If you are anything like me, standing in front of a wall or aisle of dog toys can be exciting and just a little overwhelming. Now days there are so many different varieties and colors. Soft ones. Hard ones. Squeaky ones. Crinkly ones.
How does one chose?
When my boyfriend and I adopted our Daschund, Frank, our first trip to the pet store was akin to the excitement that one feels when opening presents on Christmas morning. I raced down the aisle trying to get an overall picture of the toy selection before going back for a closer look. I really did not know where to start. My boyfriend saw the trouble I could get into here. He told me that I could pick out four toys for our new baby. Four and only four.
First toy that got selected is the Kong. A hard rubber hollow toy that is used to hold treats. Along with the Kong is a container of Kong stuffing, liver flavor. I thought it would be a nice treat while he was in his kennel. I wasn’t so sure about the liver flavor but I figured Frank’s pallet probably isn’t as picky has mine. I like the fact that these toys come in a variety of sizes to suit each dog.
Second was a toy duck made by Hartz. The label said that the duck is part of their “Tuff Stuff” line of products. It’s a cute duck that seems quite sturdy. So I’m thinking that this will last Frank awhile. I mean Frank is a cute little hot dog. How much damage could he really inflict on Duckie?
When I was younger we had a dog that loved to play tug of war with a brightly colored rope and I wanted Frank to have one too. I looked all around and could only find big ones. After searching for awhile I managed to find one that I thought he could manage. Well, ok, I picked out two. But they count as one type of toy so I figured it was alright. The second toy is still a rope but with two tennis balls hollowed out and the rope is run through them.
Next I decided that he had to have a Woobie. Well a slightly more technical or well known name, is a Loofa Dog toy. I saw one in a commercial once and thought that it was adorable. The fact that the toy resembles my dog was just a coincidence. These also come in various sizes and designs. But this your basic Woobie.
When I returned home I sat down on the floor to show Frank his new toys. I pulled them out of the bag he seemed interested. As I got them all unwrapped and took all the stickers and tags off, I got more excited because I couldn’t wait to see which one he liked the best. But when presented with the choice he curled up on my lap and proceeded to pass out sleeping. I was a little bummed out by his lack of enthusiasm. I was more excited about them then he was it seemed.
I decided to just leave them sitting around the house hoping that he would get used to them being there and realize that they are for him to play with. After a few days I got my wish and he started playing with toys.
Now about four months later he is a big fan of his toys. Especially stuffed ones with squeakers.
Anyway, how did those original four toys stand up against Frank?? Some better than others.
Frank’s current lineup of toys can be seen below:
The Kong has held up quite well as it is designed to do. Frank enjoys the Kong most when we stuff peanut butter in it and let him eat the peanut butter out of it. He also will play fetch with it while it is empty. Overall it is a great toy that an active dog can play with it or chew on it empty or put some peanut butter or Kong stuffing in it as a distraction or treat and it has stood up well to Frank. It is also one of two toys that I feel comfortable leaving out when Frank has his play dates with his friends Tek and Koda. All of the stuffed toys and ropes have to be put out of reach so they aren’t chewed into pieces. Koda can chew on the Kong all night and it doesn’t show any damage.
Would I recommend this toy or buy another one? Yes I would.
Next comes the Hartz Tuff Duck or Duckie. Well four months later and “Tuff” Duckie has a few battle scars.
This is after multiple attempts on my part to put Duckie back together again. As you can see he has no tail because Frank pulled it out and ripped it to shreds. He has also ripped his head apart so many times that he has had most of his gray matter(stuffing) removed from his head and he has lost one eye. Duckie is currently all fixed up, well as best as I can, but I believe it’s only a matter of time before he is damaged beyond repair.
Would I buy Frank another Duckie? No. The toy claims to be tough and durable but if my 12 pound dog can do this to the duck, I wouldn’t want to see what a big Lab or German Sheppard would do to the duck.
As far as the rope is concerned it too has seen better days, but Frank still enjoys it. He isn’t a big fan of Tug of War but enjoys chewing on and trying to unravel the rope. The second rope, the one with the tennis balls, has stood up much better since the tennis balls seem to take most of the abuse.
Recommendation? If you have a dog that enjoys a good game of tug of war and not much else, the basic model will suit your needs well. If you, like me, were blessed with a chewer or a puppy, I would go with the tennis ball model as they tend to last longer.
And last but not least, Frank’s favorite, the Woobie. I am also going to group other plush squeaker type toys into this category. Frank goes crazy for the squeaker in these toys. Currently his record for breaking a squeaker is 30 minutes. Anyway, that first Woobie that we bought for him is long gone. I kept it alive for as long as I could by fixing the holes he tore in it. At the end I had pulled all the stuffing out and it was just a shell of its former self. Right now Frank has two Woobies, a pink pig and a large regular dog type. Earlier today, I sewed them up again and Frank is currently trying to undo my hard work.
Would I buy Frank another Woobie or similar plush toy? Absolutely.
I must admit that sewing the toys up multiple times can get a little tedious but Frank’s excitement is well worth it. Every time I fix the toy and give it back to him it’s like I just gave him a brand new toy. He doesn’t care that it’s funny looking or that the stuffing is missing, he carries it around the house like it’s a grand prize.
Since adopting my rescue pup, I can’t go into a store with a pet section and not look at what toys they have. I really like bringing home a new toy for Frank and watching him play with it and run around the house with it. I guess I get as much fun and excitement out of these toys as he does. So as long as he keeps tearing holes in his favorite toys, I will be right along behind him to patch them up again.
