It’s not enough to give food, water and shelter to your dog or cat. Another thing pets essentially require is toys. Toys are not a luxury, but a necessity for pets. Toys are important for your pet’s mental wellbeing. Toys help deal with boredom when your dog is alone in the house and also provide comfort during the feeling of nervousness. Toys can even prevent the development of certain behavioral problems.
Cats can be quite fussy about toys; however, dogs are usually more than happy to play with any object that they can grab. Hence it becomes even more necessary to give them toys to distract them from the valuable objects which they can toss and chew.
Safety
While choosing toys for puppies or dogs, you should take care of safety and this depends on many factors including the size, activity level and preference of your dog. You should also consider the space where your dog will play with the toy. Although there is no guarantee of the safety of any toy, you can at least remember the following things.
Typically dogs are attracted to the most dangerous things. Remove ribbons, strings, children’s toys, rubber bands, pantyhose or anything else that can be gulped.
Consider size of your dog and buy toys accordingly. Small toys can be swallowed or get lodged into the throat of your dog.
Monitor your dog’s play while he’s playing with a squeaky toy because your dog may feel that he would find that toy and discard the source of squeaking. This means that he can gulp it if left unmonitored.
Avoid or modify any toys that are not “dog-proof” by removing strings, ribbons, eyes or any other parts that can be chewed and/or swallowed. Throw away toys that are torn or break into pieces.
Which Toys Should You Give to Your Dog?
Kong-type toys made from hard rubber are excellent toys as they come in various sizes and shapes, and are interesting to chew and carry around. Rope and woven toys come in bone shape with knotted ends and are perfect for dogs who like chewing various textures and playing tug-of-war.
Tennis balls are otherwise fine but aren’t good for chewing. They can become a choking hazard for your pet.
Kong or similar types, particularly when filled with treats can keep a dog engaged for hours.
Feeder toys or Busy-boxes are big rubber shapes which you can fill with treats. By moving the box with paws, nose or mouth, your dog can reach the goodies inside.
Follow these tips while buying toys for your puppy or dog, and see them enjoying all the time.