Hi
We currently leave my dog in her crate when we're out (for short times), as she seems to prefer it to being loose in the house, but that leaves her with nothing to do but dwell on her woes.
What toys can I leave with her that are safe and stimulating for her to play with when I'm out, as all the toys I've seen say that they are for supervised play only?
Thanks very much
Clare, by email
Different dogs prefer different toys so you might want to experiment with a variety of things. Food activity toys tend to go down well with most dogs and can last a while. Kongs are always top of the list as they are so easy to use and can be filled with almost anything! You can even freeze them so they take even longer to empty. Great for teething pups or on a hot day. Other food toys include the Kong wobbler or treat balls. Both can be filled with dry food and the dog learns to move them in order to get the food out the hole. Your next options are chew toys such as Nylabones, marrow bones or Stagbars. All are safe as long as your dog wont chew them to nothing in a number of hours-most of these types last for days if not weeks. Then of course you have all manner of play toys ranging from tennis balls, rope toys, squeaky toys etc. These do have the potential to be a choking hazard if chewed and swallowed so care must be taken if you have a dog likely to destroy toys. Definitely avoid rawhide chews as these are a definite choking risk and should only ever be given when supervised if at all.
ReplyDeleteDogs should never be left imprisoned in a crate unsupervised.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you need to address the issues of why your dog prefers to be in a cage when you are not at home. Is it seperation anxiety? Does your dog wreck the place?
ReplyDeleteI don't think a cage is cruel as long as the dog is not in it for hours on end, but must be big enough to move around and stand up in, and also care must be taken that the cage does not suddenly get caught in the sun, as the day progresses.
If using a stuffed Kong, then perhaps use a portion of your dogs daily diet in it, to help with weight control.