Dogs are just dogs right? If they still lived in the wild and weren’t domesticated they wouldn’t have dog toys would they?

Well actually it’s because they are domesticated that our dogs need toys to replace activities or replicate in part, the lifestyle they would have experienced as wild animals.

The toys we provide our dogs meet these needs and help our dogs remain fit, well adjusted animals.

I like to categorise dog’s toys into four types:

1. Chewing Toys

Dogs need to chew, for a number of different reasons throughout their life stages. So, give your dogs items they are allowed to chew, and don’t leave them to pick on your prized possessions.

Puppies chew in order to ease tension, soothe their gums and to loosen puppy teeth to make way for their new teeth.

Adult dogs Chew to help maintain their jaw muscles, dogs also use chewing to pass time when on their own or ease boredom.

In senior dogs chewing the right things as well as helping ease boredom, also helps to avoid gum disease and tooth problems

2. Activity Toys

Activity dog toys help to keep domestic dogs fit and in addition to a healthy diet help to keep our pet dogs, in good shape, burning off calories that would otherwise be unused. Used wisely activity toys will also help to strengthen a dog’s muscles, which along with diet, reinforces good bone structure.

Regular interaction with constructive play will help build good relations with your dog these activities can be used to encourage good behaviour in your pet. For example the throwing of a favourite retrieval toy can be used as a reward for sitting or staying.

The choice of activity dog toys these days is huge, with the traditional Balls, Frisbees and Fetch toys coming in a bewildering number of varieties and materials.

When not sleeping, puppies go through periods in the day when they have a huge amount of energy to burn. Care should be taken not to over exercise, but plenty of varied play will help build bonds with owners and avoid destructive tendencies showing.

Adult dogs need exercise to keep muscles, bones and organs working in top order. The right amount of active play will also help to avoid periods of boredom in a normal healthy adult. This will help to reduce the risk of destructive or attention seeking tendencies manifesting themselves in your pet.

Regular but reduced amounts of activity will help maintain healthy joints in a senior dog.

3. Reward Toys

As wild animals it would be rare for dogs to spend time on their alone, but as domestic pets most will spend time on their own at some stage. Because boredom can lead to destructive behaviour, it is essential that you provide your dog with appropriate toys that fight monotony and offer enticing play, sometimes this may be met with a reward such as carefully hidden treat.

Apart from having chew toys available, your puppy will react well to having toys that reward him by reacting with sound, movement or giving treats. This is another way of avoiding destructive behaviour.

Many adult dogs respond well to having a toy that will help them to stay alert or be challenged when left on their own.

4. Soothing or Comfort Toys

These toys are not necessarily needed by all types of dogs, however there may be many times in a dog’s life when the need to soothe and calm is required. Travel, trips to the vet, illness or noisy periods are all times when aid in calming and soothing could be beneficial.

A comfort toy can ease the separation from a mother or smooth the transition from being a litter member

In addition providing comfort toys are usually tough enough to allow adult dogs to carry them around, often adult or maturing dogs will occupy themselves with a mock kill game.

If you have recently gotten a new dog or are considering to own, there are several aspects in relation to caring for a pet’s health that should be considered. Dogs need to be fed the right kind of food; they need exercise; they need vaccines and preventative treatments; they need to be groomed; and they need to have proper dental care. Here is a short overview of the most important health aspects to consider when owning a pet:

First of all, a healthy diet goes a long way! If your pet is being fed table scraps or dry food that is primarily composed of vegetable and grain, you may want to reconsider Fido’s diet. If your dog is often being fed “people” food from the dinner table, it can easily cause obesity. Dogs metabolisms and organs do not function just like humans do, dogs require special diets and food types to thrive…human food does not simply cut it. Also, dogs thrive on diets that consist of high protein and low vegetable and grain levels. Dogs are classified omnivores; that means they thrive on meat and vegetable diets. However, recent research strongly supports the theory that dog foods that are high in protein are more beneficial to pets. Talk to your local vet and they will help you find the best food choice for your dog.

Dogs also need exercise. Some dogs need more physical activity than others, depending on their breed. Be aware of your dog’s physical activity requirements and stick to them. If your dog’s breed needs a lot of exercise, give it to them! Keeping your pet healthy and happy should always be a top priority.

Next, dogs need vaccines and preventative treatments. Talk to your vet to find out what vaccines your dog needs (it sometimes varies on where you live or your dog’s breed), and make sure your pet gets vaccinated. Most dogs will also need heartworm treatments and flea and tick preventive treatments- several of these are applied topically between the shoulder blades.

Another important aspect of your dog’s health is simple grooming. Keep your dog clean; give him a bath regularly, brush his coat frequently and trim his nails. Many local pet supply stores offer grooming services, so you can shop while Fido is at the spa. Also, in many towns there are mobile pet grooming services that does home service and will ndrop by your home and groom your pet in their clean and safe mobile facility.

Finally, good dental health is always important not just for people! Buy your dog a doggie toothbrush and toothpaste (often sold at supply stores) and learn to brush your dog’s teeth. Dry dog food also aids in the reduction of plaque and tartar on the teeth and gums as well. There are also special chew toys that are designed to aid in keeping teeth clean as well.

As you adjust to your new dog or consider getting one, your pet’s health should always be a priority. A healthy pet makes for a happy pet!