Choosing the right toys keeps your dog mentally sharp, physically active and emotionally fulfilled. Understanding the safest, most stimulating options helps prevent boredom, destructive habits and accidental injuries, ensuring playtime always supports your dog’s wellbeing.

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Our Top 10 things to look for in a good toy

Assess durability – Select toys made from robust, non-splintering materials that withstand strong chewing without breaking apart. Test firmness before purchase and inspect seams regularly to prevent ingestion risks.

Check size suitability – Choose toys larger than your dog’s throat to eliminate choking hazards. Test whether they can fit fully in your dog’s mouth and avoid anything too small or easily compressed.

Use varied textures – Offer ropes, rubber, fleece and soft plush to stimulate sensory exploration. Dogs benefit from texture changes that keep them engaged and prevent repetitive play boredom.

Prioritise non-toxic – Confirm toys are free from harmful dyes, plastics or chemical coatings. Opt for reputable brands and check for certification labels to guarantee safety, to prevent toxic materials.

Choose mentally enriching – Include puzzle toys that require pushing, nudging or rolling to release treats. This helps build problem-solving skills, strengthens focus and prevents boredom-induced misbehaviour.

Match play style – Observe whether your dog prefers chasing, chewing, tugging or searching and select toys that support those instincts. Matching toys to temperament keeps them stimulated, and prevents frustration.

Avoid noisy overwhelm – Some dogs find squeakers exciting, while others find them stressful. Introduce sound toys gradually and monitor reactions. Keeping sound stimulation controlled prevents sensory overload and ensures squeaky play remains positive rather than alarming.

Test for shredding – Tug toys and soft plush should hold firm under pressure. Gently pull and twist before giving them to your dog; if fibres loosen, avoid them. Ensuring they cannot be ripped easily protects your dog from swallowing stuffing or string fragments.

Try scent-based toys – Select toys with scent grooves or those designed to retain natural aromas to encourage scent-driven engagement. These support instinct-led play, helping your dog feel anchored and confident while exploring toys that align with their breed tendencies.

Rotate regularly – Keep interest high by cycling toys weekly and storing unused ones out of sight. Rotating options helps rekindle excitement, reduces household clutter and ensures your dog always feels motivated to explore new textures and shapes during play.

Our Top 10 tips to improve behaviour and training

Structured play cycles – Alternate active games with calm breaks to teach impulse control and prevent overstimulation. Predictable play patterns help dogs learn boundaries, reduce hyperactivity and create a controlled routine that supports better behaviour across the day.

Interactive fetch – Use controlled throws and teach cues like “wait” and “drop” to build discipline during movement-based games. This introduces training into play, reinforces recall and stops your dog from becoming frantic or excitable beyond safe limits.

Tug-of-war rules – Allow tugging but introduce the “release” cue and maintain calm handling. This strengthens your bond and teaches respectful play while preventing frustration or accidental bites. Proper technique keeps tug games mentally and physically rewarding.

Puzzle progression – Start with simple food-dispensing toys and gradually increase difficulty so your dog learns problem-solving confidently. This sustained cognitive challenge reduces destructive behaviours and supports stamina, especially in high-intelligence breeds.

Solo-play stations – Create a designated area with safe, durable toys your dog can use independently when you’re busy. This teaches self-settling, reduces separation stress and helps your dog develop healthy independence through occupation rather than barking or pacing.

Outdoor scent trails – Hide toys with food-smelling grooves in secure outdoor spaces and encourage your dog to search. This slows down over-energised dogs, improves scent tracking skills and creates fulfilling exercise for dogs who thrive on nose-led exploration.

Calming chews – Offer natural or safe synthetic chews during quiet periods to help your dog decompress after excitement. Chewing supports emotional regulation and provides a healthy outlet for tension, helping stabilise your dog’s mood throughout the day.

Confidence-building toys – Introduce toys that move unpredictably, like wobblers or rolling balls, to help shy dogs overcome hesitancy. These encourage exploration at their own pace and betters resilience by offering gentle, controlled challenges in a familiar environment.

Bonding play – Use shared activities like tug, fetch or training toys to reinforce trust. Regular interactive play boosts connection, reduces insecurity and creates positive associations that carry over into everyday behaviour and responsiveness.

Night-time toys – Use soft, low-stimulation toys to help your dog transition into calmer evening routines. Providing quiet comfort objects reduces restlessness, helps them settle and prevents late-night energy bursts that disrupt household sleep.

From the experts – Choosing toys that match your dog’s natural instincts - herding, retrieving, scenting or tugging - creates deeper fulfilment and reduces behavioural frustration. Understanding these preferences allows you to curate toys that feel intuitive and emotionally rewarding for your dog. If you have any questions about specific dog toys, you can ask Max who may be able to help.

Got questions? Max is hanging out on the right of your display - give him a shout!

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