Plenty of companies will be happy to sell you expensive dog toys, but most of them do not last long, and puppies don’t care about brands!
Simple household objects will be just as satisfying – toilet roll tubes and empty tissue boxes (remove the plastic “lips” first) are always a hit with our puppies. They’ll spend 15 minutes ripping them to pieces, eating some and making a mess, then sleep for three hours.
Thick rope, fabric, old socks tied in knots are simple toys. Plastic jars, a 30cm length of poly pipe, or a simple stick are also cheap and easy.
Commercial toys of value
There are some commercial toys that we have found to be valuable.
KONG make a good line of chew toys, some of which are ideal for leaving with the dog when you depart helping to reduce separation anxiety. One of their toys, a “Kong Classic” can be smeared with peanut butter inside and dogs spend hours trying to lick out all the good bits.
These bumpy balls can have a handful of dried food placed inside, and can be pushed around by the dog. Occasionally dried food leaks out, encouraging the dog to try pushing it around more.
