Many dog behavior problems are the result of dog boredom or excess energy. And let me tell you a dirty little secret: your dog will play with an old toy as if it was a new toy if you rotate the dog toys. Today, I will try to talk about the best toy for bored dog, and how to rotate dog toys.
We know that an interactive toy helps with mental stimulation, provides physical exercise, and keeps your dog entertained. As a dog owner, you should keep your dog engaged. How to do it properly? Let’s find out.
Why rotate toys?
First and foremost, why should you rotate the toys? Well, as I said before, your dog doesn’t have that long of a memory. Of course, if you leave one toy there and your dog sees it for two months, you can hide it, but it will not have the same effect when you give it again.
Although, Milo sometimes knows to pick a toy that he hasn’t played with for months and bring it to me for some fun time.
With that in mind, here are a couple of reasons why you should rotate the best dog toys.
- To renew your puppy’s interest in old favorites by changing up what items they grab from the top of the toy box
- To remove boredom and use up excess energy, dogs are hyperactive animals and they need toys to utilize playtime
- If you rotate toys, the area of playing gets less messy, and there is less de-cluttering
- Rotating toys weekly or daily will make your dog amazed and he will be surprised at every new rotation
- Helps with proper dog training and establishing discipline
- Training requires consistency, and rotating toys can help you grow a well-trained dog
- Because they are quick learners, dogs are also adaptable. Using rotation you can build up good habits like chewing, potty training, fetching, and playing games
- Easy cleaning, when the toys are not organized and scattered, you waste valuable time and energy for cleaning
- Rotating helps recycle and re-use old best dog toys
What are the best dog toys?
Let’s talk about how we can classify toys. As a dog owner and pet parent, you should know the types of toys your dog loves to play with. Toys fall into one of the following categories.
Interactive toys
I can honestly say interactive toys are the best because they require your participation. That helps strengthen the bond you have with your puppy and build up his confidence.
What are the best interactive dog toys? Well, in this group, you have fetch toys like balls and Frisbees. Dogs like retrievers love playing fetch with their owner.
We also have to mention rope toys, which are good for playing tug. And tug is one of the best games you can introduce for training.
Some experts also put the Kong classic here. The Kong toy is amazing for a heavy chewer dog. Fill it with kibble or treats, and give it to your puppy to have fun.
Distraction toys
Distraction toys keep your dog busy while you do not have time to play. The Kong classic filled with dog food can fall into this category as well.
Truth be told, food delivery toys are designed for that. You fill in a treat dispensing toy with a hidden treat or kibble, and give it to your puppy. Your dog has to manipulate the toy to get the hidden treat to fall out.
A chew toy like a hard rubber toy has holes at both ends. This is where you have the Kong classic, a great toy for an aggressive chewer. You can make these toys more attractive by filling them with high-value treats.
You also have a dental chew toy, which your dog can gnaw on and safely ingest small particles. These toys are designed to help your dog with dental hygiene.
Next on the list in this group, we have chew challenge dog toys. They make an edible chewy more challenging. Think of funny bones.
And then we have the gold standard of distraction toys, a puzzle toy. What is a dog puzzle toy? Well, it is a toy that requires your dog to solve a puzzle to get a dog treat. These provide quite a lot of mental stimulation. You can say it is the best toy for bored dog.
Comfort toys
What are comfort toys? Well, think of soft stuffed toys that can serve for several purposes. But they are not appropriate for all dogs. The plush toy should be small enough so that your dog can carry it around. These are also the toys that dogs want to shake or “kill”. In that case, the toys should be the size of prey for that size dog. Think mouse-size toys.
These toys are great for teaching bite inhibition. You can teach your dog exactly how hard they can bite and chew. Bite inhibition is a crucial skill your dog should learn because it will prevent dog accidents.
You can also put dirty laundry like towels, blankets, and old T-shirts in the comforting group of toys.
How to get the most out of your dog’s toys?
When you buy a dog toy, you want to get the most out of it, right? Otherwise, you will end up spending hundreds of dollars on your dog’s toys. Here are some ways to get most of it.
- Rotate your dog’s interactive toys weekly by making only four or five available at a time. Keep a variety of types
- Buy toys that provide a variety of uses, for example, one to carry, one toy to kill, and one to roll
- Play hide and seek with your dog’s toys. Finding a toy is much more attractive and mentally stimulating to your puppy than giving the toy outright. You can make the best interactive dog toys that much more appealing
- Buy interactive toys and make yourself part of the fun. Participate in the play so that you improve the bond and relationship you have with your puppy
How to rotate dog toys?
Now let’s talk about how you can rotate your dog’s toys. This way, you will always have the best toy for bored dog at hand.
Now, rotation might sound simple, but it is not. Here is how to do it
- Always have four or five toys at a time and make sure they are different types of toys. Four or five is the optimal number your dog can be interested in. Your puppy is interested in a limited number of toys at a time
- Notice if there are any broken toys, and get rid of those. Pay attention to your dog’s toy choice. See what he likes to play with
- Choose the type of toy that suits your dog. If you have an active dog, buy more fetching toys and toys you can play tug with
- Change out the toys weekly to keep your dog interested. Pick up this week’s toys, and put them away. Change them with four or five toys your dog can play with. For this to work, you need to have at least eight to ten toys. If you have more, you can do more changes. For example, if you have three sets, you can change them 1 > 2 > 3 instead of just 1 and 2
- Take the old set of toys away. Wash the new sets, because keeping them stored for some time can make them dirty
- Repeat and keep a variety out
- Make things more interesting by hiding the new toys and having your dog find them when it is rotation time
How often should you rotate toys?
Well, the optimal time is once per week. It depends on how many toys you have. If you have fewer toys, you can do it once per week or once per 10 days. If you have more toys, you can change them twice per week. The more variety and the more often you change the toys, the more your dog will be interested in playing with them.
Yes, some dogs have a favorite toy. Keep it around all the time. But rotate the other toys. And you can have a complete makeover. Re-arrange them and you will avoid monotony.
