The Best Dog Toys for Happy, Healthy Pups

Our furry friends bring so much joy into our lives. As dog owners, we want to provide our pups with everything they need to be happy and healthy, including entertaining, stimulating toys. With so many dog toys on the market, how do you know which is best?

This blog breaks down the different types of dog toys and essential features to look for and provides examples of top-rated toys your dog will love.

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Your Guide to Choosing the Best Dog Toys

First things first, consider your dog’s characteristics and needs. Is your dog large or small? What breed? What is their energy level – high, moderate or mellow? Does your dog tend to be tough on their toys or gentle? By keeping your dog’s traits in mind, you can better select types of toys they’ll enjoy, and that will stand up to play.

The Benefits of Dog Toys

Before exploring specific toy options, let’s review why dog toys are so important in the first place. Toys provide hours of exercise and mental stimulation for dogs. This is crucial not just for fun but for their ongoing health and happiness:

• Preventing boredom and destructive chewing behaviours
• Supporting physical fitness and maintaining a healthy weight
• Encouraging bonding, training and rewarding good behaviour
• Easing anxiety and frustration and assisting with agility training
• Stimulating senses with sights, textures and sounds
• Providing mental stimulation and challenges

Now that we know how important toys are, let’s overview the main categories and best picks.

Plush Dog Toys

Plush and stuffed toys are great for snuggling and gentle play. Many feature soft materials, textured fabrics and squeakers to entertain pups and satisfy instincts like shaking.

Best Plush Dog Toys:

• KONG Cozies: These plush toys feature minimal stuffing and a solid outer material for extra durability.
• Hide-A-Squirrel Squeaky Puzzle Toy: Dogs love “hunting” and removing squeaky squirrels from the soft tree trunk.
• ZippyPaws Plush Toys: Fun characters with rope limbs satisfy dogs’ instincts to grab and tug their “prey.”

Most plush toys are ideal for moderate chewers, not aggressive ones. Look for quality materials like Toughchew fabric or remove stuffing from softer toys to increase sturdiness. Avoid plush toys with button eyes or loose strings that could be choking hazards if chewed off.

Rope/Tug Toys

Rope and tug toys are fantastic for dogs that love to play and chew. These toys tap into prey drives by letting pups grab, carry and tug to their heart’s delight. Look for options made explicitly for pet play, not household use.

Best Rope/Tug Dog Toys:

• Benebone Maplestick Durable Dog Chew Toy: This stick provides a satisfying chew, features fun maple wood flavours and has a flared end for easy gripping.
• ZippyPaws Monkey RopeTugz: Braided no-stuffing toys encourage tug of war between dogs and owners. They’re 2+ feet long, so dogs can grip however they like.
• Outward Hound Fire Biterz Rope Tug: Tennis ball ends ignite fetch and tug instincts. The frayed rope signals primal prey but is entirely safe.

As your dog tugs, pores in the rope become exposed, releasing satisfying scents. Rope toys are great for oral health by reducing plaque, controlling tartar and keeping gums healthy. Select rope toys sized explicitly for your dog to avoid accidental swallowing and intestinal blockages.

Rubber Dog Toys

Rubber dog toys are excellent for power chewers and dogs that love to play fetch or engage in tug of war. Rubber is tough and designed to stand up to serious chewing. These toys also frequently feature fun, unpredictable bounces to keep your dog entertained and chasing.

Best Rubber Dog Toys:

• KONG – Extreme Rubber Ball: This near-indestructible ball is perfect for games of fetch and even stands up to aggressive chewing over time.
• Nylabone Dura Chew Power Chew Texture Bone: Shaped like a bone with nubs and ridges to polish teeth. The durable nylon is tough enough for aggressive chewers over 50 lbs.
• West Paw Zogoflex Bumi Tug Toy: The two handles make tugging easy during playtime with humans or canine pals. Guaranteed against dog damage – it has a 100% “no dog left behind” guarantee.

Rubber toys are the way to go for tough chewers. Pay special attention to size – always opt for larger than you think to avoid choking hazards. Supervise your pet until you can confirm the toy holds up to its chewing strength.

Fetch Toys

Does your pup love to play fetch all day, every day? Mine does too! Selecting durable fetch toys created explicitly for intense chasing and chewing is a must. Fetch-loving dogs will be in heaven with the following top-rated picks.

Best Fetch Dog Toys:

• Chuckit! Ultra Ball: The thick natural rubber and slim profile make these balls ideal for long distances. Impress your friends when you play fetch further than anyone else at the dog park!
• West Paw Zogoflex Zisc Tough Flying Disc Dog Toy: Reviewers report this soft disc flies smoothly and far better than plastic versions. The natural rubber is gentle on dogs’ mouths but holds up to aggressive chompers.
• Nerf Dog Tennis Ball Blaster: For the ultimate fetch experience, invest in a ball launcher that sends tennis balls over 50+ feet without tiring out your throwing arm. Dogs go wild for the surprising long-distance launches!

As with all dog toys, please pay attention to your individual pet’s chewing habits and damage tendencies before leaving fetch toys with them unattended. For light chewers, rubber is likely durable enough for independent play. If your dog loves shredding their toys, continue supervision and swap out toys at the first sign of punctures or tears.

Interactive Food-Dispensing Toys

Last but certainly not least – interactive food dispensers! These unique toys motivate mental stimulation by challenging your dog to move the toy in ways that make kibble or treats fall out. They’re especially great for dogs left home alone for a few hours daily, providing positive reinforcement for extending the time between meals. Check out these entertaining food toys:

Best Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toys:

• Kong Classic Dog Toy: This cone-shaped rubber toy is the ultimate for keeping dogs happily occupied. Stuff it with wet and dry food or treats, and let your pup figure out how to tip it to access the tasty prize. It’s dishwasher-safe and durable, and dogs go wild for the challenge!
• Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl Slow Feed Dog Bowls: These bowls feature ridges and mazes that force dogs to eat around an obstacle course versus gulping food too quickly from a simple bowl. This makes mealtimes more interactive, plus healthier digestion!
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Meal Dispensing Dog Toy: Food and treats are placed in the bottle. Dogs learn to lift, tug and roll the bottle to make kibble fall out of two dispensing areas. Adjustable difficulty levels let you make it more challenging as your dog gets better!

Mental stimulation is as important as physical activity for your dog’s health and happiness. Interactive feeding toys check both boxes! Start with your dog’s regular kibble to teach them how the toys work. Once mastered, use part of their meal portion in the toy and mix it with high-value treats to increase the reward.

The Perfect Toy Collection

Now that you know about the significant dog toy categories and the top options in each, I recommend investing in a diverse collection. Each style satisfies different needs for optimal physical and mental exercise.

Aim to have at least one toy from each group – plush, rope, rubber, fetch and interactive feeding. Having options makes playtime more exciting and prevents your dog from getting bored. It also allows you to easily swap out toys at the first sign of damage before unsafe swallowing occurs.

Follow the product guidelines for the intended user size and chewing style. However, know your pup best – even if they are small or average chewers, they may be drawn towards shredding and destroying particular textures. Continue supervising all toy times until your dog has proven themselves trustworthy.

I hope this overview gave you a helpful starting point for selecting awesome dog toys to keep your best friend active and engaged. Nothing beats the smile on your pup’s face as they proudly carry around their favourite new toy! Please share any of your dog’s beloved toys in the comments. Happy playing!