Dog toys are invaluable tools for a dog owner. Not only will your pet love them, you will too because of how useful they can be. There is now a wide variety of toys available on the market—just take a walk down the toy aisle at your local pet or big box store. There is no end to the options available. But in the wide range of options, there are some that are invaluable tools to help keep your dog engaged and not destructive.
The best dog toys will help keep them playful while not chewing on your pants legs or furniture! This is particularly great with busy bodies like Scottish Terriers.
There are numerous reasons why getting dog toys and chew toys for your Scottie is a fabulous idea:
– Scottish terrier puppies love to chew – You should invest in a large number of soft toys and chew toys for your puppies. During the first year of their lives, these puppies will chew on anything they can get their jaws on. Dog toys will help address this instinct and protect your furniture and pants legs from tiny fangs.
– Scottish terriers love to dig – These little dogs will dig up your whole yard if given a chance. Rather than letting them have free reign of your yard or no space at all to practice this instinct, designate a portion of your yard for digging. Bury toys with treats in them like Kongs to keep dogs engaged once they unearth the toy, keeping them from digging further.
– If you’d rather your pet didn’t dig in the yard at all, you could get a small sand box or a similar area and bury toys in it that way. Outside of these areas, practice dog training to keep your pet from turning your lawn into Swiss cheese.
– Scottish terriers are endlessly independent – Scotties are not lap dogs and they never will be. They love to explore and be the boss of their own worlds. To help keep them busy on their adventures, stock up their toy piles. While they’re out of your sight, toys will help keep them from destructive behavior like chewing, rearranging and clawing.
When looking for dog toys to keep your Scottie busy, it’s always best to think of their size. These small dogs should have toys that are proportionate to their stature. It’s funny to see a small dog dragging out a big toy, but smaller toys won’t strain them or become a choking hazard.
Similarly, the material a toy is made out of is important. Hard or brittle dog toys are not recommended for Scotties. Because these dogs love to chew, hard toys could chip or break their teeth and then also become a choking hazard. Soft toys made of natural or organic synthetic materials are the best choice.
Some toys can also be processed with chemicals and dyes, so you need to take care when choosing them as they will spend a lot of time in your pet’s mouth and system. Minimizing your dog’s exposure to these types of chemicals can help protect their health.
There are also a growing number of indestructible dog toys on the market. These toys are made of a synthetic, non-porous material that can be cleaned between uses. These toys are also recommended as dental toys because they don’t wear out the dog’s teeth, so they’re perfect for dogs that love to chew. The raised bristles on these toys also rub against teeth to control tartar build-up and plaque.
With Scottish terriers, toys are critical. Whether you like it or not, these adorable little dogs will chew through everything. Having a bevy of toys available will help keep these busy, independent dogs productive and purposeful during their time alone.
