Is your dog bored of toys the moment after they play with them for 10 minutes? If this happens to you, don’t worry, you’re not alone!
It’s important to keep your dog excited about their toys so they don’t resort to entertaining themselves with unfavorable behaviors – using your couch or pillows. Most importantly, these tips will help you save money so you’re not having to keep purchasing new toys over and over again!
Tip 1: Make sure not all of your toys are the same
The first step to preventing your dog from getting bored of their toys easily is to plan what to buy in the first place. Try to think from your dog’s point of view – your dog (unfortunately) doesn’t know that their new stuffed toy is a cute replica of R2D2 or the wand from the Harry Potter movies, but they do notice how the toys feels, smells, and sounds.
Make sure you purchase a variety of different textures, squeakers, and materials, so that not all of the toys are the same (from your dog’s perspective).
Here are a few different ‘categories’ of toys to ensure you purchase a nice variety for your pup!
Mentally Enriching (non food)
I love the hide-a-squirrel toys from Outward Hound because your dog will have to use their brain to figure out how to get the squirrels out of their ‘log.’ Plus, once the ‘squirrels’ get destroyed, you can purchase replacement squirrels, or just stuff them with other smaller toys you have.
Mentally Enriching (food)
I love to have a variety of mentally enriching toys that can be stuffed with food! Nosework and licking can help activate your dog’s parasympathetic nervous system (aka help keep them relaxed). I love getting a variety of snuffle mats, lick mats, and looking on Clean Run for new interesting enrichment toys…like this pinecone!
Unique Textures
When it comes to unique textures, you want to look at what your dog generally tries to chew (but maybe aren’t supposed to).
For example, if your dog LOVES chewing sticks outside, simply switch to a non-splintering wood toy. If your dog LOVES trying to bite your arm, get a toy made of latex. If your dog’s #1 wish is to finally get that squirrel or bunny in the backyard, get them a toy made of real bunny fur.
Tip 2: Wash your toys!
While this may seem obvious to the Type A clean freaks out there, there are many of us who need to be reminded to put the dog toys in the washing machine. If possible, put them in the dryer so they’re nice and warm when you give them to your dog!
Not only is this more sanitary for EVERYONE in the household, your toy will smell like a completely new one to your dog.
For more delicate toys or harder toys, I hand wash them in warm soapy water and fully dry them.
Tip 3: THE ULTIMATE TIP IF YOUR DOG IS BORED OF TOYS …ROTATE YOUR TOYS!
Don’t keep ALL of your toys in a toy basket your dog has access to at all times. Just like we get over new things quickly (remember how excited you were when you got a new iPhone?), toys can become boring, ‘old news’ to our dogs in just a matter of minutes.
I like to keep about 1/3 of my dog’s toys out at all times, and then rotate them. Every time they see the new toys come out, they get VERY excited! No more being bored of the same dog toys!
Tip 3: Don’t underestimate the power of recyclables
One human’s trash is another dog’s treasure. Whether you realize it or not, you probably have a TON of AMAZING toys you’re constantly tossing out! In fact, these ‘free’ toys are typically the most exciting toys to our dogs.
My dogs’ favorite toy: boxes!
Now keep in mind, you want to make it clear not ALL boxes are toys. I use the cue “destroy” to show my dogs “this box is a toy.” This is how I get my dogs excited to rip up boxes (even my old senior dog!)
To up-level boxes, try playing “tug” with a box so that your dog actually rips up a piece of the box! The reason this is so exciting for dogs (warning: it’s gross) is because it resembles their natural instinct of ripping a piece of a big animal after hunting (think dear legs). In fact, this is why so many dogs love tug of war!
Not only is ripping up boxes great for keeping your dog busy, it requires your dog to actually use their brain as they figure out how to destroy the box.
Start easy, and then slowly make it harder and harder working up to giving them a FULL box as their ‘dog toy.’
Another idea: old socks with holes in them (you can stuff a few Kibble in them to make it into a puzzle toy), water bottles (removing the cap/wrapper), old towels – really, the possibilities are endless.
As always, supervise your dog to ensure they’re not eating any portion of the toy (this goes for ALL toys).