Toy Suggestions Please!

[VScott & Lloyd]

Hello!

Lloyd is almost 9 months old now, 40lbs, and doing great.

However, lately the little rascal loves to tear up his toys and he's getting really good and fast at it. The only ones that has not been completely destroyed are his Nylabone Durachews which are still intact but are taking a good beating. I just bought him a Kong Beast toy that is like a rope toy but made out of seat belt material and two kong-like chews on either end. That was gone in about 15 minutes. He really loved his Flying Squirrel but that's but a little piece of material now. Currently, he's tearing apart his Kong stuffed animal which surprisingly has survived since we brought him home. I think it's because there's nothing else. He doesn't like the traditional Kong toys and I don't give him bully sticks/ears, etc. anymore because 1) he get's growly and protective of them, and 2) he can eat those up in 15 minutes.

He's been very good at only destroying his toys but now that his collection is dwindling, he's going after my kids' stuff (mainly foam Nerf darts and foam balls which make a beautiful mess). Any good sturdy toy suggestions?

Thanks!

[Emery & Watson]

Watson doesn't go through his toys quite as fast, but the only soft / plushy toy that I haven't had to perform surgery on or give stitches is a GoDog Dinosaur and a Pet Qwerks Krinke and Squeak Newspaper Toy.  He also loves his Kong stuffed animal toys but they're currently out of commission, awaiting surgery, before he can have them back :)

[Laura and Angus]

We swear by the Nylabone Durachews (the big ones), anything super hard plastic, and Elk antlers. If you haven't used antlers, I'd definitely try those out. They take our Angus months to get through and he is a very intense chewer. We don't use any toys with yarn, fabric, or threads because he tears those apart in minutes. We also love the treat dispensing toys or puzzles like this kong:

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Wobbler-Treat-Dispensing-Large/dp/B003AL...

It keeps our pup busy and uses mental energy, which is also very helpful.

[Emery & Watson]

Yes!  Watson LOOOVES elk antlers too.  They are the best at keeping him happy, occupied, and quiet, especially if we have guests or when we need to take him to other people's houses.  

[VScott & Lloyd]

Thanks! Ok, we'll have to try ELK antlers. We tried a deer antler and it split so I threw it out.

[Glenda & Lizzy Lu]

I agree, the antlers are the best! Lizzy is 15 months and a heavy chewer! Bully sticks, etc....gone in 15 min. The small Kong ball covered with seat belt material is the only thing she has left only because it is too small to get a good hold on to chew. She just destroyed the big one. I think there is a site where you can order toys for heavy chewers. If I can locate it I will forward it to you. I need to order as we need something for Lizzy Lu.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Nylabones, antlers, and rope toys. Just be careful with the rope toy, once it starts unraveling it's time for the trash. Some of Gracie's toys that she loves are just for when she is playing with us and is not a chew toy - especially balls.
I did just get this big purple squeaky pig that she hasn't torn up yet and she plays with it a lot.
I also bought a Kong wobbler. She likes it, but can chew it once she's gotten the treats out it goes away.

[Trisha]

I have the exact same problem, except mine even destroys the nylabones (and then swallows the pieces). The best I've found are the Kong rubber toys. Either the red or black ones, the puzzles and things like that are easily destroyed in minutes. The red and black rubber toys are the only things he can't destroy. He really loves soft toys but will swallow pieces of stuffing/squeakers so I started getting the stuffless toys and taking the squeakers or crinkle paper out.  His favorite was one of the Kong bears with rope and squekers and stuffing inside. At this point it has been reduced to just the material but he still loves it and gets a bit defensive about it.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

How long does it take him to destroy the nylabone? Once Gracie starts taking pieces off it goes in the trash too. She has her favorites though.

[Trisha]

A few days max. I don't give them to him anymore because of the pieces breaking off, but they would go in the trash with me too. The swallowing issues happened with dog sitters giving them to him.

[Gracie, Jade, & Barkley]

Wow. He's a real aggressive chewer! They do make different leveleled ones. My bil who trains dogs in the AF has an aggressive chewer and uses nylabones. That's why I started using them.

[VScott & Lloyd]

Lloyd had a Kong bear like the one you described when he was little, but then he had a diarrhea accident on it and I just threw it out. Maybe I'll try it again!

[Julie, Eloise & Beasley]

West Paw Design makes Zogoflex toys – it’s a rubbery-hard material that seems pretty indestructible. (They have a guarantee for replacement or refund, but I’ve not heard experiences with that.)  We have the Bumi, the bone shape and the ball.  My girls love the ball – it bounces erratically and they love balls, period – but they don’t play with the other two that often.  You might try searching Zogoflex for previous discussions to see what other DK members have to say about them.

Both my doodles are power chewers.  They love elk and deer antlers and the Nylabone dinosaurs.  Elk antlers are stronger than deer, and moose are supposed to be the strongest/longest lasting but I’ve never used those.

I did teach both my dogs not to destroy their toys…I decided they weren’t going to have that option because I don’t want the worry of them ingesting things they shouldn’t, if I can help it.  (That, and I don’t want to waste all that money.)  I think we have almost every kind of dog toy known to man, and most are stuffies.  Of course they both tried to destroy things once they figured out they could, but the instant that happened (still does, occasionally with Beasley), I sternly said “Don’t tear that up”…and if they started again, I immediately took the toy away – and put it up where they could still see it.  A few times of that and they learned.  We do have a bag of stuffies in the “infirmary” that need to have small tears stitched up, just from normal play. All that said, Beasley is my sneaky doodle…the other day I noticed the Santa Kong Cozie is missing his nose and moustache.  I can't really leave her unattended with soft toys for long.  She eats cloth if given the chance, she doesn't just destroy and move on.