Gifts galore!
The holidays are here! In many homes, the Christmas tree has been set up and draped with lights and ornaments. After children (and puppies!) head to their beds, covert wrapping operations are being undertaken and presents hidden—hopefully far away from prying young hands. In addition to hanging stockings for the resident humans, many families (my own included) like to purchase holiday presents for the family pet. If you are wondering what to buy your favorite pooch this holiday season, here are some of my favorite toys for dogs of every size, age, and breed!
If your dog likes to eat
While not all dogs love playing with tennis balls and tug ropes (although most can be taught to), almost all dogs come with the "loves food" package already installed. Pet manufacturers realize this, and the market for food-dispensing toys is growing quickly. They are fun for your pet, but food-dispensing toys can also provide valuable mental stimulation, reduce stress, and give bored or anxious dogs a fun "job" to focus on. Some food-dispensing toys, like a frozen, stuffed KONG, provide much-needed teething relief for puppies and young adolescents.
Nina Ottosson has a fantastic line of puzzle toys, in both plastic and wooden versions. Pet owners like me, with very large dogs or those that like to destroy things, find the plastic versions much more durable (and dishwasher-safe). For those of you with daintier eaters, you may find that the wooden toys from Nina Ottosson are much more pleasing aesthetically!
Toys like the KONG Wobbler or Buster Cube can be perfect for dispensing your dog's regular meals. Consider donating Fifi's food bowl to the local shelter and feeding her dinner from a toy! These toys are dishwasher-safe, but can be quite loud rattling around on hardwood floors. If the noise bothers you, try feeding your dog in the yard or on a carpeted surface.
If your dog likes to chew
If your dog is a "power chewer," he may destroy many of the toys listed above. Chew toys can be split into two categories: consumable/digestible and inedible. In the first category, you'll find items that include marrow bones, knuckle bones, bully sticks, antlers, pig ears, dehydrated sweet potato, and rawhide. There are also a variety of edible chews like Greenies and Nylabones edible bones, but ingredient quality and digestibility may vary for individual dogs. I recommend that if my clients purchase any sort of digestible chew, they avoid products that have ingredients sourced in China or that are manufactured in China. Edible chews should only be made available to your dog when you are able to supervise.
If your dog likes squeaky stuff
Kong has a line of toys called "Air Dog" toys, many of which are made of safe, tennis-ball-type material and squeak. These terrific toys tend to float and are relatively durable for regular play, though they are not meant to be chewed. I also love Kong's Wubba line of toys; the flappy "legs" that fall down in a unique octopus-type shape are well-received by many dogs! The Wubba toys also offer good variety, in that there are Water Wubbas (great for dogs that like to swim or play in muddy yards), Classic Wubbas, covered in a sturdy nylon material, or, for dogs that like a softer toy, Snugga Wubbas, that have all the squeaky fun and are gentler on the teeth.
My Mokie's favorite squeaky toys are Skinneeez—long plush toys that have no filling and contain a squeaker at each end. Skinneeez are great for tug play or they can be attached to the end of a flirt pole, but they are not water-safe and they tend not to fly well, disappointing dogs that love to fetch.
If your dog likes to chase
If your dog enjoys "the thrill of the chase," few toys will keep her happier than a flirt pole. Flirt poles can be made at home easily with products found at your local hardware store. Or, you can purchase a flirt pole from the Karen Pryor Clicker Training store. My favorite thing about flirt poles is that they are a great way to tire out a dog! Flirt poles provide strenuous cardiovascular exercise in a small amount of space and/or time. Because this type of play is such a good workout, it's a good idea to warm up your dog with some light stretching and exercise. Be sure to cool down your dog with the same exercises after flirt pole play to help avoid injury. Flirt poles can be wonderful tools for building impulse control and focus in dogs that have a strong chase instinct.
If your dog likes to tug
Tug is a great game for dogs and their owners to play together. Not only can tug games be a great way to bond with your dog, but they can be a great reinforcer for impulse-control training when appropriate rules are in place. If you like to tug with your dog, determine what type of tug your dog prefers. While many dogs like to bite into a braided rope toy, other dogs (especially seniors and puppies that may have more sensitive mouths) may prefer a softer tug, such as one made of fleece.
Tug-crazy dogs may also hope Santa brings them a Wild Thang tug toy! Mokie loves fur and leather tugs; this one looks to be well-constructed and durable!
Your presence is as important as presents
Finding the right toy—a flirt pole, squeaky toy, Kong, or even a cardboard box filled with treats and taped up—is a fun way to bond with your dog and provide mental and social stimulation. While your dog will certainly appreciate any of these presents, what most dogs want more than anything else is presence—the opportunity to spend fun, quality time with their owners.
The holidays can be stressful for your mind and your wallet. If you are looking for a great way to give your dog the happiest of holidays in a budget-friendly fashion, just do something fun together. Go for a ride and a hike in the woods. Take a training class together. Schedule play visits with favorite doggy companions. Take some of the toys you already have and spend more time playing with them. What your dog wants more than anything this Christmas is for you to try to set aside a few minutes apart from the hustle and bustle. Remind your dog that he or she is special to you all year long by sharing quality time, playing, training, and snuggling together.
Casey Lomonaco lives in upstate New York, where she offers editorial, writing, and behavior consulting services through her company Rewarding Behaviors Dog Training. When she is not working with or writing about dogs, she is knitting, reading, or hiking in a forest—with dogs.
