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Trends & Products: Tantalizing Toys
Julia Rivera //May 1, 2022//
Listen to this articleFun and Games
With the understanding that today’s consumers view their pets as members of their family, the pet toy sector has continued to grow at a steady pace. Pet parents are on a constant search for high quality, durable, engaging and often eco-sustainable toys for their companion animals. Established brands, including Petmate, West Paw, Duckyworld, Vee Enterprises and Soda Pup, have gained a reputation for their reliable, well-made toys.
With many behavioral problems in pets coming from boredom or excess energy, toys are essential to keep a pet happy and healthy. They are great at providing mental stimulation in the form of a fun activity for their companion animal. Toys come in countless forms, be it chew, plush, rubber, fetch, tug or puzzle toys. Engaging toys, such as cat wands from Vee Enterprises, are essential for providing physical as well as mental stimulation and enrichment, and they improve a pet’s overall concentration and cognitive abilities.
Sustainability is also a growing concern with pet parents, which is helping to drive the popularity of eco-friendly toy lines like West Paw’s Seaflex. Diversity of selection is important for retailers, as a wide assortment of toy offerings will enable customers to find the specific toy that will satisfy their pet’s specific needs. This variety includes toys for dogs, cats, birds and small animals. Toys are designed to be safe and durable; however, no toy is indestructible, so retailers need to advise that dogs and cats be supervised to prevent a piece from becoming chewed off and swallowed.
Dharma Dog Toy
Dharma Dog pure wool and hemp twist toys are fun toys that your dog can sink their teeth into, all the way to the gums. Coarse wool fibers have jagged edges to scrape away food and plaque. The company uses safe, non-toxic dyes and there are no synthetic fibers that may be harmful if ingested.
Totally Touristy Toy Collection
Now dogs everywhere can travel the globe to iconic landmarks with P.L.A.Y.’s new Totally Touristy Plush Toy Collection. These popular tourist attraction-shaped toys feature amusing sounds, interactive features and are ready for any photo-op. Available in two sizes (extra-small and medium), toys are machine washable and sold in case packs of five.
Project Hive Hive Chew Toy
Dogs love this U.S.A.-manufactured, treat-compatible Hive Chew Toy. Made of recyclable thermoplastic elastomers, it has an erratic bounce, floats in water, is non-toxic, BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. With Project Hive Pet Company’s mission to save the bees, each purchase helps establish healthy wildflower habitat.
Power Duo
BULLTUG is a modern dog toy company with a range of toys to match all play styles. Popular toys include the brand’s Puzzle Plush and Power Duo, a 2-in-1 product for pups that love to fetch and chew. The Power Duo rubber dog toy is a textured, heavy-duty tug ring and fetch ball that is among the toughest and most durable toys available on the market for power chewers.
Duckyworld Cat Toys
All Yeowww! Catnip products are made in the United States. And, as with all Yeowww! Catnip products, the brand’s holiday toys are made of durable cotton twill and filled with a special 100 percent organically grown catnip — no fillers and no chemicals. It’s a combination sure to send even the most pampered cats into orbits of delight and keep them entertained for hours.
Eddie Bauer PET 
Eddie Bauer PET by PetRageous includes a variety of designs, including Buffalo Check Bear, Squirrel and Moose that features a white/black check pattern in the shape of an animal. The check is flannel and is trimmed around the entire shape with faux wool fleece and red accent twill at the seams. The body is filled with polyfil and contains a large squeaker. These toys are machine washable.
A&E Bird Toys
A&E toys, including the Tropical Punch Cocktail and Whiffle King Happy Beaks bird toys, are made in the United States. The Tropical Punch Cocktail is a party in a cup, with its paper Hawaiian-themed cup that encourages birds’ natural instinct to forage and play. The Whiffle King Happy Beaks is full of bagels, straw buttons and fun. These toys offer textures and lots of shred-able, natural toy parts.
SodaPup
SodaPup is a veteran-owned business that specializes in American made dog toys and enrichment products for power chewers. Based in Colorado, SodaPup makes several collections of dog toys including the USA-K9 collection which is inspired by military objects and fireworks including grenades, firecrackers and cherry bombs. All chew toys come with a 30-day replacement guarantee.
Chuckit! Value Pack
Designed for fetch-loving canines, all toys in this value pack are made from the same durable, natural rubber as our popular Ultra Ball and feature the same bright orange and blue colors that Chuckit! lovers have come to recognize. The set comes with one RingChaser, one Ultra Fetch Stick and one Ring Flight.
Vee Cat Wands
Made in the United States, Vee’s line of cat wands includes the Wispy Bouncer, featuring soft, natural iridescent peacock flue feathers, and the Satin Bouncer, with satin tassels that are intended for batting or biting. There is also the PURRfect Go-Fur-It wand, which has a plastic string coil that stretches over eight feet, has an end with faux fur and natural tinted feathers for energetic cats to chase and capture.
West Paw Seaflex
Seaflex from West Paw is a collection of eco-friendly dog toys and feeding accessories made from an exclusive blend of reclaimed and recycled oceanbound plastic and zero-waste Zogoflex material. By collaborating with Oceanworks, West Paw can safely and responsibly source ocean-bound plastic from threatened coastal areas in Central America and make them into things dogs love.
Chew-N-Tug
Keep your dog happy with Chew-N-Tug Elk Antler Chews by Wapiti Labs. These unique chew products are for medium breed to large breed dogs; the 100 percent cotton rope holds up to serious rounds of tug-of-war. Wapiti Labs Elk Antlers are water rinsed only, with no chemical treatments on the antlers. Antlers are naturally shed and re-grown by male elk each year, making them a renewable source.
Indipets All Natural Organic Rubber Toys
After successfully serving 15 years in feeding products, Indipets has launched its All Natural Organic Rubber Toys line. Available in various shapes and sizes, the toys are made of durable and safe plant-derived natural rubber, with no plastic or artificial additives. They help maintain oral hygiene and encourage outdoor and indoor play.
Tower of Tracks
Your cat is sure to have a ball chasing, swatting, batting and catching these balls as they race around the track. The Petstages Tower of Tracks ball track toy for cats has three-times the levels and balls for three-times the fun.
Pet Factory Tug & Chomp
These premium plush toys for dogs come in a variety of cuddly critters and colorful characters that have a fun hide-n-seek pocket that reveals the small toy out of the mouth. Pet parents can keep their pets engaged at play by pulling, tugging and tossing this interactive toy. With double squeakers and made with tough plush materials, they’re perfect for interactive play.
Hauspanther Cat Toys
These cat toys are as satisfying for cats as they are for people. Each toy encourages a different kind of play behavior from stalking and pouncing to chasing and tossing, keeping cats active and entertained. The abstract shapes, unique textures and sophisticated modern colors make the toys look like modern art on your living room floor. Who says cat toys can’t be beautiful?
Enriched Life
Oxbow Animal Health’s Enriched Life line of enrichment and care accessories includes a variety of toys, natural chews, engaging activity centers and innovative habitats and premium care items. Made of 100 percent pet-safe materials, the Enriched Life line is designed to support natural behaviors that include exploring, playing, hiding and chewing.
