What dogs don’t love toys? We all know a tired dog is a happy dog. Here are some of our tried and true favorites:
The Chuk-It
A favorite of bigger dogs who love to run, the Chuk-It allows you to haul a tennis ball far distances with little effort. I don’t know where I would be without mine - a good alternative to the tennis racquet ball launch method my family used with our dog growing up. Plus, you don’t have to touch the drooly tennis ball (not that pet lovers really mind…). It’s such a simple design, it makes my husband and me wish we had invented it ourselves!
Kongs
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Kongs are classic - made of strong rubber and virtually indestructible. Their size and shape make them perfect for playing fetch or putting a treat inside to keep your pooch busy for hours. I have to admit they aren’t my favorites but I know some dogs who love them. My dog is always more apt to play with it with the hidden treat addition.
I love this new toy - the”Chewapalooza” - a good substitute for the rope toys that my yellow lab usually pulls apart in one 24-hour period flat. Perfect for tug of war or solo chewing - this is a good addition to your dog’s toy chest - for the name alone!
My dog loves this “Orbee Ball” - great for chewing and very durable. I love the minty scent - a good contrast to the doggy slobber I know and love. He did rip off the rope eventually and then was content with the ball alone.
I typically stay away from the plush dog toys - my dog destroys them in no time and becomes obsessed with ripping the stuffing out - and makes me paranoid that he is going to choke. I also have always steered clear of raw hide and real bones for choking reasons - although I know a lot of dog owners who do not shy away from them.
What are your dog’s favorite toys?
10.09.08 @ 4:00 pm
I hate to say that I actually have dogs that don’t play with toys! I wish they did, I have tried several different kinds and they are not interested. I have two Australian Sheppard mixes and one of them will play with a toy for maybe 10minutes and then she is done. The other one would rather chase her mother around while she is playing with the toy. Can anyone tell me why they don’t play with toys?? They don’t fetch either! I’ve tried, lord knows I’ve tried. They seem to be more interested in people than toys. If anyone can explain my dogs to me I would appreciate it.
10.09.08 @ 5:36 pm
Our Belgium Sheherd named (Dozer) for a good reason. When we adopted him he just plowed everyone. He is calmer now and very loving to all. His favorite toys ar the old rubber balls and his kong. He actually weighs 116 lbs. (big boy)
10.10.08 @ 10:47 am
My dog Lucy will play with a Chuck it until her legs fall off. We had been leaving it on the patio table in between play sessions, and she has started to jump up onto the table to give us a hint to play. And she will just stand there until we either go back into the house, or play with her.
10.10.08 @ 11:32 am
Hi, my dogs favorite toys are the Kong, his bone and balls. He (Harley) loves to put his toys under the dresser, the TV stand, and the table where he can not get to them. Then he lays in front of what ever it is under and whines until I get it out for him. Then he does it again, it is a game to him. But his favorite time to do it is when I am studing for school. But what can I say, except I love him.
Melissa
10.10.08 @ 11:39 am
My two shih-tzus only love plush squeeky toys and do not tear them up. I learned the hard way not to give rawhide. One almost died trying to digest the chewed up mass. don’t take a chance.
10.10.08 @ 12:13 pm
where do I purchase
chuck it toy
chewapalooza
orbeeball
All these toys were mentioned on Rachel Ray
10.10.08 @ 12:14 pm
where did you purchase the orbeeball?
10.10.08 @ 12:16 pm
Sandra, I have a small terrier mix who also does not play with toys or fetch. Plus, she isn’t even that excited about treats (Pup-Peroni is only snack she will eat…when she is good and ready, not all the time), so the Kong toy does not even work (I tried). Guess that is just the way she is, but feel like she is missing out on some good fun. Would love any suggestions others may have.
10.10.08 @ 2:20 pm
My two Maltese will play fetch and tug of war with just about any toy. My problem, like Jody, is that they don’t like very many treats so rewarding them is hard to do.
10.10.08 @ 3:17 pm
Hi Pat - I found all of the toys mentioned at my local pet store, which is an indepenedent store. You can try any of the chains - PetSmart, etc. If you don’t have luck there, a great site with a wide selection of dog toys is http://www.dogtoys.com. good luck.
10.10.08 @ 5:36 pm
People, please be careful giving your dogs BALLS! As with children with a grape, dogs can choke, or get them stuck in their throat. Please use good judgement when buying toys.
10.11.08 @ 12:08 am
It’s great! I love it
10.11.08 @ 5:08 am
Sent this to my sister , muchly enjoyed
10.11.08 @ 11:53 am
My mixed Manchester Terrier (we think part Tazmanian Devil) is another dog that destroys plush and no longer gets them. His favorite toy is the Kong Frisbee which he has chewed the rim off one side so that it now flys a little crooked but he doesn’t care. He also likes the Kong ball which comes in several sizes depending on your dog. When does he want to play? All the time!!!
10.11.08 @ 8:28 pm
I have papillons and they adore the little tennis balls and will play ball for hours.
10.12.08 @ 8:36 am
My dog is the best/worst chewer in the world! She is a 41 pound pit bull terrier and she can chew threw anything. I have tried the kong, tennis balls, stuffed toys and many other things but she doesnt want anything to do with them! She rips apart stuffed toys just to get the squeaker out of it. SO! I found the best toy ever! It is called a Ruffian. It is a rubber ball she cant rip apart BUT it squeaks so she loves it. Only problem is…she really really loves it. She just runs around sqeaking it. It makes me happy that she is happy though so I put up with it. I STRONGLY reccomend this toy. They have multiple sizes and shapes. It isnt too tough, like a Kong, or too soft, like a tennis ball. It is PERFECT! Go buy one!!!!
10.12.08 @ 11:21 am
We have 2 Miniature Pinschers. The oldest one who will be 11 next month, doesn’t play a lot with toys, he never has. The other one who is 6 and a female, rules over him. When he does want to play with a toy, she runs over and takes it away from him. She thinks they are all hers. They do play well together, they like to play tug of war. Shadow doesn’t have a favorite toy, but Scarlet loves the Gund tiger I gave her a long time ago. She carries him around all over the house. When we go on car trips, the tiger is right there in the back seat with her. That tiger has been through a lot. When we were moving to Texas, we were in a horrific rollover accident, and I had her in my lap sitting on the ground afterwards. Thank God that they weren’t hurt physically. My husband found the tiger and brought it over to me. Scarlet was pretty much fine after that because she had her “companion”.
10.13.08 @ 7:02 am
Pat, you can purchase the Orbee-tuff ball at PlanetDog.com. They have a lot of planet friendly dog toys including these balls. I have a pitbull and she loves these toys although she did tear off the rope pretty fast but still loves the ball. Her favorites though are the Loofa which squeaks in 2 places, and the Kong. One trick with the Kong…put the contents inside and then freeze it for a little while. Dogs love it that way and it lasts longer! Keep it interesting by changing what you put inside the Kong. Just some thoughts.
10.13.08 @ 4:29 pm
My dog loves his kong, but only if there’s peanut butter or a part of a hot dog in it. Keeps him busy for awhile. The only plush toy he has that has lasted longer than 5 minutes (its lasted months) is his Hyperactive Dog bone. I just bought him the frisbee from the same company though, and that he was able to tear apart in minutes. He also loves his tennis balls and boomerang. Though the tennis balls get stripped of the fabric pretty quickly lately…I might have to try one of those “Chewapalooza” toys.
10.14.08 @ 2:43 pm
Rachael, I just love all these toys and wish my girls would play with them but Tasha is an outside dog that has always enjoyed a good milk jug half filled with frozen water.And she is a special kind of dog.She is 80% Artic wolf/malamute mix…I have raised her since she was a meer 4 weeks old…People think you have to fear these kind of dogs but the only ones I fear are the ones behind a cage and not loved…Tasha is a sweet heart..The other dog I have is a little more complicated…She is about 75% Timber wolf(her Dad)husky and Artic wolf/malamute(her granny) and Border Collie(her mom)…She is the love of my life..Princess..Now her main toys are: Monkey,Cola, Mousey,Penny Puppy,Wolfy and Tigger…But her favorite is Miss Kitty…She has had most of thes stuffed toys since she was little…and no she doesn’t chew them..She carries them and loves on them…A wolf is a social animal and needs to have toys that bring out the careing mode…and stuffed toys do that…Princess carries her Kitty to the door in the morning before she goes out and when she comes in, she picks up Kitty and carts her back to bed..At night she makes sure all her babies are back in bed…Doesn’t give much room for me…
We have given her the hard plastic rings on a rope and balls on a rope but they are deadly when she plays with them…Everything has to be tossed in the air…She has balls but if you throw it…you get it if she throws it. she will go and get it…so smart..I get her the beefy all natural bones and they please her for awhile..
I watched your show the other day talking about brushing their teeth..And I believe that if you start when they are just cubs, with a good tasting tooth paste. they will want it done whenever you brush yours..I brush Princess’ teeth everyday and wash her face and her paws..routine..Tasha is another story..She has stolen too many tooth brushes to count..I give her the bones that help clean her teeth..If you ever want to see my babies. I will post their pictures..thank you so much…Princess and I love your show…Suzy
10.14.08 @ 5:31 pm
My beagle/blue tick hound mix (Fletcher) isn’t much of a toy player. He likes chewing these great bones I get him at our local pet store more than any toy. Now our beagle/boxer (Lilly) loves her toys. Her favorite is her Kong Wubba. It’s a pull/throw toy and ball all in one. She also has a “baby” she’s slept with every night since we got her.
10.14.08 @ 6:31 pm
I have a pitbull and a boston terrier. They both love the Nylabones. They are very hard and they are recommended for very strong chewers and the pieces that they wind up eating do not harm their digestive tract.
10.15.08 @ 9:31 am
My dog harry(half pitbull and ridgeback) just can’t get enough of the nylabones! He also likes zoinks (pretty much the same thing except in the shape of a fire hydrant)We tried to get a teeny tiny one for my chihuahua but she was like NO.So she chews on the big ones it is so cute.I have to go now bye!
10.15.08 @ 11:28 am
My Doberman Misty loves tennies balls! she will chew until the fuzz is off and broke open, she also loves the kong filled with peanut butter and dried apples bites and dog biscuts. i do give her stuffed toys which she tears apart leaving the stuffing all over and will play with the shell of the toy. i also bought her tough toys which she will play with.
10.15.08 @ 7:30 pm
Let’s face it: not all dogs are toy lovers. My Springer Spaniel mix adored all of his stuffed toys, though his favorites were “Bear-Bear”, you guessed it, a teddy bear, and “Baa-Sheepy,” a stuffed sheep that did, indeed, Baa when its tummy was mashed. My Dachshund mix, on the other hand, wouldn’t touch a toy if it was smeared with pate de fois gras. He’s just not the type. It’s just all in the personality! For those of the “no thanks to toys” persuasion, just remember, you will, as part of his or her pack, probably become his/her toy. Have fun!
10.15.08 @ 7:46 pm
My dogs aren’t terribly picky when it comes to toys. They just want something to play with. Bella (our lab mix who we rescued from the pound) enjoys her stuffed “babies”. She likes to carry them around and give them baths. Drake (our shiba inu) will tear up the stuffed toys, especially if they have sqeakers. He really likes a soft nylon frisbee that we found at petsmart (I can’t tell you the brand because he has it hidden at the moment). However they both LOVE rawhides. I’ve heard alot of bad things about dogs choking on them, ect. My policy is that they are always supervised when they have them. Also I’d like to mention that our local Humane Society offers pet first aide classes. So if any of you are concerned about your pet choking (or any other first aide, ie- wounds, ect) I would check with your local shelters (or vetranian) to see if they offer these.
10.23.08 @ 1:32 pm
My Siberian Husky, loves her Loofa Dog!
I have to get some back-ups because she drags this thing all over the place!
10.27.08 @ 4:36 pm
I have a border collie/springer spaniel mix 2 year old female dog named Daisy. She has a red ball that she loves to play with. We have bushes on our property and she hits the ball with her nose into the bushes. She has gone through 3 balls that we cannot find. She has one left. The store where we purchased the balls no longer carries them. The ball is red with a hold in it. She will not play with any other balls. Does anyone know where I can get them? They have a “woof” on the ball with no other identifying markings. Thanks to all who can give me info. on how to get them. Have a great day.
10.27.08 @ 9:17 pm
I have 2 floors, that have 2 baskets of toys for my boys, Max and Cooper. They love everything. I will have to agree never leave a dog unsupervised with a rawhide! I also suggest do NOT put Tinsel on your tree it can totally mess with your dogs bowels, very scary it is not worth the pain it can inflict on your curious pet. I respect everyone that owns animals and they deserve the same!
10.29.08 @ 11:00 pm
I have a pit bull, Precious. He LOVES the Kong. He will be entertained with it for an hour at a time. There is also a “Wubbie” made by Kong that he loves too. It’s one of the only toys that has endured his puppy chewing phase.
10.31.08 @ 9:47 am
To everyone who has dogs that don’t like to fetch:
I noticed a lot of you have herding type dogs, and this is probably why they like to chase eachother and not fetch a ball. I have a lab and she, of course, being bred to retrieve loves it and has done it with out being taught to. There are probably other games you could do with herders, if you look up their breeds online or in books.
11.05.08 @ 12:31 pm
My two Weimaraners LOVE to play! Their favorites are the Kong, tuff toys boomerang, socks (yes socks), and the Zogoflex! The Zogoflex is an American made INDESTRUCTIBLE toy. If your dog can damage it the manufacturer will replace it.
11.06.08 @ 10:48 am
I saw on TV “6″ a Rachael Ray household tip, for keeping pets from bitting the phone & electrical cords. I only remember 1 thing she said to use (leomons), there were 2 more. I can’t find it on her website anywhere, nor on “6″. Thanks
11.10.08 @ 7:01 am
I have two chihuahuas that love toys but it isn’t always easy finding toys that are suitable since many toys are geared for larger dogs. They primarily love the plush toys… something they can sink their teeth into and grab easily. My youngest chihuahua, Precious, loves toys that make her think. Kongs are great for her, blocks that hold treats that spill out if she moves the block the right way. She also has a couple of plush toys like a bee hive which contains three plush bees with squeakers that fit inside the hive and she has to try and get them out. They are her favorite.
11.10.08 @ 1:53 pm
I have two dogs both pretty big six months apart and what I’ve listed below is what they love.
It may sound crazy but my dogs are in favor of loud or squeeky toys. I have a chow/retreiver mix also a big boy weighing in at 85lbs. From puppy to the teenager he is now he still loves plastic bottles like a 2 lite soda bottle. What we do is take off the wrapper, take of the small tab around the cap and put something loud inside the bottle like pennies and tighten the cap a hard as it will go with some pliers. Then let the noise begin. We just throw it on the floor or outside and the dogs go nuts.
Also for a treat with the kongs. Take your dry dogfood and pack that in it almost to the top. Then take peanut butter and smear on top of the dry dogfood and kind make a swirl on top like an ice cream cone. Then you freeze it until the peanut butter is rock hard and viola! A cheap and easy frozen treat. We actually have 4 kongs two for the frozen treats that are in the freezer at all times and the other two for whenever I want to occupy them and get some quiet time.
11.10.08 @ 6:20 pm
Our dog Cooper loves his Tug-a-Jug. We have spent many hours trying to calm down our Vizsla puppy and found if we put his food in the Tug-a-Jug then it takes him 45min to eat instead of 6mn. It is a great way to wear him out and try to get him to “hunt” or use his nose.
11.12.08 @ 12:54 am
Thanks for mentioning Chewapalooza! Anyone who has a power chewer needs this toy. As close to indestructible as possible. Great for tug and fetch too. Type Chewapalooza into any search engine and info pages will pop up. Custom orders always welcome.
11.13.08 @ 9:46 pm
My two big guys love their Cheweys…never get tired playing Tug of War.
11.19.08 @ 4:20 pm
I live with my parents and my sister got a chauachua named sasha and for a small dog the toys at the pet store is way over priced i think, and one day while i was watching sasha play and she was playing with most of the cat toys and a few baby’s toys and she loves them. Its her size and its not alote of money.
12.22.08 @ 12:44 pm
Tug a Jug all the way!
01.02.09 @ 4:40 pm
what is the website to find the pillows with your pet’s picture on it?
01.04.09 @ 2:24 am
My doggy Kali Jane LOVES her squeaky toy. She is a black lab mix and sometimes tears a hole in her toy, but we just sew up the hole and give it right back. If you look real hard, you can find a good quality squeaky toy that holds up for a while. Just make sure that if your dog DOES tear a hole in it, take the toy back before she gets the squeaker out because it could be a choking hazard.
-Kari