What toys do your dogs love?

[dustyflipflop]

I'm just looking for general recommendations as we have recently got our puppy. We will have quite a busy summer on our hands with 2 young DCs, WFH for me and her to add to the mix!

She has a couple of puppy chew bones I picked up and a treat dispenser ball she likes pushing around the garden that my MIL got her at the moment.

She's a standard goldendoodle so will be a big dog - currently 8 kg at 11 weeks!

Does anyone have anything their pooches love that we could try out?

Our dog loves balls but because he keeps pestering people to play he is not allowed them in the house . Indoors he has Kong Wubbas and some other plush type toys but his favourite is a plush roast turkey with removable drumstick legs that he got for Christmas 2 yrs ago . He has a variety of long lasting bones and various bits of dead animal in a pile in our lounge which we refer to as the Serengeti graveyard . My son has just signed the dog up for a Wuf Wuf box , which had a few nice bits in , personally I think it’s a bit overpriced but the dog enjoys opening things .

Our 14 week old pup loves squeaky fluffy toys pheasant, a flat unstuffed squirrel, and a new duck with a rope tail for tug! I have bought a selection of dried animal parts which all seem popular, just check what they can have at what age as done are a bit rich etc. Cows/lamb/rabbit ear are all pretty gentle. Dragonfly online is good for info and free postage over £20.
A snuggle mat is good too.

The Kong toys are a favourite here (MaeDog loves the fox, and MaePup likes the monkey)

I think it's very individual, we have a terrier who is generally uninterested in most toys, not interested in balls for instance but will play tug so I guess that's his favourite. The only time he gets possessive is with a rugby ball or football so that's now a no no

My pup likes kong, yak bone, furry sheepskin chasers from tug e nuff also has a soft frisbee, rubber squeaky pig. I don’t give them all or leave them out. Chews he gets 15 mins. Sheepskin are to play with together

Mine doesn't have toys as he destroys them all and tries to swallow all the pieces

On walks, he plays with balls and he loves a game of tug too. At home, I give him natural chews to keep him occupied instead of toys.

Agree with pp it's a very individual thing.

My dog used to like an antler to chew but doesn't now she's older (10 years).

She has always loved playing with a ball, retrieving it, chasing it and so on.

But her very favourite is her sheep (soft toy) that she's had since she was a very young puppy. It gets chewed, retrieved and even humped occasionally.

She's very loyal to her sheep and her ball. If she loses a ball in the park she gets quite upset, is reluctant to leave the place where she lost it and will keep going back to the same spot for several days looking for it.

She's had other toys that I've bought over the years that she might chew on for a short while but will always lose interest in them very quickly.

Dog 1 only likes to play tug, and doesn't have a favourite toy. Kong wubba is best for tug games.

Dog 2 loves all his toys and is good at retrieving them. He especially likes those 'roadkill' animals they have in Pets at Home. He loves anything he can carry, and often goes to sleep with one in his mouth.

Strangely, they are supposed to be the same breed, but dog 1 obviously has some terrier in him ~ he likes digging!

No tug toys, no tug games because a. you shouldn’t be tugging puppy teeth, b. you’re teaching the dog to vie for power with you and c. most importantly, puppies need to learn to relinquish any object on demand - playing tug sends a confusing message.

@Konfetka

No tug toys, no tug games because a. you shouldn’t be tugging puppy teeth, b. you’re teaching the dog to vie for power with you and c. most importantly, puppies need to learn to relinquish any object on demand - playing tug sends a confusing message.

Why would it send a confusing message if the dog is trained? Our dogs always let go when told, but some dogs eg. terriers are bred to enjoy tug (the death shake is such a great release of energy! )

Vie for power ?! Lol Our dogs are very clear on who's boss

Rope tug toys, squeaky toys, some kong toys that squeak and rattle, cuddly toys (remove the eyes and sew them up)

Terrier here.

Cat toys. Dangly mice or feathers on a stick type of thing. Especially if they squeak. Small furry mice.

Anything that squeaks that he can kill.

Anything he thinks he’s not supposed to have. Hours of fun sprinting round the garden while he tries to stop you taking the toilet roll tube or whatever off him. All you have to say is “is that yours” and off he goes.

Anything soft and squeaky! Oh and balls, especially squeaky ones!

We've tried lots. Agree it's all down to the dog. Previous dog loved Nyla bones but wouldn't have like anything soft and squeaky.

@Konfetka

No tug toys, no tug games because a. you shouldn’t be tugging puppy teeth, b. you’re teaching the dog to vie for power with you and c. most importantly, puppies need to learn to relinquish any object on demand - playing tug sends a confusing message.

That is not true and has been debunked. I took my dog to training classes, run by behaviourists, and was told that any training book that says not to play tug is outdated and should be thrown away. Watch any dog agility event and the handlers play tug as a reward. My dog loves playing tug and I use it as a alternative reward to food.

Re advice from behaviourists: My dog gets the devil in her when tugging so common sense prevails.

By the way OP, my dog says a big yes to hairy ears: Goat and venison are her favourite and can keep her occupied for ages but I suspect your dog might chomp through them quickly! (Check the source of products before you buy - other countries don’t have the same animal welfare standards as us)

My dog LOVES balls she has tennis balls for outside and this soft ball for the house that she carries round and brings to bed. She can't be trusted with a cuddly toy as she just shreds them in seconds to get the squeaker out then plays with that. She does like her Kong but only as a food holder otherwise she doesn't play with it.

Lurcher here.

she loves teddies. Specifically, killing them to death. Enthusiastically. She loves any furry/fluffy fabric. Dressing gowns are a risky clothing choice.

Tennis balls- loves pulling the fuzz off them then will throw the ball about for herself to catch. In fact she does that with all toys.

Deer antler for chewing. Priceless. Her favourite thing tbh.

Kong when it’s stuffed. Ignores it when it’s not. Same with her balls that you put treats in. And the red wheel thing.

Tug toys- the ones with a furry end and then a handle for you to hold. But she is smart and knows the power is in the handle so she tries to inch her way up to it.

Chewy/rubber toys that squeak. Loves pouncing on them to hear them cry and then tosses them about to complete her torture ritual.

Also loves stealing her food dish and throwing it about the garden and pouncing on it.

We also have a hard plastic ball from Asda that is weighted and makes weird noises when it moves. Again she pounce and tries to kill it. Great fun.

We have a Nina Ottoson puzzle toy which he loves. Keeps him entertained for a wee while.

Kong, stuffed or unstuffed.
Kong squeaker balls are brilliant
Large snake from b&m which can be filled with treats and is indestructible.

My DD’s puppy has a bison hood (yuk) that has absolutely saved their hands from chewing- really helped with teething-she has a bit left she carries round as a comforter now 😂 she’s a pomsky.my dogs like a fluffy toy but inside is a plastic water bottle which can be replaced once it’s trashed-plastic water bottles are v popular for chewing but beware if the cap-get rid so they can’t choke

Bison hoof not hood 😂

His new favourite thing is his paddling pool!

He also loves balls, especially squeaky balls, his snake from Pets at Home that’s dope and covered in a corduroy type material and his monkey that is the same but stuffed rather than rope, he carries this around like a toddler 😂, his key chew toy also from Pets at Home, his Nina Ottoman puzzle, like others various animal parts 🤢 but his very favourite thing is a plastic bottle half filled with water and frozen so it’s nice and cool but still crunches when chewed 🤷‍♀️.

Large snake from b&m which can be filled with treats and is indestructible.

Just a caution about the snake. My old boy had one, he was soft as butter and had a really gentle mouth but his snake split and cut him on the gum and tongue. I was shocked as it doesn’t look like it is possible to hurt himself on it but he did.

Looks like dogs are as individual as children, and what they prefer depends on their personalities... hence the long aisle in the pet shop as we buy more toys to keep them occupied

As a general guide, retrievers like to play fetch and carry (balls, pretend sticks, real sticks) terriers like to dig (a sand pit?) and kill small squeaky animals; herders are often good at puzzle toys (and like to round up small children)

Also, whatever they like it should be washable.

My dogs favourite toys are the Zoofari chicken drumstick. Teddies he can rip the stuffing out of, especially if they squeak. He loves Kongs but he always manages to rip them in half!
His all time favourite is his bubble machine, he adores it and will shake in anticipation when I go to turn it on.