Toys cover a range of different items including balls, ropes, pulls, tug toys and soft toys. This range reflects the variation in behaviour and needs between individual dogs. Some dogs will benefit from toys which they can carry, e.g. soft toys, others will benefit from those which provide mental stimulation, e.g. activity feeders, and some the opportunity for interactions between dogs and owners or between dogs, e.g. pull/tug toys.
Suitable toys must:
* be made of a non-toxic, robust, durable material which is not dangerous if ingested
* be easy to clean/washable
* have rounded edges so as to minimise the risk of injury
* not have detachable parts, apart from where such parts are part of the design, in which case all parts must be of a suitable size so that they cannot be swallowed
* be labelled for use with dogs of an appropriate size, strength and age so as to prevent injury, not present a choking hazard, or damage teeth if thrown and caught
* be labelled for use only under owner supervision, (for balls, ropes, pulls and tug toys) and discarded once damaged (especially relevant for squeaky toys and soft toys).
