Which Interactive Dog Toys Are Right for Your Pup?
Your dog requires mental and physical stimulation in order to live a happy, healthy life. As the popular saying goes, a bored dog is a destructive dog! Luckily, there are a number of great interactive dog toys on the market that will keep your dog engaged and entertained even when you’re unavailable. Let’s take a look at the options…
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While we would love to spend every moment of our lives focused on our four-legged friends, there are other responsibilities that demand our time.
You know, things like work, paying bills, classes… Not like that’s anything important, right?
A bored pup can be a great distraction when you’re trying to focus, demanding your time, or getting into trouble while left to their own devices.
This is where interactive dog toys really shine!
These toys offer your pet physical and mental stimulation, capturing their attention and keeping them entertained (and distracted).
As a trainer, I’ve learned that many of the hyperactivity and destruction problems my clients struggle with can be resolved by adding mental exercise to their dog’s daily diet.
Nicole Ellis, professional dog trainer
What’s the secret to finding the best interactive toy for your dog? Finding the toy that best fit’s your dog’s personality and style of play.
In today’s post, we’re going to look at 6 different categories of interactive dog toys and help you figure out which option(s) will work best for your pup.
NOTE: Interactive dog toys should not replace quality time with your dog. Time spent with your dog is necessary for bonding and socialization. Never allow toys to replace the love, attention and care that your dog requires.
Related: ‘10+ Dog Toy Storage Ideas to Complement Any Décor‘
Kibble/Treat Dispensing Toys
These are a great option for dogs that aren’t totally sold on the idea of playing alone.
By adding their favourite food or treats into the mix, you are giving your dog a reason to want to play, an incentive to draw their attention.
Kibble and treat dispensing toys are a top choice for food-driven dogs.
I’ve never met a dog that is more food-driven than our boy Indy, so I speak from experience!
There are different types of toys that you can choose, depending on your dog’s interests.
Puzzle style toys challenge your dog to work through a series of steps or obstacles to reveal their prize. This is great for mental stimulation!
Simpler treat-dispensing toys, like the well-known KONG toy or the West Paw Zogoflex Tux Toy, allow you to stuff the toy with kibble, treats or even frozen goodies that are released as your pet plays with and chews on the toy.
Hide & Seek Toys
Unlike kibble/treat dispensing toys, hide & seek toys don’t offer any edible rewards for playtime.
They do, however, tap into the desire to hunt by using sounds and textures to reward your dog for discovering their ‘prey’.
There are 2 different ways to use hide & seek toys depending on your dog’s playtime preferences.
First, there is the obvious form of play that comes from using the toy as it is originally designed.
This means that you allow the dog to seek out smaller pieces within a larger toy, pulling these additional pieces free upon finding them.
This is great for solo playtime (when you’re busy and unable to play) or playtime on the go.
However, if you’re looking for a fun interactive game that also helps to build your bond with your dog, you can also expand upon the hide & seek idea.
Take the smaller toys that your dog is used to searching for and hide them in different places around the home for your dog to seek out (with a little help from you when necessary).
These toys are a great option for those dogs that are wired to hunt/seek including gun dogs, hounds and terriers.
The benefit of using these toys is that they offer the mental and physical stimulation that your dog needs without including food and treats.
This means that they will not contribute to overeating or obesity, which is a genuine concern in dogs today.
Sensory Toys
These interactive dog toys use their senses to draw your pup in and capture their attention.
This includes everything from enticing scents and bright lights to engage sounds.
Many of these toys are responsive, meaning that the ‘fun’ factor is triggered when your dog plays.
A classic example is the Blinky Babble Ball that both flashes and speaks to your dog when it is touched, playing to their curiosity.
They do a great job of encouraging your dog to be active, providing both mental and physical entertainment.
The secret to these toys is to determine what senses catch the attention of your curious-natured dog.
Watch closely during playtime to see how they respond to their current toys as well as the environment around them.
Is your dog easily distracted by outside sounds or drawn to flashing lights? If so, use that as a guideline when selecting the perfect toy!
Related: ‘4 Reasons Why You Need A Pet Water Fountain‘
Chew Toys
There are some dogs that genuinely want nothing more than a good chew.
Unfortunately, these dogs are also often the most destructive dogs when left alone without some form of stimulation, chewing on whatever they can get their paws on.
Shoes, doors, furniture, nothing is safe…
Even those aggressive chewers that are well trained still seek out the opportunity to chew.
So, why not provide them exactly that?
Chew toys are specifically made from durable materials to help them withstand the constant abuse of a heavy chewer.
Always keep in mind that there is no such thing as an ‘indestructible toy’!
You should be inspecting your dog’s toys regularly for any potential choking hazards.
When in doubt, throw it out. Better safe than sorry!
One great benefit to providing your dog with chew toys is that many of them are designed to not only entertain your dog but also to benefit their dental health.
Ridges and nubs on dental chew toys work by rubbing and scraping along the surface of your dog’s teeth, removing plaque and tarter.
Tug Toys
Do you have a dog that loves nothing more than a good game of tug-of-war?
While this is generally a game that is played together with both you and your dog, there are interactive dog toys that will allow a tug-of-war loving dog enjoy their favourite game alone.
These tug toys work by securing one end of the toy to the floor, ground, wall, or another fixed surface (like a tree) with a ball or grip-friendly toy on the other end.
Options for securing these toys include suction cup toys, lawn/ground stakes and tether-style toys.
Choosing the right toy should start with determining how strong your dog is and which toys will stand up during a game of tug.
Hi-Tech or ‘Smart’ Toys
Finally, we have seen an additional style of interactive dog toys emerging in recent years which can be described as hi-tech or ‘smart’ toys.
These are toys that use technology, electronic mechanisms, built-in sensors, and phone apps to engage with your dog.
Given our tech-driven society, are we surprised?
Automatic ball launchers sense the presence of a tennis ball, throwing it for your dog to fetch.
You can then train your dog to retriever their ball, dropping it into the launcher to go once again!
As pet owners, many of us have a variety of different pet-related apps on our phones already, so why not include a toy that syncs up with your go-to device?
These toys may include buttons, sounds, colours, movements, treat-dispensing options or other interactive style play.
Many can be controlled manually using the app or set to move about automatically for those times when you’re trying to get work done.
What are your dog’s favourite interactive dog toys? Are they drawn to one style over another?
I’d love to hear all about your experiences in the comments section below!
I don’t have a dog in my house, but I really like this article. These are some great toys for dogs. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Our family dog loves to play tug of war! His favorite toys are all soft because he loves to tear them up. He’s a small breed and I always find it funny that he tries to act tough. When it comes down to it he’s a baby!
Mental stimulation is just as important as physical stimulation, great post!w
Dav girl enjoys a good game of tug too. I think I’m going to hook up a tug toy tethered to the tree in our back yard like the one I shared here so that she can have that option when the weather is warmer next spring. I love working out on our back deck so that they can run around and play with each other, and that would be a great addition to their ‘play space’ lol
Some great tips here, I love the idea of something interactive. Thanks for sharing!
Anika
They are great when it comes to keeping up with a high-energy pup!
These are great suggestions! I’m always looking for good pet gifts. Now I have some ideas. Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you!
tug toys are favorites of my jrt, he literally can play it all day. we even took part in tugging tournament with him.chewy toys and especially bouncy chewy toys are most loved by both of them, I love how they entertain themselves when we are busy working
We recently had a ball launcher gifted to us and that has quickly become a favourite for Dav girl. She loves that it never tires out or has other things that it needs to do – anytime she wants to play, it’s there ready and waiting (even if I’m busy with work lol)
This is such a great list of interactive dog toys! I don’t have a dog currently but if I did I would definitely be getting some of these toys you suggested!
Interactive dog toys are the only reason that I’m able to get work done now that I’m working from home lol
Our dogs are happy to play with balls and chew whatever we give them, but these are great ideas (that I wish I had before). I think it’s also important to get a dog with the temperament that suits your lifestyle. If you love sitting around and watching movies, it’s important to get a dog that wants to be lazy and cuddle with you, and not one that loves playing and being outside.
All the best, Michelle (michellesclutterbox.com)
That is SUCH an important point! Our girl Daviana is 12 years old and still has the energy and determination of a young pup. She is always on the go and has no desire to slow down more often than not. My husband and I are big hikers and outdoor travellers, so it works for us – she’s my hiking companion. That being said, she could easily be too much for many other households.
I love all of these ideas! I really think the hide and seek toys are super cool! I think our pug would have loved that. We used to actually hide a few toys through out the house, and he always had such a fun time finding all of them. He seemed happy, and of course he was always full of so much energy. I am going to send this over to my sister. She just added to her family, and I know her puppy would enjoy some of these. I sent her a few toys for her puppy this Christmas.–I wish I would have seen this sooner. Thanks so much for sharing!
The hide and seek toys are such a great way to encourage dogs to tap into that natural hunting instinct. It’s a GREAT way to exercise their minds.
Such a great list! So few people know and understand that dogs who are bored are destructive! Such a great list of toys! That tug toy looks pretty awesome! I think my kids would like it also! 😉
People often see destructive as being ‘poorly trained’ or ‘poorly behaved’ but even the best-trained dogs can become destructive if they are bored for too long.
Toys are a great way to keep dogs engaged. So happy to see a variety on offer. I would have a tough time on what to include and what to leave out
We have a nice variety in our house, but I hope by explaining each of the categories, that will make it easier to identify which may work best for each pup.
Merry Christmas!!
My friend just got a Shiba yesterday and I struggled picking out the right toy for the puppy. Oooh the dispensing toys are great to get the puppy to think out of the box. The sensory toys sound great too. I like using different variations with my kitten. Thanks for sharing all of these picks!! Gotta send these recommendations to my friend 🙂
Nancy ✨
Indy boy is OBSESSED with the treat-dispensing toys. He is totally food driven, so we have to make sure that we limit his playtime with them (so that he doesn’t overeat lol)!
My mom’s dog loves chew toys and playing tug.
Our boy Indy is a fan of a good game of tug. He loves his rope style toys!
Oh I Love These! My sister just got a pup and whole different type of play that we encountered with our shepherds. She loves a good tug game, I’m thinking these tethered or staked tug toys might be perfect for her and hmmm, possibly keep her from ‘landscaping’ the yard with holes. Great Ideas for our new family member!!
Yes! A lot of times dogs that are getting into trouble doing things like digging are merely bored. Offering them something like this is a great way to keep them occupied (and behaving) lol
I don’t have a puppy at home however this list gives a diverse interactive toy selection to choose from. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! They make great gifts for new dog owners 🙂
These are some great suggestions and a really interesting post to read. My dog love tug of War toys as well as puzzles to solve.
Puzzle toys are a big hit in our house, especially with our boy Indy being so food driven!
AW! This is a great list! I’m hopefully planning to adopt a dog within the next 2 years. I’ll come back and read all your blog posts before I do 🙂
That’s so exciting! Have you already started to think about different breeds?
Fantastic list of interactive dog toys. Again, I look forward to my future doggie and all the cool toys we can get him. Some of these are so interesting.
Right? The pet industry has come so far from what I remember as a child!
My husband and I spent Christmas with a friend of ours, and I bought his dog a tug toy. It’s this hilarious red monkey with ropes between its arms and legs, so the dog can grab one end and I could hold onto the other easily. The dog and I played for a solid half hour with that thing on Christmas. Totally worth it!
We have a very similar one here, from the sounds of it, except ours is a dog with brown ropes. Indy isn’t usually too interested in toys unless there is food involved, however, he does enjoy a good game of tug!
That hide and seek toy is so adorable! I don’t have a dog but it was fun reading this list xx
I love going through all the different toys that are out there (although it usually ends up costing me as I spoil our two lol)
That cactus looks so fun! I love little collections of toys!
We don’t have the cactus yet, but after looking for an example of a dental-focused chew toy I came across it (and may have ordered it…lol)
Omg, I was legit just looking on Amazon for a Kibble/Treat-Dispensing Toys and saw that purple circle one lol. My dog is really smart and very food motivated, and I think it would be good for him!!! I am going to try and remember to use your link when I end up buying one for him.
We got that one for our Dav girl. She’s WAY too smart for her own good but that one keeps her busy and occupied for a while. One thing I will point out is that the little teal flaps and the white lock slides both come off the toy. Don’t stress and think they broke it already (like I did), they also go back on easily! lol
I never knew that so many toys were available for puppies. I know so many families with brand new dogs who will love this post!
Rosie
It’s really important to provide our pups with toys that will stimulate them both physically and mentally. That’s where interactive toys like the ones mentioned here come into play!
We have a pup in the family. (Sadly not my own I travel too much.) She is a real sweety and loves to play. She isn’t good with treats, because she has a really sensitive stomach so those non-treat toys are really awesome. Thanks for sharing 🙂
With how often our little guy needs a distraction, not having treat toys be the only option has been key. It helps to keep him from gaining weight during crate time.