We all know them, those classic Kongs for dogs with strong jaws. My girl has one... but even stuffed with cheese or treats, she's not really bothered. What she loves is shredding things—the toys she can pin down between her paws and rip at the fabric until they're in bits and disembowelled. Recently, I bought her a 'near-indestructible' squeaky toy; an instant hit! Within fifteen minutes, the poor thing was gutted and she was still yanking at the threads. So much for durability...
Does anyone have any ideas for really tough toys that aren't just the standard Kong? Bonus points if it squeaks and/or is a soft toy!
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There are also Kong soft toys, the Kong Knots – I’m not sure if you’re familiar with them or if they’d be tough enough for your dog. Blue has two that have lasted a good while. All her other toys ended up with holes in them too...
The toy isn’t marketed as being particularly durable, so I’m a bit sceptical, even though my dog would definitely love it!
Anyway, Blue loves them. And they have rope inside, so they’re more hard-wearing. They’re still in one piece for now, which is more than can be said for her other toys..
When Orphée is in her destructive phase lol I leave her a blanket and some cardboard boxes. She goes for her mats too, but never mind.
I think getting really tough toys is handy for us, and if the dogs like them then great, but if they don't enjoy them as much or if they're like Orphée and go through phases, well, I think it's good to let them let off steam in their own way...
Same as @Kainate, cardboard boxes (under supervision). They can shred them, toss the bits in the air, redecorate the living room...
Otherwise, mine plays a lot with his deer antler – chewing, tossing (I think he finds the noise really interesting, he's always testing it by dropping it from different heights).
I remember that post where someone recommended an INDESTRUCTIBLE ball that I went ahead and ordered. I posted photos of it when it first arrived and then another one 5 minutes later. I’ll have to dig them out again 😁 But I’m going to order the Jolly Soccer Ball and I’ll keep you all updated.
"Solid" toys don't really work for us; we have Kongs, but they're just not interested in them...
Squeaky toys drive them mad, so they have to "die" as quickly as possible—decapitated, gutted, you name it. Either that or they only stay "solid" because we put them away once we’ve finished playing (like the Frisbee).
Otherwise, for everyday use, we have things that last a little while (tug ropes, empty soft toys that I keep sewing back together to make them last and stuff with empty loo rolls, small water bottles, or wrapping paper to make a bit of noise—though I always watch them). Then they have their "disposable" toys that they’re allowed to "kill"; these are kids' soft toys I regularly find at car boot sales. Every now and then, I’ll throw them a rabbit, a bear, a fox, or an elephant. They don't squeak, but they’re quite plump, so they must be hiding something inside—time to dig! At 50p to £1 a toy, it’s well worth it to satisfy their inner Hannibal... but only under supervision, when I'm right there.
My dog isn't really interested in balls or Kongs; her thing is mainly carefully shredding soft toys of varying durability and then de-stuffing them (she doesn't actually eat the stuffing or the fabric, but she's always supervised, obviously...)
Thanks for any advice, I'm sure it'll help other big dog owners too!
On another note, I've spotted these – has anyone ever bought one of these for their heavy chewer?
https://www.zooplus.fr/shop/chiens/jouets_sport_chien/jouet_tres_resistant_chien/533676
https://www.zoomalia.com/animalerie/jouet-pour-chien-kong-ballistic-flatz-cochon-p-55123.html#description
There are the Kong soft toys as well, the Kong Knots – I’m not sure if you’ve come across them or if they’d be tough enough for your dog. Blue has two that have lasted a good long while now. All her other toys ended up with holes in them too...
The toy isn't marketed as being particularly durable, so I'm a bit sceptical, even though my girl would definitely love it!
I’ve never found anything other than a Kong that lasts more than five minutes, but he’s gone off it a bit, except for when we lost it for a week and he found it again! I had my eye on something else but I saw some bad reviews about it being tough on their teeth so I won’t mention the name, so I’m not sure really 😉
Hi everyone,
My Staffie destroys everything—and I mean absolutely everything. The only toy that stands a chance is a nylon bone! Specifically the ones without a silicone coating, just the heavy-duty nylon. You should definitely give them a go!
(Just a heads up though, when he’s playing with it on tiles or wooden floors, the sound of the toy dropping gives you a bit of a headache, but there we go!)
