Aussie Naturals Jute Crinkler

I saw this toy at Pet Food Express and thought it looked like a durable, eco-friendly toy for Louie. The tag didn't provide very much information about what the toy was actually made of so I did some research when I got home. Here's what I learned about the product:

"A recycled plastic water bottle makes the crinkle sound. This natural dog toy is made of Jute plant fiber with no use of any chemical. Jute fiber is 100% natural and bio-degradable. Very durable with 8 layers of Jute fabric. Jute is a vegetable fiber grown in India and is the strongest natural fiber in the world."

Louie goes crazy for plastic bottles so my initial reasoning for buying this toy was because I thought you could replace the plastic bottle inside. After I got it home, I realized that the bottle is not replaceable so that really bummed me out. After reading about the Jute fiber being "the strongest natural fiber in the world" I was convinced I had found a great, durable, long-lasting toy for Louie; however, I'm not totally convinced.

The hook on the top (which I assume is for retail purpose only) was immediately bitten off which caused the stitching to come unraveled and some fibers to be pulled. The bottom part of the product is also unraveling where the seams come together. He was allowed to play with it for only 30 minutes before I hid it from him since I could tell he was in destruction mode after pulling the hook off. The fibers are very pliable and loose when chewed on which I'm sure contributes to the ease of unraveling. The fibers come out easily once the stitching starts to unravel so I'm not sure how long this toy will actually last. It's been in the closet, out of reach for about 3 weeks so I'll give in another try when I'm home to observe him with it.

Overall, I'm disappointed that the toy is marketed with very little information about what the toy is made of and it's 'durability'. I think the toy has potential and needs to be manufactured differently to prevent weak spots (the hook) and strengthen the stitching which holds everything together. The website where I found the information about the toy is www.bigdogsonlystore.com, since I couldn't actually find a website for Aussie Naturals Dog Toys, another turn-off. It shows about 10 or so products made of Jute but lists them much higher than what Pet Food Express sells them for. The other products at Pet Food Express ranged from $6.99 for a small horseshoe shape to $11.99 for this crinkler.

Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug

A friend's mom found this toy for their new puppy and it seemed to get great reviews from them so I bought one for Louie. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to our expectations.

The product description online: "Ultimate interactive toy allows your pet to see treats, smell treats and hear treats. The textured rubber wrap serves as a chew toy and cleans teeth. Made with non-toxic bullet-proof material."

It is made of a very hard plastic, with the 'cap' of the bottle made of a soft rubber and a rubber rope pull running through it. The bottom unscrews and you fill the bottle with small enough treats to come out the top opening, around the rope. The flaw is that the rope pull is such bad quality that even if I bent it in half, it would've snapped. So Louie had no trouble destroying that part within 5 seconds of playing with it. It still took him some time to get his treats out and kept him occupied for awhile. Once he figured out where the treats were coming from, he chewed the spiky cap off, which didn't affect the dispensing of treats. What did ultimately damage the toy was when he cracked and broke the plastic neck of the bottle, and eventually the screw-on bottom.

On top of the poor rubber quality, the other problem with this product is that the company markets it differently online and in-store. Pictures online show the toy with a cloth rope instead of the rubber one shown online. After reading some customer reviews, they claim that they were sent the rubber rope version instead of the cloth one shown. Many reviewers also had an issue with the rope pull being easily broken. I will give credit to those who improvised and used other objects as an obstacle.

All things considered, the toy is a wonderful idea. The improvements need to come in the way of more durable rubber parts and a realistic product picture/description for online purchases. I am contemplating buying a smaller version (since the bottle is really big) and taking the rope out and replacing it with a ping-pong ball to act as an obstacle instead. It probably won't solve the problem of him chewing the spiky part off, but I think it will still keep him occupied.

I bought this toy at Target for $11.99 but there are lots of websites which sell it. I found the reviews on amazon.com. The company (Busy Buddy) has other products which promote interactive, independent activity so I'll see about testing other products of theirs.

Kong Training Dummy

I'd like to start by saying that I didn't purchase this toy for Louie and it's not accessible to him on a daily basis. That being said, the rating and review may be a bit skewed. Dan's mom, Carol, bought it for her Golden Retriever, Chase. So when Louie goes over for play dates, they like to play tug-of-war together (as seen above) and whip it around.

This 'dummy' toy, is a fun interactive toy for him and Chase to play with together. It has held-up for about 6 months now of occasional tug-of-war between the two of them. It's usually outside and since it is Chase's toy, and he doesn't have an issue with destruction, it's available to him always. I've seen people use it at the lake as a retrieval toy (which is what it is supposed to be for) and held-up really well in the water and with other dogs.

It's basically a classic Kong filled with foam and a rope going through it. It does have a tendency for the foam inside the kong to pull-out when the rope is pulled hard. I'm not blaming that on a strong-jawed dog, since it seems like a common problem when you play tug-of-war with any dog. The rope part is beginning to fray a bit which I do contribute to Louie's tendency of destroying ropes. But I will say that the rope isn't made of 'soft' fabric (like cotton or a blend), instead it is made of woven plastic which is way more durable. This is definitely a fun toy for them to play with and provides us with entertainment!

Side Note: If you haven't purchased a Kong toy for your dog yet, get one. It was a lifesaver when we were training Louie as a puppy. It curbs boredom, separation anxiety, and keeps him occupied for hours. It is made of a very durable soft, thick rubber and it is made to stuff treats into. There are so many different shapes, sizes, and uses for Kongs, there really is no reason to not have one for your dog.

Everlasting Treat Ball

Found this new toy at Bow Wow Meow in San Carlos. We decided to test out this toy because the packaging says that it "stops destructive boredom behaviors, provides hours of mental stimulation, and is virtually indestructible." Once we got it home, in an attempt to get the toy out, I destroyed the packaging so I wasn't able to take a picture of it, my apologies! The first picture is Louie patiently waiting to play with it and shows the "everlasting treat" in the top of the toy... It comes with two treats and the ball has two sides so you could put both in there if you wanted. I placed some smaller treats on the other side just to see if other treats worked. My gripe is that the treats that come with the toy are held in by a small lip which when the toy is squeezed, the treat pops-out. The second picture is the illustration of this happening. The smaller treats I placed on the other side created a great challenge for him and kept him occupied for about a 1/2 hour. The treat that came with it seemed to go untouched until the other ones were gone so I'm not sure how appetizing they are.

I purchased the 'Medium' size; I guess I didn't pay attention to the packaging very well since it says it's recommended for dogs under 40 lbs., and Louie is around 65 lbs. I can't recall if there was a larger size but I do remember seeing a smaller size. After 3+ hours of playing with it, it's living up to its claims of being "virtually indestructible". The good thing is that even without the treats, Louie loves it. It bounces around and rolls really easily so it keeps him entertained.

Since Bow Wow Meow is classified as a boutique store, the price was higher than what you might find elsewhere. At $22.99, I'm sure you can find it online for less but I haven't seen it in PetSmart or my local pet store yet. I'll do some research but if you want to look for it, the manufacturer is Star Mark.

** UPDATE: It is at PetSmart now; same price as Bow Wow Meow ($22.99) but the treats are $1.00 less at Pet Food Express than at PetSmart and Bow Wow Meow.

Check out this website

http://www.fetchdog.com/

I can't recall how I found this website but I am so glad that I did. I am telling you about this site since I think it's important to share when I've found something worth talking about (which is why I have a blog about dog toys!). The previous 3 posts have been regarding toys which I ordered from this website and I really can't tell you how grateful I am.

This website has everything from car & travel supplies, to training supplies and lots of unique dog 'accessories'. On it's homepage, it has highlights featured products, new arrivals, best sellers, and staff favorites. I think the staff favorites section is invaluable since it provides direct feedback from people who work there, use the product and trust it. The 'dog toy' section is designed to find exactly what type of toy you are looking for: chew toys, plush toys, interactive toys, toss & retrieve toys, tug toys. This is helpful since I know which categories to avoid: plush! The best part is that within the categories, there is a rating of TUFF CHEW. I know to look for that when I'm browsing the toys. Tons of beds, crates, blankets, grooming supplies, supplements, food bowls, treats, waste and odor products, etc etc etc! The collars on it are really unique, none of which I have seen at the local pet stores. I think it's fun to have a distinctive, special collar for your dog; I don't want the generic collar because he's not a generic dog! Even if you aren't a dog owner, it really is a site that you should check out.

BONUS: When I received my order, I also got a catalog (which you can view online), two $20 off coupons for an order over $100 and two $10 off coupons for an order over $50. If you'd like to use a coupon, please let me know and I can email you the promotion code. They expire on 12/31/09.

Throw Me A Rope Ball Dog Toy

(Green toy: "Chewy Shoe Dog Toy", Blue toy: "Frisbee with Sole", Red toy: "Throw Me a Rope Ball Dog Toy", Orange toy: "Throw Me a Rope Bone Dog Toy")

Toy #3 of 3 from fetchdog.com: Throw Me a Rope Ball Dog Toy 3". Now, I'm not admitting that I know my measurements very well but even so, I usually order the 'medium' if not the largest offered sizes for toys. When I opened the package, I was disappointed to find that it was pretty small. As the picture shows, it is a ball with a rope going through it. I wasn't so concerned of the size of the ball but more so for the size of the rope. Louie has a talent for undoing rope knots to get the toy off of them, then he shreds the rope. It took him only a few hours to do that to this toy but I was going to cut the rope off anyways. I can rate the rope part of the toy as easy to destroy but the ball needs it own rating of amazing.

As in a previous post, I stated the need for a tennis ball like toy that could be thrown and fetched more than once. The bigger ball (big cosmos) is more of a fun, roll around, independent-play ball for Louie. But this ball is great for the park and is more fun for interacting since it's easily thrown and caught. It has what I call notches on it so it doesn't bounce very easily, but does makes it a challenge to chase after it. It went with us to the park last night and the other dog owners were very intrigued by it. Most of them didn't have an issue with tennis balls like we do (i.e. their dogs didn't obliterate them like Louie!) but liked that it was durable and the dogs seemed to like that it rolled around in unpredictable directions.

The picture shown above shows the toys that this manufacturer offers. The website states that they are "made of 100% rubber reclaimed from the manufacture of high-quality Vibram-soled boots, these dog toys are non-toxic and nearly indestructible." Which I think is really cool!

Prices range from $14.95 to $19.75 (depending on sizes). At the time of this post there was a SALE on the rope and bone toys for $15.00 each.

Big Dog Cosmos Dog Toy

This is #2 of 3 toys which I ordered from fetchdog.com. This ball caught my attention from the description (see below) which I could totally relate to. All the 'indestructible' tennis balls that I've ever brought home haven't even lasted 5 minutes out of the plastic packaging and the regular tennis balls end up in pieces at the park or all over the carpet. I searched and tested lots of balls in hopes of finding something that could stand-up to his strong jaw, last more than 5 minutes and be a fun fetch toy. Found!

The fetchdog.com website says:

"Because a tennis ball just won't cut it for big dogs, we now have the Big Dog Cosmos dog toy. These Orbee-Tuff dog balls are recyclable, non-toxic, buoyant, bouncy and mint-flavored. Hide his big healthy treats in a secret built-in treat pocket for extra games. What more could he ask for?"

I wouldn't classify Louie as a 'big dog' but he fits the need and description of this ball. This ball is surprisingly buoyant, definately bouncy and smells minty fresh. I credit Louie's chewing abilities to him having clean teeth but this toy adds a minty-flavor that even after all it has been through, still smells minty! I haven't hidden treats inside the ball since he seems to like the toy by itself. I can definately vouch for it's durability; It came with us on a camping trip 2 days after we got it and was really put to the ultimate test: 5 dogs, a lake and rocky, rough terrain. It came back in one piece! The only fatality was the word 'sol' printed on the ball that wore off... but who cares?! There are no discernible tears or holes in it. I find that surprising since it's a very flexible, squishy material but I think that's why it's able to endure such a beating.

This one is probably Louie's favorite toys! We have to hide it from him at night because he'll be playing with it or chewing on it and fall asleep with it, then wake-up and play all over again. Bonus: The fetchdog.com website shows this ball on sale for $15.99 right now. Seriously, get one!

Eco Blast Interactive Dog Toy

In search of new toys to write about, I checked-out a website called fetchdog.com and ordered 3 new toys for Louie. I have to say, I am impressed!! The first one I saw was the eco blast interactive dog toy. The website describes it as follows:

"With the unpredictable bounce of the Eco Blast dog toy, your fetch-obsessed dog will need to learn a few new moves. Made of recyclable, non-toxic Zogoflex™, this interactive dog toy is bouncy, buoyant and endlessly chewable. A built-in treat compartment lets you incorporate extra rewards."

I describe it as really fun! This toy is like 3-in-1: chew toy, treat holder and good for retrieving. The toy itself is flexible since the middle is open but the knobs on the ends are very durable. He loves to grab the top of the toy and press all the sides together; he does this endlessly until it pops out of his mouth and he chases it around. I wouldn't say that Louie is 'fetch-obsessed' but this toy does keep his interest since it bounces around in every which way. The 'treat compartment' is a little on the small side so some of his treats have to be broken down (which makes it super easy to get out) or really wedged in there (which keeps him busy). I haven't tested the bouyancy but all the other attributes have proven true.

He's had this toy for 2 weeks and the only damage thus far is a small tooth tear along the inside edge. It is only noticable when he has it all scrunched-up in this mouth and it doesn't effect the durability of the toy at all. It is awesome, and I highly recommend it! Listed price is $16.95 (see my post regarding the fetchdog.com website).

Nylabone Galileo Bone

As a puppy, Louie really liked the Nylabone puppy pack; however, since he chewed through them so fast, I had to keep a few packs on hand, which got to be pretty expensive. During a trip to Petsmart awhile back, an employee asked me if I needed help finding anything so I tested her knowledge on "heavy chewer" puppy products. She recommended the usual suspects, but after I told her that he demolished those, she pointed out a newer product made by Nylabone. According to Petsmart website it is "molded from virgin DuPont nylon, they are slowly cooled to toughen and reduce brittleness." I bought the "Wolf" bone for $11.99 and Louie has had it for about 6 months now. Aside from the teeth marks, there is no damage to it. He really likes it too because of the challenge to 'destroy' it; it's like a neverending bone for him.

It is incredibly hard so it is not recommended that you toss it to your dog as it could damage their teeth and don't use it a fetch toy as you'll either injure someone or cause property damage! It can be washed with soap and water and sterilized by boiling it without causing any damage to the product. Nylabone products are made in the USA, which is a HUGE plus for me. It comes in 3 different sizes and range from $8.99 - $20.99.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

I hope that the information provided here is not only useful but also inspiring and educational. The true inspiration behind this blog is my dog, Louie. He is an Olde English Bulldogge and has a love for destroying 'industructible' toys. This blog will document our trials of different dog toys, treats and other accessories. As we test all different brands and types of toys, I will tell you the brand name, where you can purchase it, the price and provide a picture (when applicable).

I feel the need to do this so that other dog owners with strong jawed and heavy chewing dogs will know which types of toys are worth spending money on and which to pass up. I encourage all followers to contribute their own opinions and experiences. I am open to suggestions if there is a brand or toy that you feel we should try or that you have had success with and even those which you recommend not to test.

I am confident that with your support, we will get dog toy makers to produce high quality products which are durable, safe and economical. Thank you for your interest and support in this blog.

Cheers!