The old adage that a tired dog is a happy dog is all too true.
And even more to the point, you could say that a mentally stimulated
dog is a well-behaved dog. Boredom is often the root cause for a
whole bunch of behavioral problems such as chewing things in the
home, destroying furniture, digging holes, self- mutilation or even
barking constantly. If your dog is exhibiting any of these chronic
traits, chances are your dog is bored. And boredom almost always
leads to trouble. Here's some ways to help.
To better understand your dog and help to maintain a good
temperament, you have to realize that dogs like to work. They also
like to play. They like to be involved. They also need a certain
amount of physical exercise EVERY day. And they like to do it with
you! Dogs, as you well know, are pack animals that crave interaction
with other living things. Since your dog no longer has a pack of dog
playmates, you and the rest of your family are the defacto pack.
It's your responsibility to care for your dog's mental well-being
just as much as it is to care for her physical well-being. Putting
the dog out in the yard by itself with a squeaky toy just doesn't
cut it.
The point of this article will be to help you identify a class
of indoor dog toys that elevates your dog's play to a new level. We
all have limited time, right? So if you're going to play with your
dog or encourage them to amuse themselves for a bit, the dog toys
we'll discuss will help you maximize playtime as well as the mental
stimulation your dog receives. These dog toys will improve your
dog's indoor playtime beyond simple throw and fetch games or basic
tug and play games.
The Hide A Toy Series
(Graphic:
http://lucythewonderdog.com/PublicRelations/hide-a-squirrel2.jpg)
The Kygen company makes an adorable set of "hide and seek" dog
toys called "Hide a Squirrel', "Hide a Bee" and "Hide a Bird". Each
plush dog toy includes three squeaky toys that "hide" in a plush
base: tree trunk, hive, or bird house. The object of the game is to
get your dog excited about getting the 3 squeaky toys out of their
plush base. Dogs that like to dig and gut their plush toys will love
this innovative dog toy. Only with this toy, it lives to play
another day!. And once the dog succeeds in removing all 3 squeaky
toys you can stuff them back in (squeaking them like crazy to get
your dog excited) and have them work at it again. I think this is a
great dog toy for smaller dogs under 40lbs. Perfect for any type of
terrier, for sure. Great toy for all puppies, too. Helps develop a
dog's thinking and puzzle- solving skills.
Egg Babies
(Graphic:
http://lucythewonderdog.com/PublicRelations/egg-baby-turtle.jpg)
A similar line of seek and destroy dog toys are the Egg
Babies. Also made by the Kygen company, these cute plush animals
(ducks, fish, turtles, dinosaurs, etc) have a velcro slit up the
center of their stomachs with 3 squeaky eggs inside. This is also
the perfect activity toy for smaller dogs (under 40lbs) or puppies
who enjoy gutting their toys. Except that with these clever dog
toys, you can simply reinsert the eggs and press the velcro back
together and the fun starts all over again without having to break
out the needle and thread.
Treat Toys
(Graphic:
http://www.lucythewonderdog.com/PublicRelations/havaball2.jpg)
While Kongs have lead the way as a must-have chew/treat toy in
your dog's toy box for years, a couple of lesser known treat toys I
like include the Buster Cube and the Havaball. The Buster Cube is a
hard plastic cube that comes in two sizes, one for smaller dogs
(20lbs and under) and one for larger dogs (20lbs - 80lbs). The cool
thing about the Buster Cube is that you can adjust the difficulty
level to make it harder or easier for the treats or kibble to come
out of the toy. As your dog gets better at getting the treats out,
you can increase the difficulty to keep your dog challenged.
The Havaball is a personal favorite because unlike the Buster
Cube, the Havaball is a grooved rubber ball that not only dispenses
treats but helps to clean your dog's teeth and gums just by playing
with it. By biting the slits in the ball, the teeth sink into the
grooves helping to clean the teeth and stimulate the dog's gums, all
the while dispensing treats. Havaball is also sold under the Kong
brand as the Kong Treat ball. Same toy, different licensing. It also
comes in four sizes for toy breeds all the way up to extra large
dogs and even includes two sizes of black ultra-tough rubber
versions for really tough chewers.
All these innovative dog toys can bring an added dimension to
your dog's play time. What they each have in common is the ability
to reward your dog as the task is completed, whether it's removing
certain parts or being able to dispense treats. Participating in
this type of mentally stimulating play will help calm your canine by
allowing them to divert some of their excess energy to something
positive and interesting. Something that gives them positive
feedback just by playing with them. And with ALL dog toys, we
recommend you supervise your dog's play and discard any broken
pieces that may break off over time.
Article Written By: Gene R. Sower
Lucy The Wonder Dog, LLC
"For The Health & Wellness of Your Dog"
http://www.lucy-the-dog.com/toys1.html
Copyright April 2005
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