Tips for purchasing safe presents for your dog
Holiday shopping for gift giving is upon us. My dog seems to think every box and bag brought into the house needs his personal attention. Maybe he thinks one of those bags he's exploring contains a gift for him. And he would be right.
We buy toys for our dogs to keep them busy and happy. The HSUS notes toys are not a luxury, but a necessity because dogs will often play with anything available. I have a glove with a hole chewed in the right thumb, carelessly left on the kitchen counter, that proves it. Toys help prevent boredom in dogs who are left alone. Toys can also help prevent problem behaviors from developing.
We all want our dogs to be safe, and purchasing safe dog toys for them is no exception. The HSUS suggests the following tips for buying toys.
Toys should be appropriate for your dog's size. Balls and other toys that are too small can be swallowed or get lodged in your dog's throat.
Toys should be "dog proofed" by removing ribbons, strings, eyes or other parts that could be chewed or ingested. Or avoid these toys altogether. Throw out toys that start to break into pieces or have pieces torn off.
Toys with squeakers should be played with under supervision, as squeakers can be ingested.
Rawhides are popular toys for dogs. The HSUS recommends asking your veterinarian about which rawhide toys are safe and which ones aren't. Unless your veterinarian says otherwise, chewier items like hoofs, pig's ears and rawhides should only be played with under supervision. The HSUS notes, "Very hard rubber toys are safer and last longer."
The HSUS divides its list of recommended toys into three categories; Active, Distraction and Comfort. The Active toys list includes very hard rubber toys such as Nylabone-type products and Kong-type products. My dog enjoys playing Hide n Seek with the softer, "plush" Kong-type toys.
Distraction toys include the Kong-type toys. These should be the appropriate size for your dog. Common practice is to fill these toys with broken-up treats or a mixture of treats and peanut butter. According to the HSUS, these stuffed toys will keep a puppy or dog busy for hours. Check with your veterinarian about giving peanut butter to your dog.
Comfort toys are the soft, stuffed toys, which for some dogs should be small enough to carry around. These stuffed toys are a popular item to buy for our dogs. One of my sister's rescue dogs, a big Golden Retriever named Reuben, got a stuffed toy dog as a Christmas gift one year. He carried it around for years, never chewing it. An old T-shirt, pillowcase, towel or blanket can also be very comforting to your dog, especially if the item smells like you.
During this holiday season, stuffed animal toys come in all kinds of holiday shapes and sizes. Look for stuffed toys that are labeled safe for children younger than 3 years of age and don't contain any dangerous fillings, including nutshells and polystyrene beads. Even safe stuffings are not truly digestible.
The HSUS suggests many of your dog's toys should be interactive. "Interactive play is very important for your dog because he needs active 'people time' - and such play also enhances the bond between you and your pet."
By repeatedly returning a ball or Frisbee, or playing hide and seek with treats or toys, dogs can use pent-up mental and physical energy, thereby reducing stress due to confinement, boredom and isolation.
Toys are important for our dogs. So is the time we spend with them, so go out and play.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 shelter. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.