You have probably come home at least once to find your carpet torn to shreds or your favorite shoes turned into dog toys. Regardless of your pet’s age, these are scenarios to try to avoid. But keeping your dog entertained while you are away is not easy. Some breeds require more mental stimulation than others, and some dogs only prefer certain toys. The hunt for a good dog toy is challenging with the hundreds of choices available. You have to choose one that you know that your dog will like. Otherwise, you waste your money and their time—and nobody wants that!
To help your situation, we listed the best favorite dog toys based on reviews and experience. We hope that you will find a toy that relieves your pup’s boredom and gives you peace of mind whenever you step out of the house.
The Kong is a classic toy for bored dogs. It’s strong, stands the test of time, and is an excellent option for heavy chewers and food-driven pups. It’s rubber and acts as a bouncy toy. It’s also affordable with dozens of shapes and sizes to choose from. Is it any wonder that Kong wins best overall dog toy for boredom?
The downside to the Kong is that cleaning it is difficult. For example, if you use peanut butter as the treat stimulator, most of the peanut butter gets stuck in the center, and you waste food that you have to clean out later.
The Ethical Pet Sensory Ball offers several features in one toy to keep your dog entertained for as long as possible. There’s a bell and squeaker to mimic prey, and it’s beef flavored and scented to keep your dog coming back for more. There are also different textures in case your dog has a preference.
This sensory ball is made of rubber, so it’s highly durable, but a large dog that’s a heavy chewer could destroy it over time. The beef flavoring is also likely to wear off but you can always add some of your own flavorings at that point. If you’re strapped for cash and need a new dog toy that checks all the boxes, this is the best dog toy for boredom for the money.
The Paw 5 Wooly Snuffle Mat helps turn dinner time into an interactive play session instead of being over in 30 seconds. This option is our favorite premium choice for a few reasons. Many dog toys focus on chewing food only, but this dog toy engages the nose and stimulates the natural hunting instinct. You sprinkle some kibble throughout the mat, and your dog has to sniff and find the food. The act of sniffing when routing about for food is calming for canines. About 15 minutes of sniffing is said to burn as many calories as an hour’s walk!
Two dogs can use this snuffle mat. Just keep an eye on them to avoid food aggression. We don’t recommend this product for puppies or heavy chewers since the shag can come off if your dog chews on it. The mat also doesn’t stay put, so you may have to apply tape to the bottom if you only have bare floors.
Many chew toys for dogs aren’t suitable for puppies. They may be too big or contain hazardous pieces, or maybe the flavoring is not appealing. You don’t have to worry about that with Nylabone Puppy Chew Bone. This chew stick is 5.5 inches long and contains non-toxic, non-allergenic materials.
Puppies may not have much tartar build-up at first, but they’ll get there. This chew can help. It massages the gums and helps remove plaque from your dog’s teeth. The flavoring is chicken, which is a favorite for many pups.
If you have carpet in your house, you need to be careful because many owners report that the flavoring can stain carpet. If you have hard floors, the bone can be loud if your dog drops it on the floor. Some owners say their puppy destroyed the bone into tiny pieces, so keep an eye out for any choking hazards. Other options are available for strong chewers or large pups.
Pros
Affordable
Good for small mouths
Specifically made softer for puppies
Cons
Flavoring may stain carpet
Loud when dropped on hard flooring
Monitor for breakage
5. Outward Hound Hide N’ Slide Puzzle Game Dog Toy
The Outward Hound Hide N’ Slide Puzzle Game Dog Toy is a favorite for many dog owners because it turns dinner time into an interactive game. You hide the food pieces in the compartments, and your dog uses their snout to open them. It’s a great way to give your dog a few minutes of mental stimulation and a reward for completing the puzzle. Dogs that like to scarf down their dinner could also benefit from this game.
This puzzle is made of polypropylene, a type of plastic mixed with some wood. It’s BPA, PVC, and phthalate free. The biggest cons of this puzzle are that some dogs figure out how to solve it quickly, and it’s not challenging anymore. Also, this game is pricey. If your dog figures out the puzzle immediately, it might not be worth the money.
If your dog loves to play with balls, the Chew King Fetch Balls could be a great option. They go beyond the standard tennis balls. They’re durable rubber, so they won’t break and tear. They’re also food dispensing like a Kong, so they double as toys.
You can purchase the medium or large size, depending on your dog’s mouth size. There’s also a glow-in-the-dark option. Keep in mind that these balls don’t float, so don’t throw them in your pool.
The downside to this toy is that the rubber is semi-durable, so it’s not great for heavy chewers. But if your dog loves to fetch and occasionally chew on a toy, you should give these fetch balls a try.
Outward Hound Hide A Squirrel Squeaky Puzzle doesn’t offer much except some cute squeaky squirrels, it’s a favorite among many dog owners. This puzzle is pretty straightforward: You hide the squirrels in their log, and your dog has to figure out how to get them out. There are two to three holes on the side and one large opening on top.
Truthfully, this isn’t a challenging puzzle for dogs to solve, but it is a lot of fun. Dogs with long snouts probably won’t have a hard time figuring this out, but they can still enjoy a fun squeaker toy. Plus, you can hide treats in the log to increase the fun. This toy won’t last long with heavy chewers, so make sure you pack it away after they have finished hunting for squirrels.
The Nylabone Power Chew Wishbone is an excellent toy to entertain your dog. It is made from nylon and helps clean your dog’s teeth while still tasting delicious. Unfortunately, the flavoring is artificial and may not be the safest for your furry friend.
There are two sizes available. You might need to be extra careful when choosing a size for your dog since it isn’t durable against heavy chewers. You also need to be cautious if the bone breaks since it is not edible.
You can’t go wrong with basic tennis balls! Frisco Fetch Squeaking Colorful Tennis Balls are 2.5 inches wide and come in various colors. Each one has a squeaker in it. This is an excellent option for light to moderate chewers but not for heavy chewers. The felt may shed off the ball, and the squeaker may break if your dog punctures it. However, some dogs can entertain themselves with just a ball, so this is a nice option that won’t break the bank. In the long term, chewing on tennis balls can wear teeth down, so it is best not to use these every day.
Dogs can quickly get bored with only a rope, but Frisco Rope With 5 Knots Dog Toy is a nice toy for a few reasons. If you have multiple dogs, they can play together with the rope. Some dogs like chewing on ropes, which is perfect for heavy chewers. Dogs can also swing the rope around and play tug, unlike with other chew toys.
This Frisco rope is 35 inches long and has five knots for grip. It is great for both indoor and outdoor play. There are no special features, but it’s good to have on hand whenever you want to play with your dog or if they get bored. Make sure your pet doesn’t make a habit of eating loose rope fibers.
Pros
Affordable
Indoor and outdoor play
Cons
No special features
Ingesting loose strands could be dangerous
Buyer’s Guide: How to Find the Best Dog Toys for Boredom
How Dogs Benefit From Interactive Toys
We want our pets to have good lives and not be bored all the time. Unfortunately, boredom can be a result of keeping an animal in a house all day. It’s up to us as pet owners to give our animals something to do until we can interact with them.
Obviously, toys are fun for canines. Dogs love to play, chew, and eat things, and toys can satisfy this innate drive. But there are other underlying reasons that interactive toys work so well for dogs.
Mental stimulation: Dogs are natural hunters and want to explore and solve problems. This is usually the cause of destructive behavior. Interactive toys satisfy these instincts by improving memory, mental speed, and visual-spatial reasoning. You can even help prevent future neurologic disorders as your dog ages. A mentally stimulated dog is a happy dog.
Physical exercise: Sadly, obesity is on the rise in the domestic animal world. Interactive toys can help by encouraging your dog to move and burn calories. If your dog’s toy requires treats, you can always cut back on kibble to balance their caloric intake.
Stress relief: Like humans, dogs can get stressed and experience anxiety. Interactive toys help distract them by focusing their energy on toys that stimulate their natural instincts. If they do feel stressed and anxious, having something to chew helps.
Slowing down eating time: Some toys don’t encourage your dog to move, but they do limit how much food your dog eats at one time. This list includes a few toy puzzles that are great for teaching your dog to slow down and enjoy the process of finding/retrieving food.
Choosing a Dog Toy: Things to Consider
When you shop for a new dog toy, you don’t want to select just anything. You have to consider your dog’s preferences, among a few other things.
Image Credit: Kobi Kadosh, Unsplash
Personality: Think about how curious your dog is and how far they’re willing to go for something. For example, not every dog likes to chew, so maybe bones aren’t ideal. Some dogs like to play fetch, while other bdogs like to be chased. What kind of dog do you have?
Size: If your dog is a large, heavy chewer, you’ll need a toy that can withstand the amount of damage that your dog will inflict. If your dog is small, you’ll need a toy that can fit the size of their mouth.
Breed: Certain breeds have specific instincts. If you have a hound dog, scent stimulation is key. Hunting retrievers love to bring items to their owners, and shepherds want to herd. You may not be able to satisfy all these instincts with toys, but you should at least consider them when purchasing a toy.
The Different Types of Interactive Dog Toys
Knowing your dog’s preferences, personality, and instincts is the first step to purchasing a toy. When you’re ready to buy one, you might be intimidated by the options on the market. It helps to know what kind of interactive toys there are and the objective of each. Some toys only satisfy one need, while others can meet multiple needs.
Puzzle Toys
The objective of a puzzle toy is to stimulate your dog’s problem-solving abilities. Great puzzle toys are stimulating for your dog and shouldn’t be easy. Puzzle toys come in many forms and levels. How long a puzzle takes is up to your buying decisions and your dog’s critical thinking skills.
Chew Toys
Chew toys help satiate a dog’s need to chew. These toys should be durable based on the chewing level of the dog. Some dogs don’t chew that much, and that’s okay. You can select a softer chew toy if this is your dog. It’s always a good idea to have something for your dog to gnaw on while you’re away.
Image Credit: Chewy, Unsplash
Treat Toys
Dogs love treat toys. Many interactive toys double as treat toys, especially since many dogs are driven by food. These toys dispense treats after a dog accomplishes the goal. It’s wise to mind how many treats your dog receives to prevent weight gain, but this is an excellent option for dogs that love to eat.
Hide-and-Seek Toys
Hide-and-seek toys are similar to puzzle toys. They are geared toward the natural prey drive in dogs. You’ll find that many hide-and-seek toys are stuffed animals, like squirrels, and they have squeakers in them. The objective is for your dog to find the object and remove it from the hiding spot.
Sound Makers
Sound makers are any toys that make sounds, like squeakers. They mimic the animalistic sounds that prey would create in the wild. As gruesome as it sounds, dogs love tearing things apart that make noise, usually because of their prey drive. Know that these toys won’t encourage your dog to attack small animals, though.
Interactive Dog Toy Safety Tips
Remember that no dog toy is truly indestructible, so you’ll want to monitor your dog for any safety concerns.
Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind when buying a toy for your dog:
Remove small pieces of a toy that your dog has destroyed.
Choose a toy made from non-toxic materials.
Avoid toys that your dog can eat if they are a heavy chewer.
Rotate toys out to help them last longer.
Choose toys that are the right size for your dog to avoid choking and blockage.
Inspect the toy for damage before giving it to your dog.
Conclusion
If you have a bored heavy chewer on your hands, the classic Kong is the best overall option for dog toys among these reviews. It’s durable and bouncy and dispenses treats. You can even try other shapes and sizes. You can also try the Ethical Pet Sensory Ball if you need an affordable option that checks all the boxes. This toy can stimulate your dog in multiple ways without a hefty price tag. Finally, if you want to spend extra pocket change on your pup, the Paw 5 Wooly Snuffle Mat is the way to go.
These toys are our favorite recommendations for bored dogs. Give them a try and tell us what you think!
Cassidy is a vet tech and professional pet sitter turned pet writer whose passion is all things animals, both domestic and wild. She’s had a multitude of pets over the years and loves writing about the animal-human bond. She and her husband now live in Wichita with a German Shepherd named Raven, two cats, Lucy & Strudel, and a few backyard chicks.
You have probably come home at least once to find your carpet torn to shreds or your favorite shoes turned into dog toys. Regardless of your pet’s age, these are scenarios to try to avoid. But keeping your dog entertained while you are away is not easy. Some breeds require more mental stimulation than others, and some dogs only prefer certain toys. The hunt for a good dog toy is challenging with the hundreds of choices available. You have to choose one that you know that your dog will like. Otherwise, you waste your money and their time—and nobody wants that!
