Dog toys are never just toys. Each kind offers certain benefits and chases a specific goal. However, not many new dog owners know the difference between various types of toys. Therefore, they miss a lot of opportunities to make their puppies even smarter than they already are. So let’s figure out what are different toys for.

Chew toys

A lot of owners think of every toy as of a chewing one. Of course, the dog can chew on anything, but the toy explicitly made for this stands out among others. They are usually very durable so that animals doesn't destroy the item quickly. Deer horns are the perfect example of such toys. They will last for a very long time and keep the dog busy. You can read reviews on pet-store.org to pick the most durable toy for your pet.

The primary purpose of the chew toy is to keep the puppy away from chewing on everything else. Puppies go through teeth changes and they need to chew something. So it's better to offer them a toy for this instead of blaming them for destroying your stuff. And grown-up dogs can simply entertain themselves with such toys. The secondary purpose of chew toys is to clean the teeth. Manufacturers even offer items with holes and bumps that will help with cleaning. You can cover the toy in toothpaste for dogs to enhance the results.

Tug toys

It is crucial to play tug games with dogs. It improves the connection between the puppy and the owner teaching the animal how to focus on the handler. That’s why many dog trainers use tug game as a reward during the lesson. You should play with your puppy tugging a toy both at home and outside during the walks. That’s how you will teach it to be attentive to you.

Tug toys come in different forms. The most obvious one is the rope. Also, there are tug toys shaped as long animals or any other objects. The Puller is a mix of tug and chase kind of toys. Sometimes even frisbee is used as a tug toy.

Chase toys

Dogs love chasing, and we can turn this love into a nice active game. Teach your puppy to fetch you items. Then it will have fun chasing a toy, and at the same time, the dog will fetch it back learning to stay focused on you. Such game improves the connection between the owner and the pup. Also, it helps to flush all the energy the dog has. Pretty much any toy you can throw is a chase toy. The best examples are balls, a puller because it jumps and rolls, and a frisbee, of course.

Food-stuffed toys

Toys like KONGs can be stuffed with food to keep your dog entertained for a long time. It is a great thing to have if you leave your puppy alone for a long time. Another kind of food-stuffed toys is puzzle games with pockets where you can hide food. The dog will have to figure out how to open the pocket. Therefore, such a toy improves its intellect.