Wondering if anyone could recommend a toy they have that has had a fair or better lifespan in their household? They don’t seem to care for the tough rubber ones (Kong, etc.), not much more interest in the synthetic/polymer bones. They do enjoy antlers, but I’ve heard this material is too hard & can damage or excessively wear the teeth if given too often (?) What they like the best appears to be soft / textile toys (cotton rope, suede/felt, stuffed toys w/ squeakers, etc.), but these survive a few days tops before I’m vacuuming up the soggy fluff & fiber remnants of another ex-favorite toy. Maybe their joy is derived chiefly from the act of destruction & a durable toy is inherently not what they will prefer. Maybe I just have to get over stepping on slimy, poky, gnawed Benebones in the dark at 4am. Maybe you guys can help me out. Please. They’re so gross.
Durable toy recommendations?
- Thread starter LenaDobe
- Start date
Invincible snakes have by far been the best long lasting toys for all of ours and they have several squeakers so at least one usually keeps squeaking.
www.petsmart.com
Dog Plush Toys - Stuffed Animals For Dogs & Puppies | PetSmart
Find great deals on PetSmart's selection of plush dog toys. From stuffed animals to comfort objects, our plush toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
If your dogs are destroying the toys I'd not leave them with them. Too many Dobermans have died due to swallowing things that end up as an emergency blockage. I just don't take chances. Best toys/brain games that leave them happy in my opinion have their humans on one end of it: a tug, a ball thrown, hide and seek with you, hide and seek with treats around the house. Yeah, I know. You need something to keep them busy because you've been doing this all day already. I never found a toy I trusted not to be a hazard. Bully sticks came close to keeping mine busy but she's a savage chewer and $10 down the hatch in about 20 minutes. Summer time outside I'd give a raw beef spare rib, but that doesn't fly indoors. Mine wouldn't touch the rubber Kongs or anything similar, even with treats in them. Sorry I only have ideas but no answers. 
Rits
Hot Topics Subscriber
I sadly agree on the toys... unless yours doesn't chew them up, no toy is worth leaving out. I used to leave toys out and gradually limited them to only rubber toys, to now only benebones. I've dealt with 2 FBs in two different dogs in just a year and one of them they weren't one of the lucky ones that made it.
I did get mine some beef cheek rolls for the first time and those have lasted longer than bully sticks for my crew! At least an hour or two. They were $10 each but I got a 4 pack for $35. 10-12 Inch Beef Cheek Roll | Bully Bunches
I did get mine some beef cheek rolls for the first time and those have lasted longer than bully sticks for my crew! At least an hour or two. They were $10 each but I got a 4 pack for $35. 10-12 Inch Beef Cheek Roll | Bully Bunches
I saw those and thought they were rawhide, but just read the details and I guess it's actually dried meat. Thanks in advance, will be ordering soon!
StateOfMine
Hot Topics Subscriber
When Flint takes an interest in the cheek rolls, they last a very long time. It seems to be hit and miss for Flint though. Some cheek rolls he likes more than others it seems. I'll give him one that he turns his nose up at, then after a few days of it being untouched, I give him a fresh one and he goes ham for it. They make "liver dusted" cheeks rolls as well. Flint likes those ones usually, at least he likes licking the dusting off.
I bought the octopus and ink fish toy from this site about 4 months ago. I had to cut off the fins, but the rest of these toys are growing strong. Flint loves beating the crap out of them and he hasn't been able to pull them apart so far.
If your dog does destroy one, the company will replace the toy for free one time.
I bought the octopus and ink fish toy from this site about 4 months ago. I had to cut off the fins, but the rest of these toys are growing strong. Flint loves beating the crap out of them and he hasn't been able to pull them apart so far.
If your dog does destroy one, the company will replace the toy for free one time.
Those look promising! Thanks, I’ll give them a tryInvincible snakes have by far been the best long lasting toys for all of ours and they have several squeakers so at least one usually keeps squeaking.
Dog Plush Toys - Stuffed Animals For Dogs & Puppies | PetSmart
Find great deals on PetSmart's selection of plush dog toys. From stuffed animals to comfort objects, our plush toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
That’s ok, & I agree with your point re: obstructive potential. (They get softer toys only w/ supervision, the poly-bone/Kong/indestructible type are the only ones left out.)If your dogs are destroying the toys I'd not leave them with them. Too many Dobermans have died due to swallowing things that end up as an emergency blockage. I just don't take chances. Best toys/brain games that leave them happy in my opinion have their humans on one end of it: a tug, a ball thrown, hide and seek with you, hide and seek with treats around the house. Yeah, I know. You need something to keep them busy because you've been doing this all day already. I never found a toy I trusted not to be a hazard. Bully sticks came close to keeping mine busy but she's a savage chewer and $10 down the hatch in about 20 minutes. Summer time outside I'd give a raw beef spare rib, but that doesn't fly indoors. Mine wouldn't touch the rubber Kongs or anything similar, even with treats in them. Sorry I only have ideas but no answers.
Those look great! (Lovely dogs, too) My pet Christmas shopping is going to be a breeze this year, thanks
Thank you, I’ll give those a try!When Flint takes an interest in the cheek rolls, they last a very long time. It seems to be hit and miss for Flint though. Some cheek rolls he likes more than others it seems. I'll give him one that he turns his nose up at, then after a few days of it being untouched, I give him a fresh one and he goes ham for it. They make "liver dusted" cheeks rolls as well. Flint likes those ones usually, at least he likes licking the dusting off.
I bought the octopus and ink fish toy from this site about 4 months ago. I had to cut off the fins, but the rest of these toys are growing strong. Flint loves beating the crap out of them and he hasn't been able to pull them apart so far.
If your dog does destroy one, the company will replace the toy for free one time.
Rits
Hot Topics Subscriber
I always thought that too so I avoided them for the longest time!
Well that's good to know and it's where I order the bully sticks too. Their service can't be beat either.
I thought they were rawhide too so I've just cruised past them.
Epona
Novitiate
Bully has a good sale on now…..plus a Good Friday extra savings. The sticks have never worked for us. We have Pyrenees and Dobermans. The Pyrenees does not play with toys or fetch etc. He is a working dog and takes his job seriously. Our Dobermans have a great teacher in him for hunting down anything that comes onto the farm. Sorry I digress. I’m going to try the cheeks as discussed above. Just ordered some off the site. Normally, we use beef bones but with winter coming on, I don’t let those messy treats in the house. Cheeks sound like the Doberman might enjoy those in the house laying by the wood stove LOL. The Pyrenees will enjoy his beef laying in the snow. 
Yup, I just ordered with those good discounts. Xmas for dogs is taken care of! (Thanks again, @Rits!)
Wow, those things are huge!! To eat that whole thing in an hour seems like a lot! No digestive problems with those? I'll have to look those up. I've bought a lot of stuff from Bully Bunches. Those might be next!
A few months ago Annie would have a bully stick for days. Not anymore! LOL Even getting the thicker ones lasts maybe an hour.
Big teeth now! 
But she loves them and I always keep a stash!She LOVES a fluffy! She gets so excited to have one and will run around with it for a very long time. She loves to carry things. Outside or inside. But of course there's always those moments where she stops and starts to chew at it. So they are not something I can give her as a standalone/leave it with her unsupervised toy. I have to be watching continually and as soon as she starts tearing it up, it has to be taken away. Sometimes I can sew it up and it will last a little longer. Other times it's just for a temporary thrill and then it's garbage.
I did end up trying the Yak chew, even though some folks didn't like it and it was a hit! It lasts a very long time. Like weeks, because she doesn't chew it all the time or til it's gone like a bully stick. So I would get that again.
As I look around I will show you pictures of toys that have survived my little beast. At least so far.
A friend told me her Great Dane loved this from West Paw so I tried it. She loves it and it hasn't shown a bit of wear and I bought it months ago. She mostly wants me to throw it to fetch but she plays with it by herself too.
This is a glow in the dark ball that I've usually saved just for going outside at night but it's been out lately and she'll play with by herself and even munch on it a bit with no sign of damage. She loves balls! We also have the Chuck It balls but only use them for fetch outside. For all my dogs, past and present, because left to their own defenses, they'd sit and chew them up. They love chasing them for fetch but if I just give it to them, yea, they'd be gone.
I've had these Cuz balls for years. My last Doberman rarely played with them but she loves it. In fact, she was swinging it around as we speak and almost knocked my phone out of my hand!
This treat holder was a favorite for a very long time. Even without treats in it! She loved playing with it. It bounces all over the place and I don't see any damage to it at all. She doesn't play with it as much anymore but its still a favorite.
Folks recommended this. I wasn't sure about it but since it came highly recommended, I gave it a go. Yep, she likes it.
So as I'm sitting here trying to show you a few toys my husband and Annie were playing with several of these. Just now it was this one.
I've had that one for years and nobody seemed to play with it.
But now Annie is taking an interest in it. 
Sorry this is long but you asked for some suggestions and those are mine.
Jumbler.
Kongs with a hollow to stuff treats in and freeze, hand out as a treat to keep them busy knawing for an hour.
Our dogs have always loved the Jumbler when it's a small ball inside of a big one.
Rits
Hot Topics Subscriber
Nope
everything has been great! It's not as rich as a bully sticks so I think that helps a lot.Ripley often brings me the snoop at least once a week and puts it in my lap to tell me to fill it with treats
They do bounce sporadically which makes them pretty entertaining for the dogs even when empty.No apologies, thank you so much for the suggestions!Wow, those things are huge!! To eat that whole thing in an hour seems like a lot! No digestive problems with those? I'll have to look those up. I've bought a lot of stuff from Bully Bunches. Those might be next!
A few months ago Annie would have a bully stick for days. Not anymore! LOL Even getting the thicker ones lasts maybe an hour.
She LOVES a fluffy! She gets so excited to have one and will run around with it for a very long time. She loves to carry things. Outside or inside. But of course there's always those moments where she stops and starts to chew at it. So they are not something I can give her as a standalone/leave it with her unsupervised toy. I have to be watching continually and as soon as she starts tearing it up, it has to be taken away. Sometimes I can sew it up and it will last a little longer. Other times it's just for a temporary thrill and then it's garbage.
I did end up trying the Yak chew, even though some folks didn't like it and it was a hit! It lasts a very long time. Like weeks, because she doesn't chew it all the time or til it's gone like a bully stick. So I would get that again.
View attachment 150912
As I look around I will show you pictures of toys that have survived my little beast. At least so far.
A friend told me her Great Dane loved this from West Paw so I tried it. She loves it and it hasn't shown a bit of wear and I bought it months ago. She mostly wants me to throw it to fetch but she plays with it by herself too.
View attachment 150910View attachment 150909
This is a glow in the dark ball that I've usually saved just for going outside at night but it's been out lately and she'll play with by herself and even munch on it a bit with no sign of damage. She loves balls! We also have the Chuck It balls but only use them for fetch outside. For all my dogs, past and present, because left to their own defenses, they'd sit and chew them up. They love chasing them for fetch but if I just give it to them, yea, they'd be gone.
View attachment 150908
I've had these Cuz balls for years. My last Doberman rarely played with them but she loves it. In fact, she was swinging it around as we speak and almost knocked my phone out of my hand!
View attachment 150907
View attachment 150906
View attachment 150904
This treat holder was a favorite for a very long time. Even without treats in it! She loved playing with it. It bounces all over the place and I don't see any damage to it at all. She doesn't play with it as much anymore but its still a favorite.
Folks recommended this. I wasn't sure about it but since it came highly recommended, I gave it a go. Yep, she likes it.
View attachment 150903
So as I'm sitting here trying to show you a few toys my husband and Annie were playing with several of these. Just now it was this one.
View attachment 150913View attachment 150914
I've had that one for years and nobody seemed to play with it.
Sorry this is long but you asked for some suggestions and those are mine.
Thank you @Rits for the beef cheek recommendation!!!! I have bought those at dog shows, as recently as the Nationals, and they were not the same. I ordered what you suggested, and they are GREAT! I keep one in Falcon's crate in the car - we go somewhere every day...and he has not even got through a whole one yet! And it's been 2 days! He is not in there long, but can rip through a bully stick in 20 minutes.
I am thrilled with these!!!!
I am thrilled with these!!!!
