Instant toy mutilation

[TuffTuck]

When my Jack Russell Terrier, Tucker, is given a toy whether a ball or soft toy. He completely tears it apart. Some of the "tougher" kinds I've bought still don't last. He is only a mere 13 pounds, a fairly smaller dog, yet he goes through toys in a flash leaving remnants of the toy around my house. The most durable (lasted the longest) was a plush type called Awful Mad Kitty by Fat Cat.

Any experience-based suggestions on other types/brands of toys?

Isn't it funny looking? I love it.

 

[puppydog]

Get him a solid rubber ball.

 

[Izzy's Valkyrie]

A lot of people (myself included) have this problem with their dogs. JRT's are notorious for toy destruction. There are some things you can do to alter your dog's toy behaviour such as teaching the leave-it command or training them to simply not destroy the toy or it will be taken from them. Some people just look for more durable toys and keep spending the money (I was) but in this economy it's nice to have a small handful of toys that will last.

Now, do you want to train him not to destroy or get durable suggestions? I can give you toy suggestions, but others will have to tell you how they got their dogs to leave toys in one piece.

Some of my favorite toys that are still in one piece are:
PlanetDog.com: Buy the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff® Orbee Ball - Earth ball - Globe Ball - 5 out of 5 Chompers
PlanetDog.com: Buy the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff® Orbo with Treat Spot? - 4 out of 5 Chompers
Kyjen Original Bungees Stretch & Tug Dog Toys
Plush Dog Toys: Skinneeez Stuffing Free Dog Toys at Drs. Foster & Smith
KONG Wubba - - DogToys.com

 

[TuffTuck]

Now, do you want to train him not to destroy or get durable suggestions? I can give you toy suggestions, but others will have to tell you how they got their dogs to leave toys in one piece.

Hmm I never thought of teaching him not to destroy his toys. I'm curious about both durable toys and training just in case my training comes along slowly. Thank you for your toy suggestions. I once had one of those balls that you listed and I think I'll get one again. I also had one of those Kong Wubba toys, the non-puppy one, and my dog broke into that and he got black stuff all over his face from the inside ball part. So, beware if you currently have one for your dog.

Does anyone know how I could go about teaching him not to butcher his toys?

Here's some background information about him:
He knows when I put something in his face and say "no" that that means to not touch it but I don't think that that is the right idea in this situation. Tucker will play with toys (when he has one) by himself if I am unwilling. He likes to run around with them, shake them, spin in circles with them (if it's a long toy), and bite/chew/pull at them. With tennis balls he likes to pull the green fuzz off then break the ball usually along the seam.

 

[smkie]

As soon as my dogs start to tear up a toy up it goes with a uhoh. GIve it back..play with it nice you keep it..rip it I take it. IT takes only a couple day or so before they get that and that is the end of torn up toys. Once they learn not to tear up their toys they can have much more fun toys that make sounds or more. Well worth every second of the training.

I start with stuffies. IT is easy to see when they start trying to rip it apart or as Pepper did grind the ears off. HEr horsie..her pride and joy squirrel each have a missing ear but that is all. She treasures them both now. I sewed up quite a few ( he was quite the ripper destuffer) before he got the point. I would take it away and ohoh ohoh put it in a bag..and put it on top of the fridge. Letting him watch each step. LEt him watch me sew them up too. AFter he learned not to tear them up he became quite the toy fanatic and would pile all of his up on the sofa like a king in the counting house.

It's just a matter of supervising them while they play with the toy. Don't let them have it when you can't watch. A nylabone or something that is chewable could be left for when you cant supervise. IF it is a pup that needs to chew to loosen teeth than one thing can be left for that. And given when they start to chew other things.

All of my dogs have learned this. NOw we rotate. I have a bear that belonged to Bronki. IT was a child's toy told a story if you squeezed the paw and giggled if you squeezed the middle. The flocked nose has never been chewed. That bear now belongs to Victor and Pepper. It is doing it's second generation. Toys that squeeze do help teach them there is something to do with the toy besides kill it. They just can't go looking for what makes the sueeky sound. Once Pepper found out her horsey made a whinney when you squeezed the foot she became entranced and worked so hard to figure out how to do that. I would never give a toy like that to a dog until it was ready however for batteries would be dangerous.

 

[Zoom]

I bought a toy at a pet expo the other year, I can't remember the name of it right now (I'm not at home or I'd just go find it and tell you), but it held up to my weed-whacker of a foster Lab like you wouldn't believe! This is the same dog who could chew the tops off of black Kongs in about 4 minutes flat if the mood struck her.

Part of the key is to buy a toy just slightly larger than you would normally buy, so they can't get a full grip/pressure on it. This has a squeeky inside to keep them playing and has stood up to quite a bit.

 

[Renee750il]

I second the PlanetDog stuff!

 

[kms1167]

We had a problem with toy destruction early on but were able to train him out of it. One of the things that really stood up to him even in his early days was West Paw Designs Hurley. It is extremely durable and we have had it for over a year. It is a bone shaped rubber toy thats good for fetching and tugging. Our neighbors JRT has played with it and really seemed to like it!

 

[Labyrinth]

I got that toy for our older dog when she was a pup. It lasted all of 5 minutes, lol. The company sent me another one but she destroyed that pretty quick too. Now I mostly stick to rubber squeaky balls.

 

[kms1167]

I got that toy for our older dog when she was a pup. It lasted all of 5 minutes, lol. The company sent me another one but she destroyed that pretty quick too. Now I mostly stick to rubber squeaky balls.

wow im surprised...when our neighbors JRT came over one time she literally destroyed every toy we own except that one! (we were not happy) I guess if they really want to most dogs can pretty much destroy anything.

 

[Labyrinth]

wow im surprised...when our neighbors JRT came over one time she literally destroyed every toy we own except that one! (we were not happy) I guess if they really want to most dogs can pretty much destroy anything.

Abby has always been a very strong chewer. I finally had to start buying the $20 "Virtually" indestructible nylabones. She still manages to chew them up, but they take a long time at least.

 

[smkie]

I start picking up toys pretty quick when i know someone else's dogs are coming over.

 

[kms1167]

Abby has always been a very strong chewer. I finally had to start buying the $20 "Virtually" indestructible nylabones. She still manages to chew them up, but they take a long time at least.

Wow, we had one of those Nylabone's, they are incredibly tough. I cant believe she was able to chew it up! I think ours is still floating around here somewhere - they make pretty good stuff even though its expensive.

 

[lisabobisa]

Domino's really good at destroying toys so I mainly stick to kongs and other hard rubber things. Nylabones are good too, she's yet to chew completely through one although she's made a nice dent.