5 tips to selecting the right tough toy for your dog

Does your dog like nothing more than chew every toy you buy them? If the answer to that question is 'yes' it might be worth considering purchasing a toy that comes with a manufacturer guarantee against damage.

The key to finding a durable toy for your dog will generally rely on a few important factors and it's not always as simple as seeing something you like the look of and buying it. 

Here is our guide of five things to consider before buying that will help you select the right tough toy for your dog;

Tip One - Choose a brand of toy that offers more

If you have a dog that you know is a moderate or serious chewer we would recommend selecting a toy from either Planet Dog or West Paw Design Zogoflex both of which are sold with a manufacturer guarantee against damage.

(pictured - Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Fetch Ball, available here)

What makes these two brands different? Planet Dog and West Paw Design use innovative and market leading techniques to create pliable and lightweight dog toys that can withstand even the most tenacious and serious chewers. They are so confident in the strength of their toys that they each have their own manufacturer guarantee (details on product pages).

Browse all Planet Dog Toys here.

Browse all West Paw Design Toys here.

(pictured - Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Orbee Ball, available here)

Tip Two - Size of the toy

Consider that generally a dog will do its serious chewing using their back teeth by tucking the toy right into their jaw where they have most strength.

Giving your dog an appropriately sized toy can be crucial to finding success because the correct size will be significantly less susceptible to damage if it's prevented from being chewed on at the back of the jaw.

Tip Three - Shape of the toy

If your dog is a really tenacious or aggressive chewer we generally recommend that you stick to choosing perfectly round balls available from Planet Dog or West Paw Design.

The more 'shape' there is to a toy the more enticing it is for your dog to find parts that they can bite down on, by sticking to round shaped balls the tempation is removed.

(pictured - Zogoflex Qwizl, available here)

That's not to say that all toys with a shape should be avoided for dogs who are aggressive chewers but we would always suggest full supervision of your dog to help prevent any damage occurring to the toy. You can also then monitor your dogs play habits to learn what toys are likely to be susceptible to them.

Tip Four - Understanding your dogs habits

Does your dog enjoys using their front teeth to pick at their toys? Try to avoid things with raised areas that will prove irresistible.

If your dog is a serious chewer it's best to stick with more round shaped toys and remove the temptation of 'shapes' that they can chew. 

Tip Five - Strength Rating

All toys by West Paw Design and Planet Dog have a strength/durability rating. We recommend checking this strength rating before ordering to ensure you select an appropriately strong toy. If your dog damages it don't worry, it will most likely still be covered by the guarantee but it can avoid a lot of disappointment to check the strength ratings first.

And don't forget....

No toy is ever completely indestructible, but by choosing the right toy in the first place and selecting from Planet Dog or Zogoflex you can have a really great chance at finally finding a toy your dog can enjoy playing with time and time again.

(pictured - Zogoflex Tux, available here)