Dog chew toys are some of the best gifts you can get yourself and your dog. Dogs have the natural inclination to chew. Toys for chewing are the best solution to stop them from gnawing on your shoe, sofa, bags and clothes. At the same time, chew toys can help decrease pet anxiety and prevent accidental swallowing of foreign objects. Your dog’s enjoyment, safety and satisfaction, however, depend on finding the right toys.

Select the Proper Size

Different dogs are in different sizes, and you should choose just the right size toy for your dog. If the toy is too big, many dogs do not want to play with it at all. On the other hand, however, if the toy is too small, you dog might accidentally swallow it and choke on it. So, you really should know about your dog’s breed and size very well to pick the right toy size. Fortunately, many reputable dog toy manufacturers often have detailed description on the toy label to help you decide if the toy is for your pet.

Overall Safety

Needless to say, the safety features of the chew toys should be thoroughly considered when you choose them. Dependent on your dog’s breed, a chew toy that is too hard might damage his teeth. If the toy is too soft, however, it might bring about accidental ingestion of torn or chipped parts. It is a general rule that you should avoid chew toys with small beads, buttons, strings, wire, bells and fake fur. Even a mild-tempered dog could rip off small parts and swallow them, resulting in choking, mouth wounds, and damage to the intestines and constipation.

Appropriate Variety

You do not want to have a full box of chew toys for your dog, but you should at least prepare several. If a dog plays with only one toy, he can easily get bored. To keep him interested in toys, you should have some variety to rotate. Chew toys with edible treat are also smart choices, as they encourage dogs to play with them.

Watch Your Dog and His Toys

Chew toys are not pet nannies so you should at least keep an occasional eye at your dog while he is at play. This will help you respond faster in case your dog is about to ingest a non-edible part.

From time to time, you should check the status of the chew toys. A defective or partly damaged toy could become a health risk for your dog. Replace toys that have tears, partly dislodged parts or extremely worn out surfaces.

Asking the Vet

Whenever you want a second opinion, your veterinarian should be the first person you ask about. He might even be able to recommend good toy brands and retailers.

Dog chew toys are important to all dogs both as a fun provider and a health helper. When picking such toys for your pet, you just need to keep in mind the safety features. With a good choice, you dog will have a good time with it.