Pet Toys Galore

Puzzle toys for dogs are an incredible way to solve some doggy behavioral problems. For instance, if your dog feels anxious when the family leaves the home, give him or her a puzzle toy. Trying to get at the goodies inside a Kong stacked ball toy will keep your pet occupied so they won’t have time to miss you.

If your dog demands your undivided attention or chases the kids in order for affection, give him a puzzle toy. You can also use a puzzle toy and a sandbox as a means of keeping your dog from digging up the backyard. Puzzle pet toys are easy to come by and are affordable. Your dog will be entertained for hours and many of their bad habits will be abated simply by having a more productive activity to focus on

A dog that appears to be misbehaving is most likely not a bad dog, it’s a bored dog. Like people, dogs need to be entertained and have their minds stimulated. That’s why it’s important to take your dog on walks and play games with your dog. Of course, there will be times when you won’t be able to devote a lot of attention to your pet.

Quality toys, like interactive dog toys, can make a difference. One of my personal favorites is the Talking Babble Ball. This hard plastic ball talks when touched. The funny sayings, like “let me out of here,” keep my dog entertained for hours pushing around and chasing after the talking ball. When my pet is done playing with the ball it automatically turns off. I never have to worry about my dog acting out because he has plenty of interactive toys to keep him entertained.

When I brought my golden Labrador Olivia home from the humane society, I looked past her rambunctiousness and didn’t mind that she chewed up every object within reach. The fact is, puppies are prone to making mischief and the only way to rid them of the habit is through scrupulous training. Chewing is a perfectly natural behavior in dogs; the trick is to convince the dog to chomp on dog chew toys rather than tennis shoes and electrical cords.

It didn’t take long to find out that Olivia was crazy about peanut butter. In order to distract her attention away from household valuables, I started smearing some peanut butter on her Kong dog toys. I only did this if she stayed away from sneakers and books for the entire day. Eventually she pieced together that this was a form of positive reinforcement. Good behavior led to peanut butter, at least in her mind, and from there the training process was simple.

A few months ago, I added a new family member to the household: a golden retriever puppy named Otis. My wife and kids were charmed by his rambunctious presence, but Daisy, our nine-year old lab, was less than thrilled. She had grown used to being the dog of the house, and she perceived this young upstart as competition. At first, Daisy demonstrated her jealousy when we gave Otis the slightest bit of attention.

Before long, she began to horde her dog toys, keeping close watch over them to make sure Otis didn’t try to play with them. The squeaky dog toys would tip us off anytime the dogs were about to get into a tussle. We could hear a series of sharp squeaks and then the barking and growling. It took several weeks for Daisy to become acclimated to her young cohort. Eventually she learned that the puppy didn’t pose a threat, and now they have become inseparable.

A few years ago my friend asked me to watch his dog while he went out of town for a week. He lived right next door, so I didn’t think that it would be that much of a hassle. It turns out, however, that his one-year-old Golden Retriever had some separation anxiety issues.

The first time I went over to check in on the dog, she had already knocked over all of the furniture and ripped holes in most of the upholstery. Throughout the week this trend continued, and I was forced to spend a prolonged amount of time there calming the canine. The only toy that could keep the pup amused was her Kong dog toy, which I was sure to cram full of treats every time I had to leave.