Dog toys are immensely popular, but one toy is not the other. The quality and safety of dog toys varies greatly. That is why it can be difficult to find the right dog toy.
Dangerous dog toys
Knowing your dogs chew and play behavior can help to determine what kind of toys to avoid. Dog toys made of hard plastic can cause gum damage. If your dog does not chew hard plastic, this danger is not revelant. There is a risk of swallowing with soft toys. A squeaky polyester flamingo looks nice, but can pose a risk if your dog bites the flamingo and swallows pieces
Dog toys are often made of plastic. The squeakers in stuffed toys are usually also made of plastic. Padding material is usually made of polyester fiber padding. In addition, these toys are often dyed with chemical dyes. Even if the product is not treated with toxins or chemicals, it is not good if your pet ingests polyester fabric or filling. This can lead to digestive problems. In addition, pieces of hard plastic can damage your dog's gastrointestinal tract.
There are also natural products that you have to be careful with. Pig ears and rawhide chewing bones can cause constipation or diarrhea, and there is also a choking hazard. These products are aslo often a source of unpleasant microbes. Many of them are bleached and glued with toxic chemicals. We recommend to avoid these products.
Safe dog toys
But what are safe dog toys? This depends on your dog's behavior. We recommend to choose toys made from natural materials such as hemp, canvas, natural rubber, bamboo or wool. These natural materials are not only good for your dog, but also more environmentally friendly than plastic dog toys.
With plastic-free products, you also have to take your dog's chewing style into account. Powerful chewers benefit from harder products. Consider, for example, sturdy rubber toys from KONG.
In addition to chew toys, consider puzzles to mentally stimulate your dog. Also, don't forget that your dog always prefers to play with you rather than a toy. Interactive tug-of-war toys are always a good choice.
Hemp dog toys
We added a 100% natural dog toy collection made from hemp to our store. The hemp plant itself controles weeds and is therefore free from herbicides and pesticides. Hemp is also naturally resistant to mold and mildew. Hemp rope is firmer than cotton and good for your dog's teeth. Due to the braided structure, hemp toys contribute to your dog's oral hygiene. You can think of it as a natural floss. The material is sturdy enough to clean the teeth, but soft enough not to cause damage. In addition, the antibacterial and fungus resistant properties have a great advantage for oral hygiene.
Hemp rope is intended as a safer alternative to synthetic toysl that is harmful if swallowed. Hemp rope breaks down naturally and in most cases dissolves completely. However, this does not mean that your dog is supposed to consume hemp in large quantities, it can still be harmful. That is why we recommend that you supervise your dog when chewing on toys made from hemp rope.
KONG dog toys
We are a huge fan of KONG dog toys. We believe that everyone should have a classic KONG made of natural rubber at home. A KONG filled with peanut butter, for example, offers enrichment and satisfaction. If you want to increase the challenge, freeze the filled KONG for long-term fun.
KONG also has a line for powerful chewers. We therefore recommend that you consider a KONG Extreme if your dog is a powerful chewer.