Part of being a dog parent is choosing toys and watching your dog love and play with the new toy you took time picking out because you knew they’d love it! Part of the frustration of being a dog parent is finding broken and damaged parts of a toy all around your home after your dog has ripped their lovely new toy apart! Our dogs seem to enjoy the destruction of their toys, but why is their instinct to destroy their toys so quickly? In this blog, we discuss why your dog destroys their toys.
Why Does My Dog Destroy His Toys
There are several reasons your dog will rip open their toys, and it’ll depend on the type of toy too. A plush toy may take minutes for them to destroy, where as a chew toy may take longer for them to get through. Ultimately, dog toys are designed to trigger their prey instinct and to keep boredom at bay. Every dog needs to release their energy from time to time, and if your dog is naturally high in energy, you might find they rip open their toys to create their own fun. If your dog does need to release their energy, try a puzzle toy which will reward them for using their brain and paws to get into their treat.
Although it may seem odd to us, destroying their toys will be fun to your dog. They’ll get immense satisfaction and mental stimulation after ripping open their toys, often panting in delight, proud of themselves. Although it seems like great fun, do monitor your dog whilst they’re destroying their toys to keep an eye on any potential choking hazards.
If you’re looking for an ‘indestructible’ dog toy, unfortunately it’s unlikely you’ll find one suitable for your pup. There are toys that your dog will find harder to destroy, however dog toys can’t be indestructible due to damage to your pups’ teeth/jaws. So, it’s best to buy the toys your dog can destroy safely – you can find our range of plush, squeak free, chew and squeaky toys here.
Why Do Dogs Shake Their Toys?
You may be wondering why your dog shakes their head aggressively with a toy in their mouth – this is their ‘shake and kill’ instinct coming through from their wolf ancestors. In the wild, the shaking would disorient and immobilise your dog’s prey. You’ll find this instinct is more prevalent in a hunting breed, such as a Labrador or Beagle, and they’ll destroy plush toys especially with squeakers quite quickly.
Are Dog Toys Meant To Be Destroyed?
Dog toys are designed to exercise your dogs prey instincts, however it is important if your dog does rip open their toys, to discard of the toy as soon as the toy becomes unsafe. You should remove anything inedible to avoid your dog ingesting anything they shouldn’t. This applies to all toys, even rubber toys once they rip/tear.
