What dog toys are suitable for YOUR dog?

Hello dog lovers! In this blog, we are going to talk about the different toys you can bless your dog with! Dog toys come in all different shapes and sizes and most importantly; the different types. It is a fact that certain dog toys are more compatible with certain types and breeds of dogs, for example, larger dogs such as-as German Shepherds may not be suited to small toys as they will be easily broken. In this blog, we will help you find out what toy is best for YOUR dog!

Before you read any further, please be aware that everything being said does not necessarily apply to every dog, we may say a toy will be better suited to a small dog but in some cases, it would suit certain types of larger dogs too. Take everything said with a slight pinch of salt and your own judgement, you may have a very big, cuddly German Shepherd that loves plush toys, in which case, please don’t let this blog throw you off buying plush toys! Without further ado, enjoy, and have a great day!

Why do different dogs require different toys?

First of all, before we get into the nitty-gritty and start talking about specific toys, it must be known that your dog will probably be compatible to different toys to Wendy’s Great Dane that lives down the road. Unless you have a very large dog, Wendy’s Great Dane would either need hard-wearing playable toys, throwables or she would have to replace the plush toys every day! The thing that differs between different dog breeds is the chewing pattern, each dog breed has different characteristics and a different set of teeth so when it comes to chewing, it differs between most dogs!

The aggressive chewer – For the aggressive chewer his/her goal (in their eyes) is to shred a toy to pieces. It will do anything it can to attempt to rip whatever it is into pieces, often it will do this by placing its paws on the toy and, with an upward pull, rips the toy in half with its powerful jaws. These types of dogs tend to include larger breeds of dogs. The aggressive chewers are rascals so buying plush toys or toys that are easily ripped is an expensive habit and not worth it unless they are supervised. A great match for the aggressive chewer are vinyl, tuggers or anything that is durable and will not break easily, this will provide your dog with entertainment without any real worry of it breaking quickly and without having to spend more money each week replacing toys.

The passive chewer – The passive chewer always needs something to chew on. It constantly needs something in its mouth to entertain itself. The passive chewer doesn’t necessarily tear through toys like the aggressive chewer does but more wears them

down with its constant need to chew. Buying soft or plush toys for the passive chewer depends on how big your dog is the smaller passive chewers would get away with buying a plush toy. Generally the way these dogs chew is by pushing things to the back of their mouth almost teething on every toy it comes across so a great toy match for this type of chewer would be a tugger as it is very durable or any health benefit toy as it can clean your dogs teeth and keep him/her healthy as they chew.

The playful – The playful dog is the dog that always wants attention and always wants to be played with. Often a great way to entertain these types of dogs is by getting them toys you can interact with, things you can throw, shoot or anything you can get your dog to be active! Throwable balls and frisbees are a great match to this type of dog, these types never get bored when it comes to throwables. The playful dog doesn’t often destroy things, it likes to toss the toy in the air, jump on it and shake it around so another great match for a dog of this type would be a plush toy.

The persistent chewer – The persistent chewers are dogs that are constantly chewing! If you have a persistent chewer you know that your dog cannot sit still, its always chewing on something! A great way to entertain your dog, if it is a persistent chewer, is with a squeaky vinyl toy. Persistent chewers love these as when they chew they get the satisfaction of the squeak which all dogs love! Health benefit tuggers are also a great match to this specific type of chewer as they are very durable and will last a long time with your dog constantly chewing, as well as this it gives the dog dental care as they chew the toy!

Plush toys

Doggie plush toys or teddy bears are soft dog toys that are usually stuffed with soft material such as wool or fluff and then covered over with plush, they can also be referred to as plushies. Generally speaking, most plush toys don’t have a lot of wear and tear when it in comparison to most other toys however they are very customizable and come in many different shapes and sizes and with other extras such as squeakers, rattlers and can even be scented.

You will often find plush toys in the shape of animals, bones or treats to attract dogs to want to play with them and chew them. Plush toys can be taken in 1 of 2 ways by a dog, either they are treated as a cuddle buddy to sleep with at night or the toy gets ragged around there’s rarely an in-between so you need to be careful when looking at the quality and cost of each plush. You might want to buy a throwaway plush because you know your dog will destroy it, in which case you might want to go for a cheaper option so money isn’t wasted.

Should I get one for my dog?

Here at Postman Pooch, we recommend plush toys to Small – Medium dogs and to the playful dogs and passive chewers as these types of dogs are less likely to rip them apart! The smaller dogs are most likely going to be more playful and cuddly so this would be a great toy to get! A perfect example of a Small, playful and passive chewer would be the excitable Shitzu!

Vinyl toys

Vinyl toys, believe it or not, are not related to vinyl record players! Vinyl is a type of plastic and is the plastic used to create dog toys and other animal toys and treats. Vinyl toys are very hardwearing and durable as it is a hard plastic, this means it can be chewed, thrown, pulled and dropped without worry of damage.

Another great quality of vinyl is the fact that it is a very versatile material so can be made into almost anything in the production stage, name one thing and we can almost guarantee there will be something similar that can be made of vinyl! Often vinyl toys are paired with squeakers, dogs love these kinds of toys as it settles most dogs natural needs to chew whilst making a sound that all dogs love.

A great fact about vinyl creation is that factory emissions have decreased by 83% in the past 26 years and the production is improving and becoming more sustainable by the day!

Should I get one for my dog?

The fact that vinyl is a very durable material makes it a great choice for dog owners with an aggressive chewer because most aggressive chewers will find it tough to beat! Vinyl toys are almost a perfect match for aggressive chewers and because of vinyl’s versatility, we believe it makes it a valid choice for any dog! You heard it here first, vinyl dog toys can be bought for any dog!

Tuggers

Get a grip! Literally! Tuggers and rope tuggers are dog toys made from fibres and materials woven and wound together to make a durable pull toy for your pup. The idea behind it is that it’s almost like a mini tug of war between you and your dog, you will grab one end of the toy whilst your dog is biting and trying to pull against you on the other end of the toy.

The great thing about these toys is that they can be a health benefit to your dog. As your dog pulls against the tugger the fibres of the toy get in between your dog’s teeth and act like a doggie toothbrush, cleaning their teeth.

Should I get one for my dog?

Rope tuggers can be a great toy to give to any dog, purely based on the health benefits it brings and can give your pup’s precious teeth. To receive the full benefit of these toys, the persistent or passive chewer would suit this toy the best, think about it, these dogs are constantly chewing so chewing a rope tugger would be like a constant tooth clean, its perfect!

One thing to note, if you give this to your dog and he/she is an aggressive chewer, sometimes a rope tugger can fray or bits can fall off, in which case we recommend you supervise your dog in case they ingest any of the material.

Health Benefits Toys

Health benefit toys are dog toys specifically made with health benefits as a dog plays with them, it is that simple! Most health benefit toys come in the form of a chew toy and usually consists of something to chew or tug on as these toys usually clean teeth or freshen breath.

If you think about it, any toy that gets a dog active or running around could be counted as a health benefit toy because it keeps them active but they are more specifically targeting the parts of a dog you can really target such as teeth, gums and the immune system. Either type of toy is a great way of improving your dog’s health!

Should I get one for my dog?

You should ABSOLUTELY buy health benefit dog toys for your pooch!! Any dog should be treated to health benefit toys purely to protect their health and general well being. Not only this but the toys come in so many different shapes and sizes they are fit for any dog.

Throwables

Just as the name says, a throwable dog toy is a dog toy you can throw. It’s a great type of dog toy that gets you bonding with your dog as it requires you to play with them. As well as being a fun toy

to play with, it teaches your dog how to play fetch which in turn, teaches obedience, patience and keeps them active.

Should I get one for my dog?

Throwables come in many different shapes and sizes, balls, hoops, ropes, frisbee’s; the list goes on, this makes most throwables a great choice of toy for all dogs. Just be wary with things like frisbees and other catchable items, some dogs are different to others and so some are more natural sporty or active than others, not all dogs will get the most use of these type of toys. Some smaller dogs will not have a natural ability to jump and catch these toys when thrown, so we would primarily recommend bigger or more sporty dogs to throwable dog toys.

We would recommend throwable dog toys to any playful chewer as they’re the dogs most likely to one to want to be played with, as they want constant attention.

What are we doing with dog toys?

As you will know; Postman Pooch is the new name and we have just officially rebranded! With this rebrand comes a fresh new website and a whole host of new ideas, treats, toys and goodies that we want to share with you!

Rather than buying boxes to receive toys, with the new website, you will now be able to buy individual toys from the site. Our aim at Postman Pooch is to sell quirky, fun and interesting dog toys rather than the same old stuff you see on every other site. We welcome you with this change as we continue our journey and aim!