It can be as difficult as choosing a toy gift for a child, and dogs can be as finicky as kids when it comes to loving or ignoring a particular toy.
There are several goals in choosing toys for your pet. A toy entertains and stimulates your dog’s brain, and can be a distraction from separation anxiety when you are not around.
It can satisfy impulses to chew or make noise that can be destructive or annoying without an outlet. They are a way to interact with and train your dog, and a session of play with a favorite toy can reward good behavior.
If you get a dog as a puppy, look for toys that are specifically made for pups — they will be smaller and easier for her mouth to grip, softer to chew, and often made to serve particular purposes for young dogs, such as for teething or mental stimulation. Get an assortment of plush and rubber toys, ones that squeak and ones that crackle. Your puppy will soon begin to show his preferences by picking his favorite out of the toy box.
Small dogs tend to like toys that are their size. Look for smaller stuffed or plastic toys, and miniature tennis balls for fetching games. Resist the temptation to give your dog stuffed animals made for children or other types of pets as they can have pieces that come off and can be a choking or swallowing hazard.
For a dog that needs to burn off energy, fetching and tug toys like knotted ropes are ideal. A larger dog will often chase tennis balls happily and can often be trained to catch frisbees.
Dogs who like to chew need sturdy toys made to be gnawed. Good chew toys are rubber or plastic squeaky toys, nylon bones and solid or hollow rubber “Kong” style toys. For very heavy chewers, look into natural chew toys like large sterilized bones or pieces of antler that hold up well to strong teeth and jaws.
Terrier breeds in particular like toys they can “kill” and will often destroy stuffed toys, pulling the stuffing out and shaking the toy mercilessly. For the dog who likes to murder his toys, look for soft toys without stuffing. They will be satisfying to shake and rough up, but are less of a choking hazard.
Does your dog have separation anxiety? If your dog is distracted from anxiety by food, try this: get a Kong type toy and fill it with peanut butter, pressing bits of kibble into the peanut butter as you go. Keep it in the freezer and get it out for your dog when you leave the house. The slow thaw and the process of digging out every bit of peanut butter will distract your dog and wear her out–after she finishes with the toy, she will most likely take a long nap!
Another trick that can help with anxious dogs is to put new clean toys into your laundry pile or in your bed so that they acquire your scent. This will make them more soothing to your nervous dog when you are not around.
Intelligent breeds like poodles and shelties enjoy puzzle-type games where they have to work out how to get treats out of a container or box. These can be another useful distraction for a dog that gets stressed when left home alone.
Whatever toys you choose for your dogs, make sure they are well made before you purchase them, and examine them periodically for wear and tear. Discard or replace toys that are beginning to fall apart. You should also clean toys periodically with mild soap and water, rinse well, and let them dry; you can also run sturdy stuffed toys through the washer.