Puppies and adult dogs are great fun, but it can be quite challenging to keep them entertained when we can’t constantly give them attention. Whenever this happens, certain cool toys can be quite handy.
There are a variety of dog toys nowadays, which is fantastic because some dogs will prefer certain toys over others. Also, it is important to have toys that are appropriate for the dog’s age, size, and purpose of play.
To give the busy pet parent a hand, we selected 12 of these toys to show you on the list below.
*There are no affiliate links to products on this post.
Best Chew Toys For Puppies
All dogs love to chew, but teething puppies are more demanding because they probably didn’t master the rules on what they can or can’t chew. So, anything is game for them: slippers, power cables, table legs, books, socks, blankets, you name it!
Keep in mind that teething is very discomforting for your puppy. They start replacing their baby teeth for permanent ones around 4 months of age, and they stop teething when they are somewhere between 6 to 8 months old.
Here are the best toys to soothe your fur baby:
Image credit: Nylabone
Best Chew Toy For Tiny Puppies
Teething Puppy X Bone
By Nylabone
For puppies up to 15 pounds (7 kilos).
This is a gentle and flexible toy that is beef-flavored. Not only this helps alleviate teething by massaging the puppy’s gums, but it also helps to clean your fur baby’s teeth.
Image credit: Kong
Best Chew Toy For Puppies
Kong Tires
By Kong
This tire was designed not only to ease the puppy’s teething gums but also to keep your pooch occupied for longer with its inner track which you can fill with goodies.
Best Plush Toys
Be it a fur baby or a snuggly giant, some dogs just love stuffed animals. But be aware that if your dog likes to destroy them, you should take them away before he swallows any stuffing.
Image credit: Outward Hound
Best Plush Puzzle
Hide A Squirrel
By Outward Hound
This is a puzzle plush toy that can be used for hiding the squirrels inside the tree trunk which your puppy will love to seek out; or use the squeaky squirrels to simply play fetch.
Image credit: Snuggle Puppy
Best Puppy Comfort
Original Snuggle Puppy
By Snuggle Puppy
This is perfect for a puppy that has just arrived in your home. It has a battery-operated heartbeat that helps the pup cope with his first days away from his siblings.
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Best Puzzles For Dogs
Providing mental stimulation for your dog is as important as physical activities. Dogs love to learn new things, especially if there is a tasty treat as a reward.
You can start with an easy puzzle and move on to more complex ones. When introducing a puzzle, leave the treat cover off and let your canine friend get the treat. Then, show your dog how the puzzle solving is done by covering the treat and uncovering it again. Now you can show the treat, cover it and let your dog do the work.
Image credit: Outward Hound
Best Intermediate Puzzle
Dog Tornado
By Nina Ottosson
To get the treats, your dog will need to spin the tiers. For an extra challenge, hide the treats under the bone-shaped covers.
Image credit: Outward Hound
Best Sliding Block Puzzle
Dog Hide N’ Slide
By Nina Ottosson
For beginners, just hide treats under the flippers.
For Intermediates, place the treat in the hollow block through the top opening. Your pooch will have to slide the block back and forth to release the treat into the flipper compartment.
Best Fun Toys
Having good old simple fun is essential for dogs and they love when you have time to play with them. But if you need to focus on work or house chores, these fun toys will keep your furry friend entertained for a while.
Image credit: Trixie
Best Treat Ball
Snack Ball
By Trixia
Much to your dog’s amazement, treats will come out of this ball while rolling. You can make it easier for them or more challenging by adjusting the opening.
Image credit: Kong
Best Treat Toy
Kong Extreme
By Kong
Designed for the most powerful chewers, with their natural foraging instinct in mind, this toy will keep your canine friend occupied and focused on the task of licking away the yummy fillings you provide with the Kong.
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Best Snuffle Mat
Snuffle mats are very interesting because they were designed to satisfy a canine’s instinct for foraging and hunting for food. The idea is to hide treats or portions of a meal inside the fabric mat to make your pooch work his sniffing nose.
Image credit: Awoof
Best General Snuffle Mat
Awoof Snuffle Mat
By Awoof
What we like most about this cleverly designed mat is that it really hides treats within its long fabric strips.
Image credit: HLinXoom
Best Mixed Snuffle Mat
HLinZoom
By HLinZoom
This Mat also has longer and thicker fabric strips to hide treats better, plus it has three different sections to vary the foraging experience.
This Mat also has longer and thicker fabric strips to hide treats and portions of meals better. Your dog will exercise his sense of smell by foraging hidden treats in the three different sections.
Best For Senior Dogs
Although senior dogs slow down and get easily tired, they need and enjoy some playtime.
Playtime will give them some exercise and mental stimulation. What needs to be taken into account is a dog’s particular limitations and health condition.
Image credit: BirdBall
Best For Athletic Seniors
BirdBall Fetch Toy
By BirdBall
This ball helps senior dogs with troubled eyesight to keep up with the fun by following the whistles and chirps of the toy when thrown.
Image credit: Kong
Best For Sedentary Seniors
Kong Senior
By Kong
Once again Kong makes our list! This time we are going for this special rubber toy designed for gentle chewing. By filling it with dog-appropriate treats and foods, your old buddy will be on a delicious mission of clearing the Kong out.
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Conclusion
Toys are great fun for dogs and they can help your best friend get entertained while you have some time for yourself. Some toys are designed to satisfy a dog’s foraging and hunting instincts. Others are great for mental stimulation.
Whichever toys you choose, it is important to check on your dog while they play with them just to make sure there aren’t any pieces detached which could be harmful if swallowed.
Also, It’s important to find toys that are appropriate for dogs according to their age, size, and intended use.
In this post, we shared a list of our favorite 12 dog toys, however, we would like to remind you to always read the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines and to dispose of any worn-out ones.
Another great tip is to alternate toys, rather than giving them all at once. This will keep playtime amusing since a dog’s attention span is not very long.
So, which toys above did you find interesting?
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