Toys not only entertain your pet but they also challenge him, keep his mind occupied, exercise him, clean his teeth and provide a wonderful way for you to interact with your dog.

From my experience, when our Weimaraner gets a new toy he gets very excited.  Somehow I think he knows - maybe from the rattle of the bag or the look in my eye, that I have something new for him to play with.

Almost all dogs love to chew, and toys give them an appropriate item to chew on.  This is especially important to young pups while they go through their teething stage.  Dancer's favorite (ever since he was young) are soft plush toys.  They are easy for him to carry around, they are washable and they make some pretty unusual sounds.  Now that he's older, he still loves his plush toys, but now he tends to go for the internal squeaker or squawker first and ends up removing it.  We also try to limit the number of toys he has at one time,  just so we can give him a new one every few weeks or so to make things a little more interesting.  Do you plan on taking your dog to a boarding facility?  Be sure to take along his favorite toy!

Toys also clean teeth.  Clean teeth are so very important to the health of your dog.  There are soft plush toys, rope toys, and many new toys on the market designed to maximize teeth cleaning and massage the gums.

There are also many toys on the market designed to exercise both you and your dog.  Tennis balls, Frisbees and "Chuck It's" new Flying Squirrel are just a few.  Do you have a swimmer?  There are many toys on the market that also float.  We use a small stuffed, canvas dummy that we sometimes dab with bird scent purchase at a local sporting store.  We then hide the dummy in the tall grass for him to find or toss it into a nearby pond for him to swim out to and retrieve.   No matter what you and your dog's favorite toy is, you will be providing positive interaction and exercise for the two of you.

Toys can also challenge your dog. Try a "Kong Toy" for instance.  We like to take these heavy rubber hollow toys and put treats inside of them and then plug the opening with some peanut butter.  You can find a lot of toys on the market in which to hide a bit of his favorite food or treats in. 

Last, just like you would for your children, inspect your pet's toys on a regular basis.  Look for cracks or small fragments that he could swallow.  Always choose the proper size toy for you dog.  Don't give a large dog a small toy that he could swallow and  remember to replace those ropes and plush toys when they become to badly ripped or frayed.