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Endless Chew and Play
Pet Age Staff //March 15, 2019
Dogs have a natural urge to chew. This instinct is strongest when they are puppies but continues throughout their life.
As puppies, chewing provides relief from irritated gums as a result of teething. As they age, chewing exercises jaw muscles and helps scrape away dental plaque. It also helps relieve boredom. Additionally, dogs gain natural nutrients when they chew animal parts like bones and tendons.
It’s important for manufacturers and retailers to discuss the benefits of chewing for dogs, especially if they have a habit of targeting items like shoes, kids’ toys and furniture. While it can be a nuisance for dog owners, it can also be a potential risk for dogs to chew items not meant to be chewed or played with. Dangerous consequences like poisoning or mouth injury can occur.
By having an expansive knowledge on the multitude of toys and chews available, retailers can emphasize the importance of providing dogs with something to chew on as part of their care with items that are specifically meant to be chewed on, diverting them away from household items without discouraging their natural instincts.
This is why many toys on the market are being made with stronger and more durable materials. Not only does it keep them away from other items by satisfying their need to chew and play, it also provides longer-lasting play and increased interaction between dog owners and their pups.
Toys that feature heavy-duty materials like rubber and nylon are designed for hardcore chewers. And many manufacturers are also rolling out products with stronger fabrics and ropes meant for more pulling and tugging activities.
These products encompass all of those traits and more for toys that put chewing at the forefront of their designs. And with added features like places for treats and unique colors and shapes, these products entice a dog’s sense of play that is heightened as much as it is encouraged. Now the duration of play can be as endless as the options.
KONG Goodie Bone
The KONG Goodie Bone toy engages dogs that delight in chew sessions. Made from the KONG Classic unique natural red rubber formula, the bone features the patented Goodie Grippers that turn this entertaining toy into a fun treat dispenser that can be stuffed with your dog’s favorite kibble.
Huggle Hounds Wee Rainbow Knotties
Huggle Hounds Wee Rainbow Knotties are plush, durable toys in fun, bright designs. They’re sized for tiny/toy dog breeds, and each toy has a squeaker in the belly. They’re great for pulling and tugging activities.
WEST PAW Tux Dog Toy
Tux has stood the test of time. Fun to toss, fetch and chew even after the treats are gone. Built for heavy chewers and dishwasher-safe.
X-Tire Balls
X-Tire balls are molded in durable, safe Flexi PVC. They are available in 3.5-inch and 5-inch sizes and with giant jingle bells, animal sounds, flashing lights and ropes for tug play. This ever-popular fetch ball is phthalates- and BPA-free.
Squeakin’ Whistler Ball
Whistles in the air and squeaks when squeezed! Watch the Outward Hound Squeakin’ Whistler Ball soar every time it’s thrown into the air. As it glides, notice a sweet whistling sound that makes it easy for a dog to follow. This toy also contains one fun squeaker to keep dogs interested.
PULLER by COLLAR
PULLER is an innovative dog fitness tool that helps owners bond with their pets while dogs get the daily workouts they need. The two PULLER rings have dogs jumping, running and pulling, and 20 minutes of training with it is equal to three miles of running. PULLER is soft yet durable. It can float and comes in five sizes.
Red Alert Nylon Chew Toy by Ethical Products
Ethical Products’ nylon chew toy for dogs, Red Alert, is all about safety first. The chicken-scented, durable nylon toy features a red core visual safety indicator to warn if the strength of the toy has been compromised. The virtually indestructible outer layer—perfect for aggressive chewers—includes raised nubs that help clean teeth and massage gums. Red Alert is available in bone, ring and Y-bone shapes.
Fluff & Tuff Toys
Fluff & Tuff has a long line of high-quality, durable plush dog toys, including Tico the Sloth, Violet Unicorn, Gordon Stingray and Manny the Lobster. Gordon Stingray, notably, is the company’s version of a flat toy. The toys are made from Fluff & Tuff’s extra-plush outer fabric and lined with the company’s durable tuff-web interior fabric.
Huxley & Kent Lulubelles
Huxley & Kent’s Lulubelles line features the Sock Monkey in Pride knit. They’re available in baby size (Freddy) or adult size (George). The Lulubelles brand is known for using quality materials that are reinforced with a mesh liner and double-stitched seams for durability.
Orbee-Tuff Strobe Ball
The Strobe Ball blinks and flashes when activated, turning a typical game of fetch into an exciting, multi-sensory experience. The LED light is tightly and safely enclosed in a non-toxic sleeve so it requires no glue. The Glow Strobe Ball also glows in the dark for a nighttime play experience. It has a battery life of over 200 hours and can withstand 36,000 throws and bounces. It’s made in the USA, is recyclable, durable and buoyant.
Ruffwear Throw Toys
These durable, interactive toys from Ruffwear are made from natural, sustainable latex rubber and tough ripstop fabrics that last for years of play and fetch in the backyard or at the lake. The Gourdo, Turnip and Huckama are among the resilient, natural rubber throw toys that are available in Metolius Blue, Sockeye Red and Dandelion Yellow.
Scrappy Critters
Tall Tails introduces three new additions to the already popular Natural Toy Collection. They are built for durability and made of all-natural materials with heavy-duty stitching—a great option for dogs of all sizes and ages. All Tall Tails Toys are made for interactive play and are guaranteed to provide tail-wagging entertainment! The Raccoon, Rabbit and Fox toys are made through sustainable manufacturing techniques.
American Dog ARMOR Toys
Using 1680 Ballistic Nylon, these made-in-the-USA plush toys are exceptionally tough, performing comparably to many rubber chew toys found in the pet market today. Toys in the line include Bad to da Bone, Hearts of Stone, Infinity Tug, Brute Bone and Tug-N-Toss.
Grip ‘N’ Tug
This dog toy has a protective handle that reduces hand fatigue during tug-of-war games and enables long-lasting play. The special fleece-braided design is durable and safe for pets. The tugs are also replaceable.
Snugarooz Rope Toys
Snugarooz rope toys include the Spike-O-Mite, Spikey Beast and Braidy Bunch. The Spike-O-Mite toy has a large loop that’s perfect for a game of fetch, and a fun spikey ball to keep your pet entertained for hours. The Spikey Beast toy is made with a stretchy cotton rope, making it the perfect toy for a game of tug-of-war, plus dogs love to chew on the spikey ball. The Braidy Bunch is a tightly braided cotton rope toy featuring a knot that is perfect for chewing.
Flossy Chews with Extra Fresh
The Flossy Chews Rope Toys from Mammoth are made using poly-cotton woven sheath with an added real dental floss fiber coated with a specially-formulated beeswax and natural mint blend. Among the SKUs are Monkey Fist Balls, Bar Tugs and Dental Bar Tugs.
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