Puppies are the cutest! As they feel out the world with their big paws, they play every chance they get, whether alone, with other dogs or with their humans. Young dogs are naturally playful. The problem is that conventional dog toys are often too big, too heavy or too unwieldy for young pups, which is why the items in your puppy toy box should be smaller, lighter or soft and cuddly.

Playing contributes greatly to the development of young dogs. In the absence of suitable toys, puppies will naturally look for substitutes and turn to shoes, chair legs or sofa cushions for chewing and gnawing. Don’t let it get to this and offer your pup age-appropriate toys early on. Puppy toys should be stimulating and challenge your dog in different ways. And most importantly: play with your pet! This will strengthen the bond you share.

• Special puppy toys are not only brilliant fun and a great activity for the young dogs; their teeth benefit too: rubber chewing toys for example are great for young dogs to learn to bite down properly, strengthen their jaw muscles and provide welcome relief during teething.
• Treat balls and intelligence toys are also great, as puppies learn to get to the treat inside through trial and error while simultaneously learning coordination through play.
• Hard-wearing fetch toys, soft rings and rope knots make good outdoor puppy toys. Make sure that any items used for active fetch and tug-of-war fit the size of the puppy’s jaw. Dogs with big mouths may swallow small toys while smaller snouts may struggle with fetching.
• Dogs often love to play with cuddly toys and soft toys with tassels. Such toys are not only suitable for puppies (and larger dogs) to carry around and retrieve, but also for snuggling and soothing.

Puppy toys need to be sturdy enough to ensure that they don’t break or injure your pup. A certain durability should also be guaranteed. However, you should never let your pup play with toys unsupervised. The best toy should only be used when you play together, that way it becomes a highlight which can also serve as a special reward. The following objects are completely unsuitable as toys for puppies:

• Regular tennis balls: dirt and sand collect on the surface, creating an abrasive layer which will damage delicate puppy teeth as well as adult dog teeth. There are special tennis balls for dogs which are made of tooth-friendly materials. Appropriate branded products are a good and safe alternative.
• Old shoes or cast-off clothes: puppies cannot yet distinguish between what they can and cannot gnaw on. Giving them old garments to play with will result in playful attacks on your wardrobe and should definitely be avoided.
• Wooden sticks: wood can splinter and cause injuries to the throat and tongue, even in an adult dog.

Squeaky toys for puppies are a contentious issue among canine experts. With very young dogs that do not yet have good bite inhibition, enthusiasm for squeaky toys can quickly lead them down the wrong path when the squeaks are interpreted as a reward for biting hard, for example. The constant squeaking can also get extremely irritating for humans, so be sure to alternate with squeakless toys. It is best to wait until bite inhibition has developed before using squeaky toys, and they should be used sparingly. Save them as a reward for good behaviour or to celebrate small successes for example.
With or without a squeaker, if you’re looking for puppy toys, manufacturers like AniOne, Kong and Hunter know exactly what young pups want! And at Maxi Zoo you can buy high-quality puppy toys at attractive prices online.