Best Dog Toys

Like all dogs, Cabana loves to chew. So far, she hasn't destroyed any of our things. Well, I take that back. She has destroyed our family room rug, but only because it's got looped fibers and her teeth get caught in the loops when she's playing with a toy. She doesn't do it on purpose--it's just not a good rug for dog purposes.

But we can leave out our shoes, socks, remote controls, pencils, and Cabana doesn't touch them. Because of her trustworthiness, Cabana has full freedom in our house. Of course, we don't leave her unsupervised for any length of time, but she's allowed to wander from room to room, as long as we know where she is. She's so social that she usually would rather be in the same room as us anyway. If I'm at my computer, she sits nearby. If I go upstairs to the bedroom, she follows me up there. If I take a shower, she sits on the bath mat outside the shower door.

Guide Dogs for the Blind has a tried and true list of approved toys. I must admit, I have bought a few unapproved toys, but then I realize why they aren't approved. The unapproved toys only last for a couple hours, if that, and then they go in the trash. Lesson learned.

The toys that are nearly indestructible are the Goughnut, big Kongs, and certain Nylabones. None of these toys are cheap--the Goughnut costs $25! But Cabana's favorite toy is the cheapest on the approved list--sterilized bones! These are usually calf bones, shaped like an empty tunnel. They look totally boring, but Cabana will chew on these for hours. They must have some "flavor" to them, although the flavor seems to get chewed off eventually. But because these bones only cost about $4.00, I don't mind buying a new one every few weeks.

In this photo, look close (or click to view larger) and you can see a hint of blood on it from Cabana's mouth. Wiggly baby teeth.


Another favorite toy of Cabana's is a gallon-sized orange juice bottle, also on GDB's approved list. She will romp around with the empty bottle for hours. It's a bit noisy and probably would be better for outdoors because she tends to run into all the furniture while she's playing with one. But who needs expensive toys when you've got an empty plastic bottle!