Dog Toys.

[Cuban]

I have two fast growing 50% Rotties, about 3 months old and a bit over 10kg each. For an hour or two during the day they will be left alone at home and have generally been very well behaved and not trashed too many things that have been left within paws reach. Gf's slippers and my dinner a few night ago excepted.

They have a handful of dog toys, squeeking ball animal thing - which I will remove soon as they are getting big enough to consider eating it, and the occassional pig skin knotted bone thing, but I would like more ideas for Doggie Toys.

They will be loosing puppy teeth in the next month or two, I can see one on it's way already . So things they can get their teeth into and not tire of too quickly is what I seek. I already take away toys from time to time - and return them a week or so later so the toy is new again.

They have a nice length of rough sawn timber, soft enough to bite leaving an impression and does not produce sharp splinters which they can gnaw on. I'm thinking about getting something akin to a small tree trunk along these lines.

Last night I made up a short length of light line (rope to the non-nautical) into a half metre of Drummer's Plait, which was an instant hit as a pull toy. (The rope is good for teeth cleaning too.)

Some rolled up and tied carboard (former pizza box) is also an interesting thing to get their teeth into and I was reading today about the use of frozen carrots - not sure they would like the ice cold but maybe durring the heat of the day when they are not asleep it might work out? Experiances with this anyone?

Part deformed (with hog water to reduce it's size) soft plastic water bottles is some thing I was toying with at the weekend, I was thinking of a few dog biscuits sealed inside to add some sound action - and as the 'reward' when they have broken it open.

After my breakfast this morning I feel they have tired of the half yoghurt pot trick.

So, any other thoughts or experiances for doggie toys please?

[Cuban]

Part deformed (with hog water to reduce it's size) soft plastic water bottles is some thing I was toying with at the weekend, I was thinking of a few dog biscuits sealed inside to add some sound action - and as the 'reward' when they have broken it open.

Not sure what 'hog water' is - but hot water was not effective. Using a soft plastic bottle with a handful of biscuits was a huge success. The lid sealed with superglue with the bottle's body partly crushed to give a profile the dogs can hold in their mouths. Instant favorite toy.

[Nienke]

Many (big dogs) at the kennel like to play with coconuts. They play with it as if it's a ball, but most of all they just LUUUUVVVV to rip it apart (which can give a nice mess for the owner to clean up after wards. ). Very funny is it to watch when there is some fiber loose, and they take that in their mouthes and run around with the coconut dangling around. They throw it high, and then jump on it as if it's a prey.

Another success toy is that ropy thing. Dunno how it is called. It is made of many small threads/wires/ small ropes, if you know what I mean, and there are usually two knots in it. This ropy thing last quite long and the dogs love to play tug-of-war with it, or also try to rip pieces of. You can buy it in many petshops or at dogshows.

Another succes toy was the Kong. The real one. Sometimes I see the copied ones in pet shops, but these don't last that long. The real ones can last long as long as your dog doesn't drop it in the fish pond. They don't float ...

I don't like to give squeeky toys as there is the danger they swallow a part which them can get stuck against the intestinal wall or something or give obstruction. Same thing with tennis balls and many other of these kinds of toys.

These toys can be nice if you supervise while they are playing with such a toy. Unsupervised I wouldn't leave these toys with the dogs.

Best play for a dog, however, is to play together with the owner; whether that is with a toy, a search or fetch game or a dog sport such as agility or shutzhund or something. Search games are great as it makes the dog mentally tired. Many games only makes the dog physically tired. And while the stamina of the dog increases the owner faces a dog asking for more and more playtime in order to get rid of its energy.

My two setang.

Nienke

[Cuban]

Thank you again Nienke,

> Many (big dogs) at the kennel like to play with coconuts.

The following has just happened: I pop out of the office, pick up a stick and throw it into a coconut tree just outside the office, after a few attempts I am rewarded with a small brown dried nut. Walk back into the office with Thai staff staring at me, one offers, "That one not good fro eating, do you want me to get Nok (office runner) to go to the market......"

So they have a coconut football now - I will get a hairy one on the way home.

>....rip it apart (which can give a nice mess for the owner to clean up after wards. ).

Part of the morning checks - playtime.

> This ropy thing last quite long and the dogs love to play tug-of-war with it, or also

> try to rip pieces of. You can buy it in many petshops or at dogshows.

I am well versed with ropes and have made a couple of toys already.

> Another succes toy was the Kong.

Like these?

> Best play for a dog, however, is to play together with the owner; whether that is with a toy,

> a search or fetch game or a dog sport such as agility or shutzhund or something.

Yes - we play, go for walks (short runs - like a hunting chase), meet with other dogs (helps them to socialise)

> Search games are great as it makes the dog mentally tired.

Hide the treat / toy ?

Thanks again.

[Smithson]

I agree with Neinke on the coconuts, my dogs love them. The husks are great mulch for the garden, so you can put the mess there.

The Kongs, are great. Dogs go crazy for these because of the crazy bounce they have. My dog will put his head deep underwater for around 5 seconds until he finds it.

Basketballs are good for tiring dogs out because they can't pick them up. Although a big dog will

We also play hide and seek, I didn't realize it was so good for the dogs mentally. Only problem is our dogs have become too good at finding.

Another toy called a flirt is easy to make, get about 2.5m of thin bamboo or 15mm PVC pipe and attach a thin rope to it. On the other end of the rope put some fabric strips. Hold the bamboo and flick it around getting the dogs to chase it. They love it and it really tires them out. If the dog is less than 12 months, be careful to avoid jumping.

You can also make a springpole by getting an old motorbike inner tube and tieing a rope at 2 ends. Tie one of the ends to a tree branch and the have the dog tug on the other. Again, if the dog is less than 12 months, make sure the rope is low enough for the dog to get it without jumping.

[Cuban]

You can also make a springpole by getting an old motorbike inner tube and tieing a rope at 2 ends.

Thank you for that - I have a suitable place where I can experiment with this sort of pull. As I envisage the thing I think I will make the lower end able to accept different 'toys'. rope pull, rag toy, stuff like that.

Great idea.

[Nienke]

Yep, those are the Kongs I was talking about. Hadn't looked at it for the longest time, and thus didn't know of all the new versions. Obviously at the time I bought mine, they didn't had the floating ones yet.

Trying to find the hidden treats/toy can be a great fun game for dogs. Make sure they learn to use their noses and not only their eyes, though.

Nienke

[Smithson]

You can also make a springpole by getting an old motorbike inner tube and tieing a rope at 2 ends.

Thank you for that - I have a suitable place where I can experiment with this sort of pull. As I envisage the thing I think I will make the lower end able to accept different 'toys'. rope pull, rag toy, stuff like that.

Great idea.

Motorcycle repair shops will normally have a old inner tubes to give away, they usually cut the valves out, which is perfect. It's a good idea to place it out of reach when they're not playing, that way they get to thinking it's something special.

[Cuban]

It's a good idea to place it out of reach when they're not playing, that way they get to thinking it's something special.

Thank you all for the little sparks that have focused my thoughts on doggie play. The coconut has worked well, but only one dog really enjoys it. But to play together he picks it up - walks over to the other and teases him - they like to play 'chase me' together. I've now hidden the coconut allowing to to be discovered as new again in a few days.

An old smelly plastic milk bottle had done well as did the cheapest toy - a food tray sized sheet of fabric with a 'figure of eight' knot tied at one end. Makes it look like a bird when thrown through the air and is easily picked up and chewed with little damage.

The idea of noise and breaking things open lead to a 5 litre water bottle being cut open to allow smaller toys and a few biscuits to be put inside then loosely resealed - they took a few minutes to break it open and get at the other toys. Great reuseable item.

Over in the food thread I talked about salt, they only get salt from any of our food (very little is passed on) and shop bought dog biscuits. Instead of throwing away the wrapper from this morning's bacon sandwich - I gave the plastic wrapper for them to lick - they liked that. Probably once every two weeks as a 'treat' is not excessive?

[Smithson]

If your dogs get to like swimming, then fill a plastic bottle with water and have them fetch it. It's extremely hard for them to grab hold of, because it sinks every time they touch. This drives them crazy, but they love it.

[Cuban]

Many (big dogs) at the kennel like to play with coconuts. They play with it as if it's a ball....

This morning after twenty minutes playing with the coconut - I put the nut into a 5 litre water bottle (bottom cut off) difficult to get out and great to scoot across the floor being pushed by his paws, huge fun and a puzzle for him to solve. Thanks again.

[Cuban]

For the benifit of people finding this thread in a similar position to me, I'll add:

Pass The Parcel: A handful of dog biscuits wrapped up in a few folds of loosely sealed newspaper that they then tear apart after chasing it around for a while.

Wooden pole with a milk bottle stuffed onto each end - makes it easier to pick up....

Milk bottle part filled with water, with rag tied to the end - offers resistance and 'moves funny'.

Happy dogs.