Toys: Which Ones to Stay Away From Toys are not just fun for your dogs, but there are actually necessary to keep your dog healthy and happy. They help mentally and physically exercise your dog, can help clean teeth, keep them busy and allow them to act on their predatory instincts. There are many different toys to choose from, and each serves a purpose in one way or another. There are toys for fetching, chewing, teeth cleaning, tug-of war and so on. Toys can be made of rope, hard rubber, soft rubber, plastic, nylon and more. Some squeak or make animal noises, some roll, other have bumps or ridges. With all the toys available, it’s hard to know what which is best for your dog! But what about what’s the worst for your dog? Here are some types of toys and chews you should stay away from, or at least be wary of, and why. TOYS THAT HAVE STRING< BUTTONS OR SMALL PARTS do not make good chew toys. Even if your dog is not a heavy chewer, these parts can still come off very easily, and could choke your dog or be swallowed and block their intestines. Rope toys can be very good for cleaning your dog’s teeth, however loose strings can be swallowed when ripped or chewed off. If you want to give your dog a rope toy to chew, the best kind to give them is a rope ball that doesn’t have loose strings, but be wary that after awhile these too can come apart, especially if your dog is an aggressive chewer. PLUSH TOYS are fun for dogs that like to carry them around or sleep with them, or light chewers (more “mouthing” on the toy than actually chewing), but they are awful toys for dogs who like to rip toys apart. Stuffing inside the toy can easily be ripped out and swallowed. Even toys that are “stuffing free” can be ripped apart and the fabric can be eaten. These toys may also have strings, and many have “hooks” on the top to allow stores to hang them. Be sure to cut off these hooks and any tags or loose parts. Many plush toys also have squeakers in them, so if they dogs rips it apart they can get the squeaker and possibly swallow it. SMALL AND COOKED BONES are one the worst things you can give your dog to chew on. Small bones can easily get stuck in your dog’s throat and choke them. Cooked bones will crack and splinter and can not only choke your dog, but can also pierce your dog’s mouth, throat and intestines. FRISBEES, especially those NOT made specifically for dogs, are horrible toys to let your dog chew on. Small and large pieces of plastic can be swallowed and cause intestinal blockage. If you buy a Frisbee for your dog, choose a dog-safe rubber one. Plastic ones can easily crack or break your dog’s teeth when they catch it. TENNIS BALLS are often a favorite toy for dogs, but they’re not the safest choice. They can easily be ripped apart, and your dog can consume the fibers and other parts of it. Tennis balls can also “pop” in your dog’s mouth and choke them. If you have even watched a dog mouth a toy, then you will have seen how the toy moves around in their mouth, often from one side to the other after passing over the tongue. Tennis balls compress easily, which means if you squeeze it, or if your dog bites down on it, it will “pop” back up when it is released. Tennis balls are compressed when a dog grabs them, and can “pop” when the dog moves them in their mouth, which can cause the ball to shoot to the back of the dog’s throat. Some chemicals might be found in tennis balls, and the glue that holds them together might also be toxic to your dog. Tennis balls also get dirty very easily and hold in the dirt. Tennis balls are okay for a game of fetch, but you shouldn’t allow your dog to chew on them. Hard rubber balls, such as the Kong balls, are very durable and can be chewed and rinsed of to clean. They are not compressed so they will not “pop” in your dog’s mouth. Other softer, lighter rubber balls are also available, most containing squeakers. In a sense, these balls do compress, but due to the squeaker hole, they do not “pop” like tennis balls do. The squeaker hole allows air to come out and to gradually come back in, whereas the tennis ball is solid and doesn’t have the same give to it. SQUEAKER TOYS, although a favorite for dogs, they can be harmful if removed from the toy. They are found in many plush toys, shaped rubber toys and balls. The squeakers rarely just pop off, they usually have to be chewed. If a dog rips open a plush toy, they can easily swallow the squeaker. Some rubber toys can rip apart more easily than others, so if your dog is a heavy, aggressive chewer, they would be better with a stronger toy. However, harder toys do not always squeak, as they would pretty much be useless, since the toy is thicker. Squeaker toys are better suited for dogs that will mouth the toy more than actually chewing it. If your dog “holds” it between their paws to chew on it, as they would with a bone, they can easily destroy that toy and can pull off the squeaker. Squeaker toys are good for light and non-aggressive chewers, but you should still supervise your dog with them to prevent them from chewing it apart. STICKS are one of the worst things you can let your dog chew on. They can splinter and break very easily and choke your dog or pierce their mouth or intestines. Sticks can easily have mold, moss and other bacteria or dirt on them, and sticks with loose bark can carry bugs. They may also have bird droppings on them, which can make your dog sick. One of the biggest dangers with allowing you dog to play with sticks is if the stick is big enough, one end can dig into the ground while your dog carries and the other end can go through the roof of your dog’s mouth or cheek. A safe alternative are plastic and rubber “sticks”, which are shaped and themed to mimic a real stick, and many have “bugs” on them for the authentic look. OLD SOCKS AND SHOES, although not necessarily dangerous to your dog, are awful toys. If you give your dog old socks and shoes, they will think all socks and shoes are acceptable chew toys, and will happily rip apart your new $65 running shoes. You’re dog will only become confused why you hand them one pair of socks to chew on but then scold them when they chew on a pair they snatched from your drawer. Shoes could also contain chemicals, usually in the rubber parts of the shoe, which can harm your dog, as shoes aren’t made to be dog-safe. Socks can easily be ripped apart and swallowed, causing choking or blockage. With all the toys out there, there’s no need to give them the socks and shoes. TOYS THAT ARE TOO SMALL may seem obvious, but many people don’t realize how small is too small, or think that their dog won’t have a problem with smaller size toys. Sometimes, a dog owner may find themselves buying a toy that is way too small for their dog, simply because it is “cute”, such as holidays or special occasion toys. Toys that are too small, especially balls, can very easily be swallowed and choke your dog or cause intestinal blockage and problems. Many toys have size recommendations and they should be followed. Personally, I believe toys are too small for a dog if they are not about 2 inches wider than you dog’s mouth and about 2 inches longer than from your dog’s throat to the tips of their lips. For example, if your dog’s muzzle is 2 inches wide and 6 inches deep, the toy should be no smaller than 4 inches by 8 inches. My belief is if they dog can fit it comfortably in their mouth, the toy is too small. The only exceptions to this measurement are balls and chews such as Nylabones, etc. But again, the balls should be large enough to not be swallowed. Chews are rarely used as toys, and dogs usually will lie down with them and hold them between their paws as they chew. If the chew because too small, and they dog can no longer “hold” it and plays with it in their mouth, it’s time to toss the chew and replace it, as it is now a choking hazard. **REMEMBER! ** •Always check your dog’s toys before and after each play session. •Make sure toys are size appropriate. •Toys that are breaking apart and have heavy wear-and-tear should be replaced. •Cut off any loose parts that are being chewed off. •Remove tags and hanger hooks from plush toys before giving them to your dog. •Only buy toys that are appropriate for your dog’s needs and preferences. If they are an aggressive chewer, buy toys that are more durable than others. •Buy the correct toy for specific interactions. Don’t buy a plush toy with the intension of using it as a tug-of-war toy. •Always supervise your dog’s interaction with any toy.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 13:27:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015