Advice on inside toy needed?

[vchacon]

Hi,

I'm in the process of housebreaking my adult dog (3.5 years). I would appreciate some recommendations on a good inside the house toy.

He has a Kong and a ball for outside but for inside I would like something he isn't in the habit of throwing around. I like my TV and and other breakables. I got him a "tough"? chew bone today... it didn't last 30 minutes. I have read, on this board, about nyla (sp?) bone or dyna bone but I'm not sure which is better for a rotti with an exceptionally strong bite.

The "owner" who have him up had him play with old 31" truck tires. The reason for his broken canines (all of them). Whether this contributes to his bite I don't know but so far the only real toy that has lasted is the black Kong. I replace the balls(large tennis type, soccerball, volleyball) every few weeks. I stopped letting him play with tug ropes because he would tear a peace of string off and eat it.

Well, sorry for the long post.

Any advice appreciated.

[Skip]

One of the few toys that Rocky hasn't destroyed (besides KONG stuff) is a ball called a Hol-ee Roller. It's 6.5 inches in diameter (they make different sizes). It had holes all over it when I bought it and I was sure that it wouldn't last, but it has. It compresses when he bites it and he hasn't been able to destroy it yet. It's made by the JW Pet Company. It's also very quiet when he plays with it.

[Chantal]

I've bought so may things that say "tough" or something like that and she they get through them. Kongs come in all sizes and shapes. I have many of them. I think in the long run it's cheaper anyway, because they destroy them so quickly. Also they chew on the marrow bones, even after all the marrow is gone. At some places you can buy them already sterilized and the marrow out of them. Nylabones have also been good, but make sure it's not the rubbery one. Unfortunately, for us Rott owners we can't buy the cute toys, or the stuffed animals!! Oh Well!!

[godfreyc]

I might get slammed for this but I disagree about the stuffed toys. I let my babies have them, here's why. Even the chihuahua enjoys "killing the baby" So from time to time I bring one home and supervise. They have fun digging out the squeker, then since they think they've killed it they walk around with it for weeks hanging from their mouths all limp with a proud look on there face that says "look what I did Mom." Eventually I throw them in the trash. I don't leave them alone with the toys and it gives them a lot of joy, so I don't see any harm. It is a little noisy until they succeed in removing the squeker.

[codglvr]

I have a particularly destructive girl, seek and destroy all new toys is her mission in life! The black kong is the only Kong that has lasted, even then we are missing a few bites here and there. I do keep this and marrow bones in the house. Then when we are training or playing in the house together, I pull out the soft squeaky toys and ropes where I can monitor the situation. The other toy, outdoors that my boy loves is the 10" indestructable ball (boomer ball). I am considering getting a soft ball for inside the house, but will have to keep it picked up when alone, or Saga will lick at it until it is in pieces.

[pandora's daddy]

We have 2 destructo-girls too. Kong is great. Other than that, tennis balls are the only toys they get inside. They don't go through them that fast, but I do inspect the balls every couple of days and throw out the ratty ones. Luckily they are only 99 cents for 3. We found a great 9 inch tennis ball at Petco before we got our second girl, but haven't been able to find another one since.

[KattOK]

Holly's favorite 'toy' is a pair of old sweat pants a friend gave me. She loves playing tug with them then will sit there slinging them about.

They have several holes in them but considering they were getting ready to be thrown out ... was a cheap toy.

Oh, did I mention they go with her to the kennel since they're also like a 'security blanket' for her. :D

[Burnsway]

Originally posted by godfreyc:
<STRONG>I might get slammed for this but I disagree about the stuffed toys. I let my babies have them, here's why. Even the chihuahua enjoys "killing the baby" So from time to time I bring one home and supervise. They have fun digging out the squeker, then since they think they've killed it they walk around with it for weeks hanging from their mouths all limp with a proud look on there face that says "look what I did Mom." Eventually I throw them in the trash. I don't leave them alone with the toys and it gives them a lot of joy, so I don't see any harm. It is a little noisy until they succeed in removing the squeker.</STRONG>

I also let my Rott/mix have Stuffed toys as long as Im watching but I do not let her have any realistic looking stuffed animals and she is not allowed to do anything but lick my little girls dolls....

But I vote for the kong as a very good strong reliable chew toy for a dog. Especially one use to chewing tires...

[ July 10, 2001: Message edited by: Burnsway ]

[k&s]

One of mine does not destroy suffed toys, but the other does.

I buy stuffed toys at a thrift shop and give it to him. When he begins pulling out the stuffing, I myself remove the stuffing and he plays with the shell. He seems to enjoy throwing it around.

A word of caution: I buy stuffed animals without hard plastic eyes they can swallow, or I cut the eyes out myself. I also monitor so that once a dissection has begun I can quickly remove the squeaky so it is not swallowed.

I know of a dog that died from zinc poisoning due to ingesting a metal part from a toy. SO-- be careful what you allow them to chew up.

[PuppyLove]

Regarding the Buster Cube Redmoss mentioned:

A few months ago I had read a post on here from another member about the Buster Cube (or a similar product) and how it was one of the few toys their dog had never destroyed. Well, I took a chance and shelled out the $17.00 for it (just last week), thinking it would keep Cyrus busy during the day when we were at work. First night, we showed him how if he knocked it around, the food would fall out. Second day he had it, he was able to pick it up and carry it around the house. Later that afternoon, he was running around with it and it had a huge hole in the corner of it. I guess he figured it was just quicker to chew through the plastic and get all the food at once then toss the stupid thing around for a few measly pieces of food. :D

We never gave Cyrus stuffed toys or socks, things along those lines, when he was young, so he wouldn't think it was ok to eat our socks, underwear, etc. Now that he is older, he is allowed the occassional stuffed toy ($2.99 hedgehog from Trader Joe's). it's cheap and it never lasts more than a day. But he loves running around with the "skin". ;) My mom's lab has a lamby baby that I have to hide whenever we come over. Cyrus tries to get Katie to play tug with it. Mom wasn't too pleased when he ate her last stuffed animal! :D

We stick with Kongs because it takes him much longer to go through. And knuckle bones for him to chew on. That's about the extent of his in-house toys. Outside he has his basketball (he thinks he's Pele when he plays soccer with the kids), hard rubber balls (large size) and tennis balls.

[DogLover]

Sorry, don't think I can help you. My Rott even keeps his stuffed animals for up to a year. :D I just wanted to say good luck in finding a good toy!! :)

[sadiebanshee]

I have two girls who destroy everything--even the beloved kongs. In terms of a long-lasting chew bone, the only thing that made it past 2 months at my house is the supersize galileo bone (I think it's from nylabone). It's great for gnawing, but the only drawback is that it is very heavy and you don't want it dropped on your toes!
good luck.
sadiebanshee

[codglvr]

Oops, forgot to mention, while Odin, wasn't bent on destroying things, he would bite down so hard over and over again, that even the marrow bones had to be inspected closely for cracks on a daily basis. I could never leave bones out with with him while we were gone Good luck!

[redmoss]

I've also had great luck with he Galileo bone and I buy the edible Nylabones and they last more than the 10 minutes that it takes for my dogs to consume other items, their favorite is the peanut.

I have a dog that is obsessed with the Kong so I have about a dozen scattered througout the house and yard and I'm surprised I haven't yet broken my neck by tripping over some dog toy.

You may also want to try a toy that can be filled with treats that the dog has to work at to remove, Buster Cube, Crazy Ball, Molecule Ball, etc.

Stay away from the Rhino Bone because my dogs just bit it into pieces. They love the Super Tuff Oddball but it's getting hard to find.

You can find most products here: www.neserum.com/Search.jspe

[vchacon]

Thanks guys,

I'll check out the toys and see what will last in the jaws of the BROCKinator "Destroyer of all toys"

PuppyLove... do you think it's a rotti thing. About the Pele imitation. Brock thinks he's a soccer star. He'll kick around all four feet, back to front, diagonal then finish with a nice headbutt off the wall. Hence, my hesitation for balls inside the house.

All the info is much appreciated