Dog toys for the highest demands

What should you look for when buying dog toys?

When looking for a suitable toy for your dog, you will already have noticed how varied the range of dog toys is. Your first question should therefore be, what requirements should the toy fulfil? During your search, you will realise that, depending on your needs, it can make sense to buy several toys to serve different needs of your dog. 

Whatever type of toy you are looking for, make sure that it is made for dogs. Because dogs chew on toys with enormous bite force and dislodged particles are swallowed directly, the wrong toy can quickly become unhealthy and, in the worst case, even dangerous for your dog.  

For this reason, high-quality dog toys are consistently made without soluble small parts that the dog can choke on. 

Always be aware that children's toys or even sports articles such as footballs or tennis balls are manufactured for a specific purpose. Of course, you cannot expect such products to be particularly suitable for dogs. Thus, even products that one might intuitively classify as completely harmless may nevertheless contain small parts, chemicals or dyes that can become unhealthy for dogs. 

With high-quality dog toys, on the other hand, you can be sure that no harmful additives, such as chemical dyes, are used.  

What types of dog toys are there? 

Intelligence toys

Intelligence toys are toys that the dog uses independently. By solving a certain task or performing a certain action, a reward is "unlocked" by the dog. This type of toy is particularly recommended if you want the dog to occupy itself for a while, as you can pay little or no attention to it. Depending on the toy, the difficulty level of intelligence toys for dogs can often be varied. This way, you can always increase the challenge and ensure long-lasting playtime fun. 

Chew toys

Chew toys for dogs are also very good for keeping dogs occupied for a long time. Most chew toys are filled with treats that the dog has to work out of the toy in one way or another. The stimulus of the reward keeps the dog occupied with the toy for a long time. Chew toys are available in a wide variety of shapes and colours. Some toys have nubby or rough spots that additionally massage the gums or clean the teeth, while other toys have their own scent that is particularly enticing to dogs. The Treat Dispensing Bacon Ball and the Bacon Disc from Starmark have a distinct bacon aroma that makes dogs chew enthusiastically on the toy. 

Throwing toys & tug toys

Of course, every dog owner needs at least one toy to play with his four-legged friend. Throwing toys and tug toys are ideal for strengthening the bond between dog and owner. With suitable toys, romping together is at least as much fun for you as it is for your dog. In addition, this type of dog toy is a great way to give your dog extra exercise and tire him out. 

When playing with throwing toys and tug toys, particularly large forces act on the toy. Objects and toys that are not explicitly made for this purpose often cannot withstand these forces and break, which in turn can be dangerous. That is why quality and workmanship are crucial characteristics for tug toys. This applies to all breeds of dog, but is especially true for particularly strong breeds with a strong bite. 

Squeaky toys

Dogs love it when their toys give an acoustic response. That's why many dogs are fond of toys with integrated squeakers. If you are easily disturbed by sounds, you need to decide whether you want to put up with the noise or whether your dog can move to sufficient retreat or open space to play with the squeaky toy undisturbed. If neither is the case, we have the perfect solution for you. Ultrasonic toys like Hear Doggy Cat squeak at a frequency that humans cannot perceive. So your dog gets the resonance you love and you are not further disturbed by squeaking noises.

Plush toy

Many dogs like to withdraw and cuddle with a plush toy. Durability and good workmanship are the most important requirements for the toy. Many plush toys, such as Krazy Creatures - Purple Dragon, can also be used as tug toys due to their robust nature. 

What toys are there for puppies?

Chew toys for puppies

Puppies have an increased need to chew. A chew toy can have a similar calming effect on a puppy as a dummy has on a human baby. At the latest when a puppy's milk teeth fall out, sensitive, itchy spots can appear in the mouth. Chewing on a toy can then provide relief. Since chewing also cleans the teeth, it is advisable to offer a chew toy already at puppy age. This chew toy should not be too hard and should be especially suitable for the puppy's milk teeth.

Tip: When offering filled chew toys, pay attention to the dosage of treats and food. It can make sense for a dog to acquire part of its food via the toy. At the same time, a toy filled with treats should not replace the food in the bowl. It can make sense to limit playing with a filled toy so that a dog does not lose interest in other toys. 

Tug toys for puppies

Playing together with tug toys is fun and increases the bond between dog and owner. Of course, with puppies it is important not to pull too hard, otherwise a milk tooth can be lost in the heat of the moment. Be sure to use a measured amount of force, which can of course vary from breed to breed.  

Squeakies for puppies

Puppies in particular can be encouraged to play wildly by cuddly toys that make squeaking sounds. Puppies often tend to bite even more temperamentally on toys. This is why an ultrasonic squeaker toy can be the right choice, especially for young dogs. 

Soft toys for puppies

You often hear that dogs can play with soft toys that are approved for babies. Although it is true that these toys do not contain small parts, we would like to advise against this misuse. Puppies in particular have especially sharp teeth and, depending on the breed, already a firm bite. Cuddly toys are not made for this kind of stress. Once a puppy has bitten a hole in the outer shell, the filling material is quickly revealed and this should of course not be swallowed. The only remedy is a safe, bite-resistant dog toy like Furballz Rainbow S. By the way, soft toys for dogs are much more durable than normal cuddly toys for children. So the cuddly toys can often remain the dog's companion beyond puppyhood.