Dogs just love toys that squeak. I've heard this from dog owners over and over again. For example, some dogs will go crazy for their squeaky toys until they actually chew them up and pull out the squeaker. After the toy no longer squeaks - they no longer want to play with it. This is common. So why do dogs like toys that squeak?
Our theory goes back to nature. When dogs hunted for prey, they would hunt and kill. Their prey would squeak or make noises, which allowed the dogs to find their prey. This was part of their natural hunting instinct. Once caught, the prey makes noises as they proceed with the kill, which can be very satisfying to a hungry dog.
A squeaky toy can give a dog the same type of satisfaction.
In addition, toys gives dogs interaction that stimulates their mind, keeps them busy and satisfies their chewing instinct.
If you give your dogs squeaky toys, it is important that the toys are durable. Ingestion of toy parts, including the squeaker, can cause life-threatening situations if dogs ingest them.
One of my favorite squeak toys is the Tuffy Ultimate Ring. It is soft but fun and very durable. It is made really well. We even had one of our team veterinarians, Dr. Debra Primovic, do some "extreme product testing" on it.
Debra's family dog, "Sweet Lips", is an adorable Yellow Lab. But don't let her looks fool you ... she can destroy just about anything! (Does this sound like your dog?)
The Tuffy Ultimate Ring toy caught Debra's attention because it claimed to be "one of the world's toughest dog toys" , which is quite a BIG claim. The toy's product description sounded very good ... "Three layers of industrial grade luggage material, three layers of PVC and finally one layer of soft fleece. All seven layers are rolled together and then sewn together in a one-inch cross pattern to prevent layer separation. Each toy's seven layers of material are sewn together with two rows of linear stitching AND two rows of cross-stitching."
Debra decided to investigate further. She bought a Tuffy Ring and put it to the test - Sweet Lips vs. the Tuffy Ring. To make things official, this match was all caught on video. To watch a video of Debra's "field test," click on the image below or go to: http://www.petproductadvisor.com/tuffy-ring-toy.
Remember, nothing is "indestructible" but this is a VERY well built toy.
I hope your dog enjoys many hours of fun with it.
All My Best,
Dr. Jon
P.S. Dr. Primovic also put the Tuffy's safety features to the test. She notes that the Tuffy Ultimate Ring does not have pieces your dog can chew off and swallow, and it is the right size for most dogs to play with comfortably. If your dog is like mine, he can never have enough toys; so give this one a try. For more information - go to: http://www.petproductadvisor.com/tuffy-ring-toy.
TODAY'S PET TIP
Choosing Good Toys for Your Dog
There are many different types and styles of dog toys to choose from. Do you know which your dog would like best?
To figure this out...consider how your dog likes to play.
What activity does he like most?
Is he a chewer? Does he like to fetch? Or does he like to play tug-of-war? Maybe your dog is a cuddler and likes snuggling up to soft plush animals?
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