Defining ‘indestructible’
Although everyone wants an indestructible dog toy, it’s important to remember this is an idyllic fantasy and that no dog toy can promise you that it won’t eventually succumb to some wear and tear or be torn in half by your extreme chewing pooch.
However, there are designs of toy and material combinations which come very, very close and in the vast amount of cases will last you and your pup a long period of time. This is why you’ll see many toys described as ‘virtually’ indestructible or ‘essentially’ indestructible as it is a more positive way of saying they are almost, nearly or in most instances indestructible. Which of course, would sound ridiculous.
This means, unfortunately, that you should always supervise a dog while they are playing with their toy, no matter how durable or super strength their toy promises to be!
However, there are plenty of very, very tough toys available if you know what you’re looking out for, and if you make the right choice, there’s a very good chance your gnasher will finally meet their match on your next toy purchase.
Features we looked out for
Material
Obviously this is absolutely the most critical thing to get right if you want to avoid a totally torn up toy.
While a lot of dog toys are made of plastic, rope or plush materials – these are all so easily damaged, and so will never be the longest lasting toys in your puppy playbox.
The most trustworthy choices are instead rubber and nylon material toys, as these are durable and flexible, meaning they can handle your pup’s bite without snapping or wearing down easily. It also means that if in an unlikely incident your super-toothed pup does manage to break his toy, it won’t shatter into sharp, dangerous parts.
However, you still wouldn’t want a pup to ingest rubber and nylon materials, which is why supervision is still necessary!
Colour
Believe it or not, colour can actually be very important when it comes to appealing a dog’s interest! They see in yellow and blue colours, so if you want your pup to naturally love their playthings, those are the colours to go for!
Bonding possibilities
Not every pup likes playing alone, and so getting a toy such as a ball to play fetch with or a tug of war toy can help you bond with them while curbing their destructive chewing behaviour. It also means you can be in direct supervision and ensure the toy doesn’t break or become damaged!
Dog’s interests
Think about what your pup likes to do! If they don’t particularly like running around and chasing a ball – don’t get them one!
Treats
One of the easiest ways to get a dog interested in a new toy is to choose one which allows for treat dispensing. Such toys are also likely to keep them occupied for a much longer period of time as they encourage mentally stimulating play in which your mutt will spend hours figuring out how to unlock their hidden goodies!
Cleaning
Unfortunately, no matter how tidy your pup is, they’re never going to slap on a pair of marigolds and help you wash the dishes. The same goes for their toys and so it’s always left to you to ensure that their playthings stay relatively free of slobber and dirt once they’re finished with them. That’s why it can be helpful to watch out for dishwasher safe options, as they will save you from some tedious scrubbing sessions!
Dental hygiene
As your dog is going to be chewing your chosen item half to death, it’s often beneficial to check what a toy can offer your pet in terms of dental hygiene. In a perfect world, you want to find a toy that is soft enough to massage the gums, durable enough to strengthen their teeth and if possible boast ridges, bristles or another feature which help clean and remove plaque from a dog’s teeth!
Size
Naturally, you want a toy that is neither too small for your dog to swallow in one, nor so large that they can’t quite get their jaw round it.
Always check the dimensions and recommended size guidelines of a product to ensure your pet is getting the perfect fit for them.
Price
And of course, finally, there is the price.
For a lot of people, the whole point of buying an indestructible toy is so that you stop wasting money constantly buying new products only for your pup to tear them to shreds in a matter of days or weeks.
That may lead you to think that an indestructible toy would be deservedly more expensive and so you should expect to pay more. However, you must remember that indestructibility as such is a myth!
While you will likely be buying a pretty non durable product if it is ridiculously cheap, don’t be tempted to pay over the odds on the basis of a product being indestructible.
It will only lead to disappointment and a burning hole in your wallet if your pup manages to pulverise it without effort.
