Does your dog have a favorite toy? Based on my experience with my own dogs, here are my picks for the top 10 toys ever.
10. The cut-off part of a jeans leg. Our collie used to love to play tug with the leftovers when we outgrew a pair of jeans and mom made them into cut-off shorts.
9. Soup bones. OK, not technically a toy, but they occupy my dogs for hours after we bring the bones home from the butcher shop. They have to get all of the marrow out before giving up, lest one of the other dogs get even a morsel.
8. Cats, squirrels, and other wildlife. Moving animals provide endless hours of amusement, especially when they are running, just asking to be chased. We have a squirrel that sits on the electric wires outside my bedroom window and chitters at my dogs, just to make sure he has their attention, before he runs along the wire back to his tree.
7. Their own tails. There’s nothing quite so funny as a dog running in circles, chasing his own tail.
6. Sticks. We once stayed at a bed & breakfast where a Great Dane named Ocean lives. We took him out for a walk one afternoon, but he wouldn’t move unless he had a stick in his mouth!
5. Frisbees. My dogs aren’t great at bringing the Frisbee back, but they do like to chase it!
4. Tennis balls. Hard to believe the amount of enjoyment a dog can get from chasing a yellow ball. When they catch it, they like to rip the covers off rather than bringing them back.
3. Rope tugs. Seems like these are the hardest toys to chew apart. My dogs especially like the tugs that have three handles so they can tug against each other.
2. Kong toys. These toys allow you to hide treats inside, so the dog has to use his brain to get the treats out. Good for physical activity and mental stimulation.
1. The master. The biggest thing dogs want is your attention. It doesn’t matter what game you play or what toy you give them, the most important things are your love and your time.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Ellie’s favorite thing is any toy that squeaks. If she hears ANYTHING squeak even the TV, she perks up and tries to find where she needs to go to attack it.
I have to agree that Betsy and Norman’s favorite toys are their mom and dad. However, because they own a dog toy store they have lots and lots of toys. Norman loves noisy toys…the more sound the better. Betsy loves shaking toys — the ones that hit her in the head when she shakes them…especially, her Romp n Roll Jolly Ball.
My dog like balls and toys 🙂
My dog breaks into the pantry and digs out raw potatoes to play with. Go figure.