You cannot have a puppy without puppy toys - the more the better. The truth is that most puppies have more toys than many babies. Puppies are playful and they need to learn - the right toys can help in both areas. But just as you are careful about giving children age appropriate toys, you should do the same with puppies. Any small, removable parts, such as eyes, or strings, can be a choking a hazard to a puppy
The toys should be something that your puppy will enjoy - which usually includes chewing. Providing a variety of chew toys may prevent your puppy from chewing on shoes, purses, and furniture. Ideally, the toys you purchase for your puppy will be made exclusively for puppies and their special needs.
Always insure that there are no sharp edges that could injure the pet and keep in mind that puppies are clumsy. This means that if you throw a ball and want your pet to chase it he may trip or run into something - so it is important that you insure his pathway is clear.
A major hazard for dogs is choking. Insure that items such as balls are appropriately sized. If you allow a dog to play with a ball that is too small he could easily swallow it. That of course would present a medical emergency or worse.
Though popsicle sticks and such items are not exactly toys,
they can sometimes be confused by puppies as a chew toy. These items can be chewed up, splinter, and again, this would be a medical emergency or worse. Always do your best to protect your puppy from such dangers. Another common concern is electrical cords. Puppies love to chew on them. If they chew through to a live wire they could get shocked. Do whatever is necessary to insure that your puppy does not have access to such cords.
The best place to find proper puppy toys is in a pet store. These specially designed puppy toys are created to be safe and fun for the puppies. You can find toys for chewing when they're teething and brightly colored toys to stimulate their interest. Toys that move or roll are ideal. After about 3 months, puppies love chewing. Not only is it his natural instinct, but it also helps them cut their teeth.
It's not necessary to spend a lot of money. If you choose carefully, there are many toys in the children's department that will work well for puppies. Many balls and cylinders that roll are ideal - as long as there are no small or moving parts and the size is appropriate. Another thing to check is the material the object is made of. Insure that your puppy cannot easily chew the object up or apart, because this of course, could be a choking hazard.
Author Resource:-
Tristan Andrews is a freelance author who writes about pet dogs and dog supplies.
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