Choosing the right toy

Like our kids, our furry friends also love to play with different toys. Toys keep our pets active and help in keeping their mind and body more productive. Pets easily get bored by sitting idle, hence toys alleviates stress, boredom and loneliness.

Toys are the best medium to teach several things to our canine companions and sometimes act as a reward for their good behavior and motivate them just like humans. One has to be really cautious while choosing the right toys for your pet. Everything your dog puts in his or her mouth has a potential for harm.

He or she could break a tooth, choke, become allergic, get some sort of infection, have trouble with digestion, and probably more things we can’t even imagine. Despite these risks, allowing your dog to chew on a variety of objects is a natural behavior that is important to allow your dog to engage in.

Few things should be taken into consideration when choosing a toy for your furry friend:

• One should pick the right size as depending on the breed, physical attributes and age of your pet.
• Make a choice depending on the level of activity, temperament and Inquisitiveness of your pet.
• The age of your pet matters a lot. Whether you have a puppy or a grown up dog, there are all kinds of toys available in the market.
• Take utmost care on the material of the toy: vinyl or latex toys are great for older dogs because they're easy on sensitive teeth and gums and toys made of rubber are great for aggressive chewers because of their durability. For puppies choose soft toys made of fleece or plush fabric.
• Safety first – Choose toys which should not cause any harm to your pet or kids at home like those who release colors, have vegetable or synthetic dyes, painted, stuffed, or have ropes, strings or ribbons attached to them.
• Dog toys should be durable and easy to clean.
• Pick up toys which provide mental and physical stimulation like Tennis Balls, Fly balls, Puzzle boxes, Squeaky toys.
• The choice of toys should also be tailored to the individual dog, depending on preferences, mouth condition and destructive behavior.

We strongly advise pet owners to allow their canine friends to play with toys on a regular basis. Toys also help dogs to deal with separation anxiety. However, they are not the substitutes for companionship, so don’t compensate on your time with them.

Regularly check their toys and rotate them every few days. Likewise check teeth regularly. A pilot study at Waltham indicates that dogs prefer yellow colored toys. So keep them happily engaged with hygienic and vibrant toys. Also, remember not to play tug-of-war with dogs having dominant personalities. This might not be a good idea.