Happy Pit Bull

Dog Toys and Treats
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Dozer is a very strong, enthusiastic chewer. Felanie is a medium-strength chewer. Over time I've learned which toys survive and which are a waste of money. All of the toys on this page have been tested by my dogs, for better or worse (except where noted).

Tough Toys

Kong Toy
The Kong is a multi-purpose toy that no dog should be without. It serves as a chew toy, throw toy, and food puzzle. Stuff the insides with dog treats or peanut butter to keep your dog busy and quiet! Black Kongs are best for hard chewers. Dishwasher safe.
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Galileo Nylabone
The Galileo Bone is one tough chew toy! Even the hardest chewer will take months to go through one of these. Although they are expensive, they are worth the price. I consider these a staple toy. Dishwasher safe.
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Kong Ball
For dogs who chew tennis balls into pieces in minutes, the Kong Ball is the answer to their prayers. This solid rubber ball is tough! Dozer never goes anywhere without his Kong Ball.

A note about sizing: The largest size ball is best for dogs with very large mouths (Dozer size and up). Medium-large sized dogs like Felanie have a hard time catching it and carrying it. However, the next size down (good for medium-large sized dogs) will actually go through the spaces in a chain link fence if you are (un)lucky, so I don't recommend playing fetch near chain link with anything other than the largest Kong.
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Cuz Toy
Tired of buying squeaky toys only to have your dog puncture the squeaker within five minutes? This tough rubber toy is similar to the Kong ball in strength, but has a hardy squeaker inside. The only problem - the feet can be gnawed off by vigorous chewers. However, in this case I don't think bigger is better. I got the largest Cuz toy, and it was actually so tough that Dozer couldn't squeeze it enough to make it squeak (and actually neither could Felanie). Be sure you choose the right size for your dog and err on the small side if necessary.

Update: I have seen new variants on the Cuz toys that are not, I repeat, not tough! The Cuz I'm talking about here is very heavy and solid, very similar to a Kong ball. The newer Cuz toys are much more flimsy. If you're looking for a tough toy, do not get the newer versions (however, the new ones do come in really cute shapes).
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Large Triple Crown® Everlasting TreatsTM for Dogs
This peculiar chew toy reminds me of a half of a coconut... sort of. It's a basically a huge, hard treat. A variety of flavors. Although I consider this a tough toy, it should be noted that my own dogs have never had one of these. I have seen other dogs chew on it and it seems extremely solid.
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Nylabone Puppy Starter Kit
Great chew bones for your puppy. Comes in several flavors. I have given these to my foster puppies and it keeps them nice and quiet. Big dogs will destroy in minutes, however.
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Quirkies Dog Toys
These chew toys make amusing giggly noises when knocked about. They are not for really tough chewers but most dogs will do fine with them. Watch to be certain the dog doesn't chew it up, because the noisemaker inside is small enough to swallow. Otherwise, a very entertaining toy.
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Rope Toy
Make sure you get one that's big enough for your dog. Upside - these are great for tug-of-war games, and a little hardier than a stuffed toy. Downside - the rope will slowly come apart as it is chewed, leaving little strings all over your carpet and tangled up inside your vacuum cleaner bristles.

I don't recommend the ones with various doodads attached (plastic rings, handles, plush toys, balls, etc..) because they are more expensive, and the doodads are rarely strong enough to withstand any chewing, so it's not worth the higher price.
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Hedgehog Stuffed Toy
This stuffed toy withstands ripping and tearing just a little bit more than average because of its compact size. Very few hanging appendages. Fits neatly in a big dog's mouth and oh so cute. Felanie loved hers... until Dozer found it.
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Plush Jack Toy
I don't know a single dog owner who hasn't bought this toy at least once. I've been suckered into buying it several times. Upside - it has six squeakers (one in each arm). Downside - it has six arms for easy ripping and tearing. But... so cute...
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Rattlers Fleece Dog Toy
These are great for puppies. Some puppies have trouble with squeaker toys (not strong enough to get them to make noise), but this toy will make noise at the slightest nudge. My foster puppies have always loved these, and Dozer loved his when he was a puppy. These can be okay for gentle big dogs, but they are not for chewers. Easily ripped, and the noise mechanism can also be chomped to bits and swallowed by a determined chewer.
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Crazy Ball
An entertaining food puzzle. The dog pushes the ball around and little bone-shaped treats come out. The makers intend for it to be used with their treats only, but you can stuff in other treats if you want. Only downside - very hard to load, since you are trying to fill up the inner ball, and it is determined to work against you by spinning around and dropping treats out the opposite side.
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BusterCube
Crazy Ball too easy for your dog? The BusterCube has different "levels" of difficulty, and since it has flat sides, it takes a bit of effort to get the puzzle to roll around. If your dog is timid, or new to the whole food puzzle thing, this may not be a good choice. But if your dog really loves a challenge (and you have lots of open space in your house or yard), this Cube is a great purchase. It is not a chew toy but can withstand vigorous chewing nevertheless.

Words to the wise: This thing is noisy on solid surfaces. Also, it fits perfectly under coffee tables and beds. If you are not watching your dog and the cube gets stuck somewhere, your dog may attempt to solve the problem by, uh, "removing" your furniture. Piece by piece.
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Claudia's Canine Cuisine Assortment
I think I get a bigger kick out of these than the dogs do. They look delicious, and my husband almost ate one, thinking I had made cookies.
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Jumbone
I'm sure you've all seen the commercials by now and probably wondered "Do dogs really dream of Jumbones?" I did, so I bought a couple of these for the fun of it. They didn't last long, but my dogs enjoyed every minute. Last I checked, though, Dozer was still dreaming about his Kong ball, and Felanie was dreaming about the day when Dozer would let her play with his Kong ball.
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Snack Bone Edibles
A rawhide based bone. I like to buy these edible bones for special occasions now and then. Don't expect them to last long, especially if your dog is a hard chewer. They can get sort of gross and sticky after a lot of chewing, so I don't recommend letting your dog eat them on carpet. These come in a lot of different flavors.
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Rawhide "Candy Cane"
Cute! Warning: do not hang these on your Christmas tree. It's really cute until your dog figures it out - and it's really not funny when you're sweeping up shattered ornaments. As with all rawhide, do not leave your dog unattended with these treats.
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