One of the most rewarding aspects of living with a dog is to observe how it has fun playing, either with us or with a toy. However, in addition to the fun, the truth is that some toys can be very dangerous for dogs, but many owners are unaware of it.
For this reason, today, from Soy un Perro, we want you to recognize toys not recommended for dogs and save yourself scares and even accidents that can endanger the life of your furry best friend. Shall we start?
Index of contents
- 1 Are dog toys important?
- 2 Why is it important to choose specific dog toys?
- 3 Not recommended and dangerous toys
- 3.1 Sticks and stones
- 3.2 Dolls and stuffed animals
- 3.3 Tennis and golf balls
- 3.4 Rope toys
- 3.5 Very small toys
- 3.6 Homemade objects
- 3.7 Bait bones
- 3.8 Painted toys
- 3.9 Laser pointer
- 3.10 Frisbees or Frisbees
Are dog toys important?
Although dogs can also be entertained without toys, they can greatly enrich the game, breaking the routine and providing an extra ingredient of imagination and innovation. In addition, they allow strengthening the dog-human bond.
Toys are very healthy for dogs, since play is a fundamental aspect in the mental and physical development of dogs. They develop their intelligence, avoid boredom and anxiety, keep them active and agile, and even help them keep their mouth clean.
Why is it important to choose specific dog toys?
To have a good time with their pets, many owners use anything as a toy, from old stuffed animals, tennis balls, unprepared toys for dogs, etc. However, choosing your dog’s toy is a serious matter. Not everything goes!
Some “toys” can be very harmful to the welfare of the dogs. Just as you have to buy specific toys and according to the age of children, with dogs it is the same. We must make sure we offer age-appropriate and breed-friendly dog toys.
The specific toys for dogs They must be strong and durable, so that, no matter how hard the dog tries to destroy them with its jaws, they remain in their original shape, without detaching materials that can poison or choke the dog.
Although resistance should be the basic quality of any dog toy, we must pay close attention to the information presented to us on the label.
- Make sure the product is suitable for your pet, a cat toy is not the same as a dog toy.
- Pay attention to the recommended age. A puppy toy can be dangerous for adults.
- Check the materials. Avoid too hard materials that can damage your dog’s jaw and hurt him. Also, do not opt for materials that are too fragile since you will only get them to eat them by breaking them.
Also, avoid painted materials, since, when bitten, that paint will end up in the dog’s stomach, assuming a toxicity problem.
- Make sure that the toy is larger than your dog’s mouth, thus preventing it from swallowing it.
- Find out if the toy needs your supervision or if the dog can play on its own.
Not recommended and dangerous toys
Next, we offer you a specific and detailed list of objects that should not be used as dog toys. If for any reason your dog swallows or chokes on any of these toys, you should visit the vet immediately.
Sticks and stones
Often times, owners forget to pick up the dog’s toys when they go to the park and choose to entertain them with sticks and stones. Badly done. Stones damage dogs’ teeth and gums when they try to catch them on the fly. They can even break your teeth.
The sticks also flatten teeth and splinters that dogs can swallow and cause intestinal problems, as would happen if the dog also decided to swallow a stone. Better remember to get your toys.
Dolls and stuffed animals
As we have explained before, what is suitable for children may not be suitable for dogs. We must differentiate between toys for our children and those for pets and maintain order at home.
The stuffed animals’ stuffing, many times made of polystyrene balls, it is toxic to dogs. Similarly, accessories or fragile parts of dolls, or easily removable eyes of stuffed animals, can cause poisoning or choking in our dog.
Tennis and golf balls
Although it is very typical, tennis and golf balls are harmful to our dog. In its composition we can see glass fibers, a material that wears your teeth, as if it were a sandpaper.
If our dog only plays occasionally with these balls, there will be no problem, but if he does it regularly, will have oral problems over the years. Opt for other balls suitable for dogs!
Rope toys
These types of shooting toys are usually very beneficial for dogs because, in addition to entertaining them, they serve to clean their teeth. However, we must be careful with the strands that are discarded from the ropes and that our dog can swallow.
The most common is that, after ingesting them, the dog expels them in the feces, but it can also happen that get stuck and your dog has a hard time defecating. This is a problem that must be taken care of by the vet, just like when the dog ingests any other foreign body.
In the same way that happens with wind-up toys, which wear out with use, we must discard all broken or worn-out dog toys, as they will also be dangerous.
Very small toys
Remember to take into account the size of your dog when buying a toy. If you have a medium or large dog and you give it a small toy, even if it meets the rest of the requirements to be a suitable dog toy, you are putting your health at risk.
Not only can it happen that you choke and have drowning problems, your dog You can also fully ingest the small ball or toy for him. In both cases, you should go to the vet urgently.
Therefore, it is important to always offer toys of equal or greater size than your dog’s mouth. The same goes for small toy accessories. Be very careful with buttons, bells and other accessories.
Homemade objects
In addition to being bad for us, since we damage the furniture and household items, the fact that our dog plays with household objects, clothes or even garbage, is also dangerous for him.
As
in most cases, the dog can be poisoned by swallowing a toxic component, choking or sticking a sharp object. In addition, other serious consequences may occur, such as the possibility of being electrocuted for playing with cables and plugs.
If you do not want to suffer terrible consequences, you must train your furry friend and correct this behavior with positive reinforcements from puppy.
Bait bones
Bait bones are also very useful for the oral hygiene of your dog. However, if your dog is very anxious it can also choke on large pieces.
In addition, the composition of these products softens, thickens and increases in size when it comes into contact with your friend’s gastric juices. So, your dog’s stomach swells and can lead to a digestive block.
If your dog loves these “toys”, opt for good quality meat bones that are not excessively white or with aromas, since they are the ones that carry more chemical elements.
Painted toys
Remember that toys covered with artificial paints are harmful to your dog. Avoid buying balls and toys with bright colors, they usually contain lead or other toxic materials. Better opt for monochrome toys without extra paints.
Laser pointer
Although it may seem very funny and funny to see how the dog chases the laser, the reality is that the dog suffers frustration and anxiety for never achieving its purpose: to catch the light.
This way, when we play with the laser pointer and our dog, we endanger the dog’s mental and emotional health. Also, we must not forget the damage it can cause to your dog’s retina if you accidentally aim it at his eyes.
Frisbees or Frisbees
The problem of these toys comes from the material with which it is made. Being normally very hard, they can damage the teeth of dogs.
So frisbees or frisbees are not the best option to leave them when the dogs are home alone. Instead, it is an ideal toy to train them and have a great time when we play with them.