Tough toys for your dog: Session II

After the fun they had destroying Orbee and Cuz toys, Ziggy and Bosley turned their attention to the toys designed primarily for chewing.

Note: Dogs were supervised during chew sessions to prevent choking or ingestion of toys. Never leave your dog unsupervised with a toy.

Kong toys have a reputation for standing up to the hardest chewers. Designed in a variety of sizes and textures, Kong produces toys for dogs both small and large. Having destroyed smaller Kongs in the past, Ziggy tried the Large regular Kong, in red, and the Extra Large “Extreme” Kong, in black, was provided to Bosley. Kongs are rubber toys designed with a hole in the center. An owner can place a variety of treats inside the hole and the dog must chew and lick to retrieve them. Interactive and lots of fun, the dogs enjoyed just chewing on empty Kongs too. Ziggy was never able to inflict serious damage to his large Kong, even after days of hour-long chew sessions. However, when Bosley was given no-holds-barred access to his XL Extreme Kong the poor toy met its end after a half an hour. The hole proved to be a structural weakness, giving Bosley the option of tearing the Kong into pieces, level by level.

The first toy that was able to withstand both of my testers was a Durable Nylabone. Made from nylon and molded into a solid plastic bone shape, the Durable Nylabone lives up to its claims to be one tough chew toy. For seven days, each dog was given access to one of the Souper Nylabones for one hour. They both did some good damage but the structure of the bone remained. The bones come in a variety of sizes and flavors. The Nylabones, especially Chicken flavor, were a hit and both dogs loved to chew on them. However, the chewed down sections of the bone do become sharp after repeated use. While the company says the tiny ingested pieces are harmless and that the “grooves” that appear during chewing help to keep teeth clean, I would recommend retiring the toy once the edges become sharp to the touch. It is common sense not to let your dog chew on something sharp, no matter what the company says.

Towards the end of the toy trials it seemed as if Nylabone would be crowned the winner, if for no other reason than it was the only chew toy left standing. But this is a title I wasn’t 100% satisfied giving to Nylabone. Even though they are tough as nails, Durable Nylabones eventually become as sharp as nails too. But there was one last competitor to test.

GoughNuts are new on the dog toy scene and are very simple. No squeaker, no flavors, no treat pockets, no frills. GoughNuts are shaped much like the pastry of a similar name and made from natural rubber. Three types are available. The original toy is green and measures 5 inches across. There is a smaller version measuring 3.75 inches across for smaller dogs as well. However, the toy Bosley got his jaws on was the GoughNuts Black. This is the even tougher version of the already tough GoughNuts design. The same size as the original, GoughNuts Black differs in color and strength. Even though the original GoughNuts toy is designed for heavy chewers, Bosley had already disposed of an Extreme Kong and I wasn’t taking chances.

Bosley tests a Nylabone

When first introduced to the GoughNuts, Bosley did exactly that. He went nuts chewing that toy until I took it away nearly an hour later. Upon inspection it seemed to be intact. Some light scratches on the surface were the only indication it was not brand new. On the second day of testing Bosley got another chance to prove his worth as a destructive force of nature and failed again. The picture to the right shows the toy after nearly three months of on and off chewing.

GoughNuts toys are designed with a safety indicator. The outer layer of rubber is colored green (or black) with an inner layer of red. If your dog is able to chew away enough of the outer layer to reveal the red inner layer, take the toy away. If the red section is revealed it indicates too much rubber has been chewed off and the toy should be taken away. The material is not toxic but, as with any toy, if eaten could cause an intestinal blockage. For this reason, if your dog is able to reach the red indicator within the toy:

“GoughNuts Guarantee - If your dog chews through the outside wear layer, Green or Black, to expose the indication layer, Red, GoughNuts will replace your toy.”

Three months and counting!

The combination of this toy’s toughness and safety are enough to make me declare GoughNuts as the toughest toy I’ve purchased. Granted, they are not as exciting to my dogs as the more destructible toys. Dogs like things they can tear apart. I still buy toys with squeakers inside, flavored Nylabones or even stuffed toys when they are on sale. However, I purchase them with the understanding that these toys are doomed and the money spent on them… gone forever. Nothing is indestructible but I still have the GoughNuts I purchased months ago and there is no indication I will need to replace it soon.

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