I’d get Her Coal but She’d destroy That too . . .
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I never thought the hardest family member to shop for would be my dog, and yet here I am in another holiday season, aimlessly wandering the aisles of my local big-box pet store or cruising the websites of everywhere else. Sure, I could get her treats and edibles (and I’ll probably throw a few in her stocking), but I want to get her something she’ll actually enjoy–something she can play with, but something she can play with for more than the 15 minutes it takes her to absolutely destroy it.
And before you start offering up ideas as to what to get her, let me fill you in a bit more on my Destruct-o-corg’s toy history.
Anything stuffed or even soft (like those stuffing-less, long foxes) is out. ANYTHING. Those “tiger-tested” super tough toys? 20 minutes TOPS and she has a hole in it. I’m also not crazy about picking up stuffing and squeaker remains or seeing them in her leavings–that can’t be good for a dog. Also, if a toy has “fur,” she delights in ripping it out.
Kongs are boring unless they have food in them and after the food is gone they’re boring again. (And little miss chunky butt doesn’t need toys that require calories to hold her interest.)
Those super hard dura-chew nylabone thingies? Those are too hard and no fun.
Tennis balls are almost right away de-felted, and they don’t stay together that well after they’ve been SKINNED.
ANYTHING made out of a rope is quickly unknotted and then unbraided. (I know; I should have named her Houdini)
Any of those all rubber/plastic squeaky toys are soon chewed into pieces. (Plus I think that while giving her that one shaped like a foot was funny, it could have encouraged undesirable behavior . . . you know, if it had lasted more than 5 minutes.)
Even the thick rubber toys, if one has any part that sticks out (branches, spikes, nubs, etc.), she will hone her fine motor skills on utterly destroying each little part before moving on to the whole.
Honestly, the only things she really has now are balls. We found a few really good, thick bouncy balls with either no holes or holes too small for her to “widen” on the path to utter and total toy annihilation. I also picked up a $5.00 soccer ball in the sporting goods section that she wasn’t able to completely decimate. (Corgis are herding dogs, so she likes to push it around with her nose.) But I’d really like for her to have a toy or two. (She’s not the best at bringing the ball back, causing “fetch” to be a pretty one-sided affair at times.)
I am aware that most if not ALL dog toys tell you to supervise your dog while he or she is playing with them, but I don’t think being able to walk away for 10 minutes is too much to ask. Then again, I think of the dog toy manufacturers probably think a dog that isn’t hell bent on finding and exploiting every single toy’s weakness isn’t too much to ask either.
Do you have a toy-destroyer? Have you found anything that lasts and the dog likes?
dog Toys