoked bones are ok, but when they splinter and crack they tend to make me nervous. If you find a bone that doesn't splinter much, stick with it, and always throw away any shards that break off. Raw bones don't splinter or break up much, and when they do, the pieces aren't sharp.

The last chewable item I'll mention is the antler. I'm lucky to have access to property where many Whitetail deer live and shed their antlers (the males' antlers are shed off every year). Dogs love the taste of antlers, and they are a very long lasting chew. They don't splinter, they compress and are slowly ground down. Also, antlers don't stain, and don't have much of an odor (if you smell it really closely it smells a bit gamey but that's about it.

So, spend some time playing with your dog and get to know them. It will make you ever so much more valuable to your dog and improve your relationship!

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