By Khushboo Kapadia*
Toys are mentally and physically stimulating and assist in fulfilling a dog’s emotional and physical needs. Even though dogs today are primarily bred as companion pets, they still need something to do. In the absence of a “job”, they will look for things to do to occupy their time and fulfil their chewing needs. If you do not want them to choose their own chew toys, such as your sofa, pillows, or toilet paper rolls, provide them with appropriate outlets.
Toys are excellent mental stimulators that encourage active play and minimize periods of boredom. This reduces the risk of destructive or attention seeking behaviours manifesting in your pet. However, dogs are a lot like children, and they get bored with their toys quickly. When this happens, the value of the toy as a mental and physical outlet is lost. Our dog trainers recommend that customers select six to eight toys for each pet ensuring that each toy is different in texture, size and shape. The toys should be given out a few at a time, then rotated every few days so that the pet always has something different with which to play. Rotating toys is the best way to keep them effective.
A toy’s safety is contingent on how your dog interacts with the toy and this interaction can change with time. A plush toy that was safe from your 10-week old puppy might not be a good choice when the dog is 5 months old and starts de-stuffing the toys and swallowing the squeakers! Supervise your dog when he is playing with a new toy and monitor the dog’s interaction with the toy regularly to ensure that the toy continues to be a safe choice.
Interactive toys are meant to be used as a team – dog and owner, which provides built-in supervision. These toys include fetch balls, and tug-of-war ropes. Interactive toys should only be available to the dog when you and he are playing together. After the play session, put those toys away so the dog always looks forward to playing with them and you.
Be mindful of what you give your dog as a toy. If you give your pet, socks, old slippers or articles of clothing to play with, they will see all socks, shoes and clothing as their playthings. Dogs can not distinguish which of your socks and shoes are okay to play with and which are not. It is best to keep your things separate from their toys to eliminate any possible confusion.
The People who say toys are not important for your dogs I would just suggest get a small ball and see the happiness on your pet’s face.
1. Toys from the USA Brand – West Paw also known as Unbreakable toys.
These toys are especially for the ones who love to destroy their toys. These are made of environment friendly rubber, can be washed easily and can be carried to the pool.
2. Environment Friendly – BECO Toys: Beco toys are 100 percent plastic free, even the packaging, 100 percent waste free,made from organic raw material, 100 percent compostable & biodegradable, 100 percent sustainable bamboo sugarcane and corn and 100 percentgreen.
Rope Toys: Dogs love rope toys.These rope toys are used for mental stimulation of your pets as they have the excitement to unrope the toy.
Rope Toys For Dogs – Knowing The Risks and Rewards Knowing how to properly use them: Effective exercise and play strategies are part of the approved curriculum. One strategy used to accomplish this is teaching the benefits of esteem-building with rope toys. There can also be risks involved. Therefore, it is helpful to know the ways you can play with your dog that maximizes fun through interactive play, without creating any behavioural issues down the road.
Rope toys are twisted or woven cotton ropes that fall into several categories. Some have multiple knots. Others have bones, or rubber balls attached to them. You will have to select rope toys that have significant length and will not fit into your dog’s mouth if playing alone or using them as a teething tool. According to experts at Animal Behaviour College, dogs who always win at tug-of-war, can quickly assume the alpha dog role over you. If this happens, it can lead to additional behavioural problems.
Yet, for puppies with more reserved personalities, occasionally allowing a ‘win’ during tug-of-war can help build self-esteem and courage; a quality that is advantageous as long as it is not overdone. The best kind of dog trainer training will help you sort out methods that are effective for playing with your particular dog’s personality.
Some additional things to consider when using rope toys are:
They should be soft and flexible since rope toys are very appealing to most dogs because of this quality.
During dog training, a rope toy can be used as a reward, for interactive games, or a chew toy.
When soaked in cold water, rope toys can be soothing for teething pups. Make sure you are always present when your puppy is chewing on a rope toy.
Rope toys are flexible and can be easily carried on outings with your dog.
Rope toys should not be given to aggressive chewers. Larger dogs can shred the rope and swallow fibre, creating digestive problems later on.
* Just for Wags” as the name suggests is a brand dealing with unique and amazing products for your pets – both Cats and Dogs. Just for Wags (JFW) is a brand curated by me (Khushboo Kapadia). I am a former Hotelier and I quit my job to start something of my own.
Instagram : @justforwags
Facebook: Just For Wags
