Make Playtime Fun With the Best Puppy Toy

Keeping a pup might seem all fun and games from afar, but in reality, it’s a full-blown responsibility. You have to take care of its health, food, vaccines, and any other thing that might pop up. We think when they say that bringing up a puppy is like bringing up a baby, It is 100% true. You have to take care of the pooch like it’s your baby, from what temperature to keep it, to what food to feed, and to what toys to play with. Like you can’t just give any toy to your baby for precisely the same reason, you can’t give it to your dog.

The Major Types of Toys

Real-feel heart pulse toys

Some toys have a machine in them that imitates real heartbeat to give your pup the feel of having someone around. It gives them an artificial sense of the presence of a human around. For some dogs, the presence of a human can significantly help with managing anxiety and staying calm.

Chew toys

All pups go through a teething phase where they have a very wild urge to bite into anything they see. Their gums get so itchy that they can’t help but just bite so hard into stuff that may even destroy them. Seeing your puppy suffer so much, it is understandable that you want to help them. Chew toys are a great way to help your pup satisfy its chew urges.

Indoor fetch ball

All dogs love to play fetch and can never get enough of them. Keeping them outside in the park to play fetch is not always feasible. It is also not a very good idea to use the fetch ball inside as it may result in breaking your valuables. Therefore, you must opt for a soft/plushie fetch ball to play with.

The material

The material of your dog toys should be soft, dog friendly, and easy to clean. A gentle body would ensure that your pup does not get hurt while playing with it and that it does not break anything while playing with it. A dog-friendly fabric could ensure that your dog does not get any allergies or rashes while playing with the toy. We would recommend toys made with human-grade fabric to ensure your pup has a great time with it!

Flavored

Some chew toys have infused chicken, bacon, or beef flavors. These scented chew toys are a great way to encourage your pups to use the chew toys. If, in any case, your dog is going through a teething cycle and not using any of his chew toys, then using one with flavor would be a good idea. The only concern would be that the flavor might encourage your dog to drool, resulting in the chew toy getting dirty more often than not. The flavor might also increase your dog’s appetite, so it eats more than required. However, a flavored chew toy should only have opted if the pup is experiencing any problem with the toy and not using it. Otherwise, an unflavoured chew toy should be good.

Shape

The toy’s shape can be any, as most dogs are not picky about shapes. They enjoy all forms equally and are not much concerned about it. All spheres and rectangles look the same to them. Some shapes that your dog might enjoy more may include rings and bone-shaped toys.

Size

The size is significant. You cannot expect your pup to enjoy all sizes. A pup will only enjoy a toy if sized according to his needs. For example, if a toy is bigger than he can hold in his jaws, he would eventually not develop a great affinity for it. Playing fetch might not be as fun if the size is too small. Some toys come with a manual stating which toy is suitable for what breed, so just buy the one suitable for your pup. Or another idea is to take your dog along and let him choose for himself.

Color

When you spend time with your doggo, you will realize that some colors might excite him more, and some might excite him less. So the ones that excite him more are probably his favorite colors. That way, you can recognize his favorite colors and buy toys of that color. It will help him get familiar with the toy quicker and be more enthusiastic about it. A vibrant combination of paint might make playing fetch more happening than playing with a dull color.

You might like to avoid light colors on your end as they get dirty soon. You would want to opt for darker colors, so you don’t have to wash them again and again.

Cotton ropes

Some toys also have cotton ropes or tassels attached to them, so if you want to play tug or pull with your dog, then you might want to buy toys that have cotton ropes attached. They are also fun to play with, as when you wiggle them, your dog would crazily chase them and make playtime fun! But you must choose strong cotton ropes/tassels as we know dogs have a lot of power and strength, so make sure the rope/tassel does not detach with a single pull.

Battery operated

Some toys include machines that make specific noises or sounds that make the toy attractive to the dog. These machines are usually battery operated and last a good time. The catch with these toys is that you cannot use them in water as they get electrocuted. These toys might sound fun and exciting, but you have to be very careful with them. What you can do is buy these and only let your dog play with them under supervision. It will allow your pup to enjoy the toy and keep you tense free too!

Cleaning 

Most toys are easy to wash. You can just pop them in the washing machine and get a clean toy in one wash. Other than machine wash, you can also just dust them once in a while or just put them under running water to give it a quick wash. You don’t want to buy a toy that you need to keep washing, so we recommend that you get a toy that is easy to clean.  

Texture

The toy’s texture can stimulate your pup, making it more vigilant. It can help your pooch calm down, feel light, and relax. The dog can rub its skin against the toy to feel better. If there is a machine inside the toy that stimulates the human heartbeat to calm down the pup, then the texture should be such that it helps the dog take the real and complete feel of it.