Walking into a pet store, our favorite being K9 Caterers in Glendale,NY, selecting toys and chew things for our dogs can be overwhelming. There are so many choices, so which are the best or better of the options? You should always monitor your dog’s play time with a new toy and keep some precautionary advice in the back of your mind.
Toys
Plush toys are by far the worst for our dogs and yet they are the most abundant toy around. I can tell you exactly what happens after my dog receives one. Yes, Prince is full of excitement, it’s new, it squeaks, HE MUST HAVE IT! However, he starts by chewing on a small corner or grab-able part of it, for example if it’s a pig plush toy he will start chewing on the ear, eyeball, snout, or a leg. He will then rip it apart and start taking the stuffing out. Why does he do this? Well, he is trying to get to the source of the squeak inside: the little, hard plastic piece that squeaks when pushed on that is the source of all the excitement of the toy. This takes him about 2 minutes. Once it is out I am left with cleaning up the mess and hoping that he did not swallow any or a lot of the white stuffing.
The plush toy’s stuffing is the main issue here. Aside from the fact that he destroys this toy in just a few minutes, and is a huge waste of precious resources that went into creating this toy from raw materials sourced from the planet, he can become seriously injured if he ingests the stuffing. The stuffing, and along the lines of this are rope toys that come apart as well, can get tangled up inside a dog’s intestines. It can create blockages, and they will need major surgery to have it removed. The dog can also eat any part of the toy, as well, including the little eyes, the outer material. These things are also choking hazards. Even the safe, stuffing free toys are not without dangers if your dog enjoys ripping things apart. However, if your dog does not rip things apart, but instead plays fetch with stuffed toys, by all means continue to buy them cutsie toys.
Rubber toys are the next option for dogs who don’t get along with plush toys. These can come in many forms: balls, frisbees, busy toys you hide treats in, rubber plush toys in the shape of animals, chew toys, etc. The concerns with these are how durable the rubber toys are (if your dog enjoys ripping things apart) and if they rip it apart, how toxic is the rubber if they accidently ingest some of it? Be mindful small pieces of broken rubber can be a choking hazard, can be poisonous and cause intestinal blockages. Our favorite toy right now is JW rubber squeaky balls, they are made with nontoxic plastic and are known for being indestructible.
Chew things
Rawhide is by far the most popular of all chew things. The main issue with rawhide is that it can get stuck in the dog’s intestines and cause health issues/blockages. Owner’s should closely monitor rawhide chew time as to avoid the worst case scenario of having to rush their dog to an ER Vet. One key factor to keep in mind is to not allow your dog to swallow the last, little mushy piece of the rawhide when they get to the end. You must take it away from them in order to prevent the worst part. We have all seen how rawhides get after the dog has chewed on it, and their saliva dissolves it a bit, the rawhide becomes mushy, soft and sticky. So, you can realistically imagine this getting stuck in your dog’s intestinal wall and them not being able to pass it through their system. Also, make sure you get the right size for your dog. Small rawhides will be much easier for a large dog to swallow.
Bones can be beneficial if they are the proper bones. Some bones come with pieces of dried meat still on it and at times, depending on the company, they may flavor these pieces. Be careful with the flavored bones, same with flavored rawhide. The flavoring is not natural and companies use all kinds of dyes and chemicals (at times, yes) to get the right scent and flavor on the bone. We prefer the more natural route when it comes to bones and as of recent I have been purchasing animal antlers that animals in the wild shed as they grow out bigger ones. Antlers last longer than bones and do not splinter as easily and are grown from animals that feed strictly on their natural food sources in forested areas.
Bones from our kitchens is a controversial issue. The older generations used to feed their dogs all kinds of stuff. Where as now, we are better informed on the dangers of feeding our dog’s table food. However, I come from a European family and we cook lots of big pieces of meat with large bones, sometimes even cooking the bones in water as a soup base for many hours. My rule is this, you can feed the dog bones as long as they are not a BIRD BONE, and lessen/substitute their regular meals as to not overfeed. Bird bones are as follows but not limited to: CHICKEN, DUCK, GOOSE, PHEASANT, etc. Bird bones are hard and they splinter, which can puncture and rupture the dog’s intestinal organs. This is not a joke.
Signs of problems:
-Vomiting, refusal to eat/drink, dehydration, abnormal behavior, swelling in the intestines, abdominal pain. Things take about 24 hours to pass through a dog’s intestines. Don’t wait too long before seeking medical help if you do notice some of these symptoms.
Whatever form of toys you chose for your dog, please monitor their play/chew time and be mindful because when it comes to these things, dogs are like babies. They will keep on chewing and playing until they can’t because something is wrong. As my vet once said, “Once the dog shows signs of trouble, it has gotten to the point of it being a big issue.”.
Paw Prints On My Soul 