Pet Toys - Dog Toys

Toys are an important part of any pet's life. Toys help motivate pets to exercise without the need for food or treats, as well as provide additional mental stimulation that benefits your pet’s anxiety and stress levels.

Two dogs playing with a frisbee in the yard.

Social or Solitary Toys

There are generally two different types of pet toys, social toys require your input as a pet owner and solitary toys are toys that a pet can use on their own.

Examples of social toys

  • Tug Toys

  • Flirt Sticks

  • Fetch Balls

  • Laser Pointers

  • Feather sticks

Examples of solitary toys

  • Feeder bowls

  • Puzzle Treaters

  • Elk Antlers (Supervision recommended)

  • Scratch Posts

dog chewing a toy

It’s important to have both types of toys available for your pet. Playing with your pet and engaging in playtime with your pet is one of the easiest ways to bond with your pet and help them exercise and lower stress levels.

Even if you’re too tired for fetch, or to play tug, holding one end of a chew toy while your pet gets to freely chew on the other end is a form of bonding and playtime in your pet's mind.

Each Pet Plays Differently

Some dogs like to carry new toys around everywhere, while others like to reduce them to nothing piece by piece, ripping, pulling, tearing, and spitting out bits of rubber, stuffing, or cloth with each go.

As long as your dog isn’t eating foreign matter that could cause a stomach blockage, it’s okay to let your pet play how they prefer. Some dogs measure the lifespan of their toys in years, some in hours.