by: Margaret Svete
Toys are fun both for our dogs and us. Lucky for us there are endless choices.
But did you know how important toys are for your dogs - puppies especially.
Toys play a great role in the emotional and mental development of puppies. They also act as solutions for inappropriate chewing, boredom, and separation anxiety. In fact most dog trainers recommend that new puppy owners buy lots of toys for the newest member of the family.
Variety is the spice of life. Most experts recommend buying different kinds of toys for your dog so that you can discover which ones he really likes.
You might be surprised with the answers. Berry, my 95 pound German Shepherd just loves cuddling up his stuffed animals. Who would have thought!
Trainers and behaviorists recommend that their clients have three sets of toys.
Primary toys are your dog's favorite. Leave these out for your dog when your not around. This helps reduce separation anxiety because your dog associates you leaving with his getting his favorite toy.
Secondary toys are the toys to have out when you are home. Be sure to pick up the primary toys.
And finally the third set of toys is used to rotate with the the first set. Trainers recommend swapping toys every 3 days or so. This helps keep your dog interested in all his toys.
And always choose toys wisely. Try to buy toys that match your dog's size. And always make sure there are no dangerous small pieces that your dog can chew loose and swallow or worse yet - choke on.
If you're interested here are a few of the gang's favorite toys: