Scent-Sational Toys: Playology Pet Brand’s Origin is Rooted in Science 

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As pet products in general continue to evolve, toys are one category that is seeing the biggest change in terms of design. Owned by Logical Brands, Playology embeds all-natural scents in the toys that it makes. Pet Age recently spoke with Chris Brown, senior vice president of marketing and e-commerce strategy at Playology, to learn more about the brand’s products and how innovation plays a role in its quest to improve the lives of pets and their pet parents. 

What is Playology and how did the brand come into being? 

Playology is on a mission to make pets’ lives better through meaningful innovation and produces scented dog toys that encourage instinctual engagement. The brand’s origin is rooted in science — dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell with noses that are 10,000 times more sensitive than humans’ noses. By encapsulating all-natural scents at a molecular level, Playology toys provide seven times more engagement during playtime(1). 

Founders Adam and Lendy Beatty are veteran innovators in the pet toy industry. They noticed many toys on the market weren’t effective at keeping dogs instinctively engaged, leading to the “toybox graveyard.” They found dogs experience life through scent, but traditional toys did not address this fundamental insight. With this observation in mind, they began exploring ways to drive better engagement with dog toys.  

After years of research and testing, Playology launched in 2017. The brand offers a range of scented toys, including balls, chew toys and tug toys, each with an all-natural scent (like beef, cheddar cheese, chicken, peanut butter, pork sausage and sweet potato) embedded within the material of the toy and ensuring long-lasting engagement. 

How does Playology categorize its line of dog toys? 

Playology categorizes its line of dog toys based on what is important to dogs. These factors include size, breed/play style, life stage and scent. Playology uses carefully sourced ingredients and all-natural scents in every toy. The company also uses a wide range of materials — including Chewy Foam, Dri-Tech Rope, Dual Layer, Squeaky Chew and Plush — to complement the scent-driven engagement with optimized play. Each of these materials ranges on a chewing behavior scale from “Moderate Chewer” to “Heaviest Chewer’” to accommodate each dog’s specific chewing. 

The way Playology categorizes its different ‘types of play’ options harkens back to the way different breeds evolved from their common ancestor, the wolf. As dogs were domesticated and different qualities emerged from the Predatory Motor Sequence, breeds became specialized against various tasks. Playology understands every dog breed or ‘type’ requires different stimuli for optimal play. For example, terrier breeds love to shake their toys more than other breeds, so Playology developed toy options to reflect that need and to withstand that type of play. The Squeaky Shake Ball is one of many ideal Playology toy options for a terrier at playtime.  

Whether you’re playing a game of fetch or a friendly tug of war with your pup, it’s fair to say Playology has got you covered with a science-backed approach to optimizing your pup’s playtime and keeping these toys out of the “toybox graveyard.” Thanks to the various categories used to differentiate toys, Playology offers options designed to appeal to different dogs based on their individual preferences and play styles. 

What other pet brands, in addition to Playology, are part of Logical Brands? 

In addition to Playology, Logical Brands owns and operates several other pet brands. These brands include Hound2O, Grrreen and Moose & Pig.  

Hound20 products are innovated around the sole mission of getting dogs and pet parents to play outside. Because obesity is a rising issue in dogs, Hound2O toys encourage movement through pet-parent interaction — every toy is designed to be thrown, float, withstand the elements and be highly durable. Plus, every Hound2O toy is dishwasher safe, so more time can be spent playing and adventuring, not cleaning. The Squeaky Rope Bumper is a favorite among active dogs.  

Grrreen products are made with 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. Since the brand’s introduction, it has saved over 93,000 plastic bottles from oceans and landfills. Grrreen is also proudly the only pet toy company certified as 100 percent sustainable through third-party auditor Intertek — making the toys delightful for pups, pet parents and the Earth, too, since each toy saves up to 21 plastic bottles from oceans and landfills. 

What can pet retailers expect from Playology and its future toy innovations? 

Pet retailers can expect Playology to continue developing science- and design-led toys that appeal to dogs’ natural instincts and play styles. Playology has already introduced several new products in recent years, such as its Durable Plush Toys in 2021 and its Playology Puppy line in 2022, which includes multiple sensory, weaning and teething toys made specifically for young pups to help in their development. Pet retailers can also expect Playology to continue to emphasize the importance of scent in dogs’ lives and to educate pet owners about how Playology’s toys play a key role in driving play and engagement.  

 (1) Based on a study of average engagement conducted at the Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, dogs stay engaged seven times longer vs. unscented toys.