What toys do you recommend?

[Allington]

We have just got a dog - rescue and a good mix of breeds, probably with quite a bit of JRT and about a year old. A month in and she is coming out of her shell and turning out to be VERY active .

I walk her three times a day for about half an hour each time, and she spends a lot of this time running, chasing squirrels and birds in our local park. She is just feeling brave enough to play with friendly dogs that are her size, and I try to take her for her evening walk at a time when one of the dogs she will really relax and play with is out. She will chase a ball, but then loses interest and doesn't bring it back.

LOVES to chew, and does like her knotted rope toy. Also digging in the garden, which is fine if it keeps her happily occupied.

She likes food treats, but isn't as food focussed as e.g. a Lab (we had Labs growing up). She eats until she has had enough, and will leave the rest until she is hungry again.

The trouble is, I can't exercise her more than that most weekdays. She will happily settle (I work from home) and sleep next to me for a couple of hours, but then she is desperate for attention and play.

I think it is as much she needs mental stimulation as physical - can anyone recommend toys that might keep her attention when she is having a mad ten minutes?

Would she be food-motivated enough for something like a treat ball that she can knock around until the treats eventually fall out one at a time? If she is, you can (very cheaply) ring the changes by providing old plastic bottles (cola, milk, whatever) with a few treats rattling around inside. These also make a wonderful noise when knocked around on a hard floor, though perhaps an adult dog wouldn't be quite as keen on this as our manic puppy currently is.

If she's a chewer, a toy with a squeaker inside would be rewarding for her. You could maybe look and see if there are any toys that would produce a range of different noises.

And there are of course various long-lasting chews: the current fave in this house are dried bits of horse's scalp which buy me 20 minutes peace and chill the dogs out. They don't smell, unlike dried tripe, which the dogs adore, but which lasts about 20 seconds.

We used to have a terrier (JRTx) and TBH nothing could compete with hunting rabbits...

We have a dog puzzle but that’s finished in 20 seconds now. An empty plastic milk carton is a firm favourite. Kitchen and toilet roll inners with treat inside (ends turned over). A cardboard box is always good to tear apart. We’ve just bought a lovely snuffle mat and getting 10 to 15 mins from that. A good chew on something like a pizzle can entertain longer if the mood is right!

a zogoflex hurley dog bone. amazing toy! durable but chewy. easy on the home furnishings as well.

She sounds just like my terrier.

Our best toy is a sort of bag full of hedgehogs. There are two holes and she has to try and get them out of the holes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ZippyPaws-Interactive-Puzzle-Burrow-Hedgehog/dp/B00O92NLAG

This is it although this one is our of stock.

Thanks everyone! I will work my way through the suggestions. I was able to take her for a longer walk today (she easily goes 2 or 3 times the distance I do as she runs around chasing the birds!) and she has happily curled up and tucked her nose under her tail for a nap...

I've ordered the zogoflex bone to see if it can chill out our demon chewer.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman, I hope your chewer enjoys it. Ours has outlived two bulldogs and an Airedale! And at some point I took advantage of the company’s (then) replacement offer and got a new one in exchange for a pretty beat up one.

@fallfallfall, I'll try and remember to let you know! She has spent today emptying the log bucket and gnawing lumps of tree...