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.
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
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.