Are They Worth Having?

[iheartmorrison]

A few weeks ago I was in Coles and was looking at a kong, was seriously about to get one but my family told me not to waste money on Morrison. They said he's just happy chewing on cardboard, but even that gets boring after a while.

I'd love to give him things to stimulate his mind, however my fam doesn't think these toys are worth having, I'd rather he have toys that will last for a long time

Are these toys worth having, or is my fam right?

[16Paws]

We found kongs great for our lab puppy and are currently using them for crate training of our adopted dog. We only use them as a treat toy and not as an 'all day' out toy.

We also have a large treat ball which was relatively cheap (about $10) which is one of the dogs favourites and has withstood a fair amount of throwing around.

If money is an issue, you can freeze treat blocks for your pup, hide toys and food in cardboard boxes and cardboard rolls, make knots out of old socks, etc

[ozjen]

My Aussie girl loves all toys and has a boxful(spoilt) she enjoys them immensly and when told to clean them up will put them back in her toybox but I have to watch as she will get a cheeky look on her face and grab out another one. I find they help to keep her entertained and are also good insentive when training. My Papillon boy isn't quiet as big on toys and is happiest with a ball or tuggie, in fact when he was a pup he prefered the ball as a reward to food when training. Recently I had my sister's little dog stay with me for a week and he loved playing with the toys too and having tug of war and keepy off games with the other dogs.

[furballs]

I have spent hundreds of dollars on dog toys and let me tell you, it's definitely worth it. Dogs like to chew, play with things and if you don't give them their own toys, they will make their own toys out of your things. Kongs are fantastic toys, anyone who tells you not to bother obviously knows nothing about dogs and doesn't care about them. IMO spend the money on toys, train them to only play with their toys, and you will save money in the long run by not having to replace items that your dog shouldn't have chewed.

[Bjelkier]

Toys are definatly worth it.

My pack have a huge basket of toys and I am forever buying new ones for them

I have a Lab and two Sammies, they can be very destructive and the huge amounts of toys they have have saved my house!

[Beth.]

My Aussie girl loves all toys and has a boxful(spoilt) she enjoys them immensly and when told to clean them up will put them back in her toybox but I have to watch as she will get a cheeky look on her face and grab out another one. I find they help to keep her entertained and are also good insentive when training. My Papillon boy isn't quiet as big on toys and is happiest with a ball or tuggie, in fact when he was a pup he prefered the ball as a reward to food when training. Recently I had my sister's little dog stay with me for a week and he loved playing with the toys too and having tug of war and keepy off games with the other dogs.

I agree with this!! My Aussie girl LOVES toys (and is VERY spoilt - She gets a new toy every time I go to the shops, which is most days!!), and her little eyes light up, and her bum wiggles like crazy when she gets a new one. I also use a tug toy and a training tool - her 'big' reward at the end of a session, or when she does something really good!!!

Toys are great - why don't you go to a cheap shop, like the reject shop - it's where I get most of my toys from, they're cheap as chips and my girl loves them!!!

[quickbrownfox]

I would happily buy my dog a few toys, if it meant that I won't be coming home to find my place destroyed (because my dog couldn't differentiate between things which are his, and those which are mine.)

[vnv]

My girl has a few toys that she loves, but she also loves ripping apart cardboard. I think it's good to give them variety.

[RL1]

I spent hundreds on all sorts of expensive, known brand dog toys, including kongs and the dogs didn't give any a second look.

You can't beat the good old $2 tennis ball from Coles. Even if it does pop after 1 bite.

[Gayle.]

Why would you not want to buy toys for your puppy? Who cares what your family says, giving a puppy cardboard to chew on is like giving a toddler a few tissues to play with and expect them to be happily occupied and interested.

My Aussies have a large variety of tug toys, Kongs, chew toys, balls, fluffy toys and just plain fun stuff. We have frisbees we use for games, throwers we use to toss the balls and hoops a long way for them to chase and squeaky toys we use for rewards.

They LOVE their toys, and there's no way I'd be depriving a puppy of them.

[grabit]

It depends on your dog, but my boy has heaps of toys and there are three that he likes best, his kong, his kong wubba and his busta cube he also used to have one of those tyre toys (not sure what happened to that but must replace it) providing your dog is not a power chewer ie some bully breeds that will destroy anything in their path it is def worth the investment in good toys as they will last longer and are often designed to reward the dog in some way making them more interactive when the dog is left alone

[poodlefan]

Ask your "dog toys are a waste of money" family what they expect your dog to do home alone? Is chewing things up an acceptable way to pass the time?

My dogs LOVE toys, play with them every day and I play games with them with toys. They fetch, play tug of war etc.

Toys are fun, good rewards and great for stimulating a dogs mind and body. Dogs learn to love playing with toys. I feel sorry for the dog that never gets to experience them.

You don't have to spend a fortune.

Clearly your family aren't "into" dogs.

ETA: You don't always get to choose the toys your dog will enjoy most.. he will. Mine love soft plush toys with rattles or noise makers in them best.

Edited May 29, 2010 by poodlefan

[Hello Gorgeous]

It really depends on your dog - I've had a puppy which had absolutely no interest in kongs or any toys at all. In fact her favourite toy was an old tennis ball, NOTHING ELSE - it was the only thing she touched! Then again, we were home all the time so I guess she preferred us to her toys.

[furballs]

It really depends on your dog - I've had a puppy which had absolutely no interest in kongs or any toys at all. In fact her favourite toy was an old tennis ball, NOTHING ELSE - it was the only thing she touched! Then again, we were home all the time so I guess she preferred us to her toys.

Yes, but they still need toys

[natamalie]

Hi there,

I can't recommend Kongs enough! My boy loves them. It's all about how you stuff them. I find that if I stuff Zander's Kong well, it keeps him occupied and happy for ages. I work full time so I'm constantly buying new toys and trying to think up new ways to keep him occupied during the day.

Here's a website with some great Kong stuffing tips, just in case you decide to buy one...

http://www.k9station.com/kong.htm

[Danois]

Suggest to your family member that they go and sit in the area where the dog is kept. They can't have anything with them - no books, no phone, no ipod, no iphone, no internet, no radio, no TV etc etc and see how long they last before they get bored.

Some dog toys are simply toys (ie the plush ones) but other toys like treat balls, kongs, ones with squeakers, puzzle toys etc are all designed to get the dog to think and work out how to get the treat etc out of it. Mental stimulation is good for a dog and also works to tire them out.

[Beth.]

Should add: When I got Lottie (November last year), I had a kong for her - and because it was summer, I used to get a stock cub - chicken or beef, add it to some water, so had tasty water, plugged the little whole on the kong with peanut butter - then filled the kong with the stock water and some little nibbles like cheese/kibble and froze it!! Lottie loved them and would keep her entertained, and it was a tasty treat as well I don't use them at the moment, but when Summer comes back around i'll be doing it again - it also helps keep her a bit cooler as well!!!

[iheartmorrison]

Thanks guys.

Yeah the rest of my fam aren't really dog people, but they have grown to love him.

Morrison has two plush toys, bear & dog - I'm surprised he hasn't ripped them to shredds, two tennis balls (he de-fuzzed his first one). A squeaky bone thing, and a rope like thing.

I would like to at least try some toys out with the pup - it would make me feel better, or I have to get creative.

[Tara and Sam]

Yes

Worth it to give them toys

my male dogs has had a teddy bear for 13 years

he loves it

he normally has tea then outside for awhile then comes in and goes and gets his teddy and brings it into kitchen ( or to where we are ) and plays with it , shakes it , lays on it etc

he loves it

also other toys inside include other stuffed animals etc ,

female has a habbit of getting a toy when OH comes in the door

favourite toy for male dog outside is a bucket or a empty potplant

take handle of the bucket so he cant get caught in it

he picks it up and runs around yard with it in his mouth

drops it and does same thing , rolls on it , squashes it

cheap toy for a $1-00

[kelpiekaye]

A few weeks ago I was in Coles and was looking at a kong, was seriously about to get one but my family told me not to waste money on Morrison. They said he's just happy chewing on cardboard, but even that gets boring after a while.

I'd love to give him things to stimulate his mind, however my fam doesn't think these toys are worth having, I'd rather he have toys that will last for a long time

Are these toys worth having, or is my fam right?

Do what you want to do, of cause toys are worth having although some of the things my dogs love didnt cost money like the inflations out of milking machines and they last forever.