Tough Toys

[HowlsOfAngels]

I have some very destructive girls, most of your average squeaker toys and stuffies wont last even an hour in my house. So, I only purchase rugged rubber toys, I've found a few that my girls absolutely love and that, thus far, have stayed relatively intact.

Georgia is a six year old, forty pound, Australian Cattle Dog mix. Daisy is an eight month old, seventy pound, Great Pyrenees/Lab mix. And the puppies, of which there are three, are Daisy's half-siblings, they are seven weeks old and average in at fifteen pounds each.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/spot-pup-treads-6-in-rubber-bone-2441383 (Daisy is working this over right now, and after a week of her powerful jaws going at it, only the left side of one end has been crumbled.)

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tirebiter-reg-large-16-in-tirebiter-bone-with-rope-1079531 (The rope was strewn throughout the house in a matter of minutes, but the rubber bone is in the same condition as the above.)

http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_501157_-1?N=49636555+10001+933739030&Ntt=dog&Ntk=All (Daisy loves this one and it is, other than a few scuffs and scratches, completely intact. O.0 I now have two of them because it's such a hit I had to get another for her to chew at night when she's locked in my room with me.)

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tough-by-nature-reg-invincible-chains-reg-rubber-dog-toy-2433518 (These are a favorite among the babies, Daisy, and Georgia, the latter of which is usually only interested in ropes and tennis balls. They are currently in the same state as the above and are proving to be just as durable.)

http://www.dogsupplies.com/products/Zanies-Hard-Rubber-Space-Station-Large-Dog-Toy.html (Not as popular, but definitely durable as it hasn't yet been split or damaged beyond a minor scuff here and there.)

I know there are other destructive dog owners here. Mind sharing your dogs favorite toys and how well they've fared?

[MiserySmith]

Why don't you get them large bones? Those always last, and usually only break into 2 or 3 pieces, the knuckle type anyway.
My bulldog has these kinds. Once all the coating is off and some marrow is gone they turn into stuffable toys. http://www.askthemeatman.com/images/dog_bones_variety_pack_600pix.JPG
He rips plastic bottles right in half, stuffies are de-stuffed in minutes and plastics become unrecognizable so I know how durable these bones are.

They really hurt when you kick them in the middle of the night though.

[HowlsOfAngels]

I'd be willing to try, but my girls tend to be a bit food aggressive when it comes to toys and treats. They can eat out of the same dish and chew on the same branch, but the second I hand them a Kong the fur flies.

That's why I wanted to start this thread. I wanted to know what other people use to amuse their destructive dogs.

[Kati33]

One issue that you can run into trying to find non-destructible toys is that they are often too hard and pose a risk of tooth fracture with determined chewers. The general rule of thumb is that if you wouldn't want to be whacked in the knee cap with it (ie it would hurt) it is too hard for the dog to chew on. This includes most natural bones and the solid Nylabone type toys. Also, if your dog is an obsessive chewer (like mine) don't let them have tennis balls- the texture of the ball holds in dirt and other debris and basically acts like sandpaper on a dog's teeth. I've seen dogs that have worn their canines down to the gumline chewing on tennis balls.

When we got my cattle dog, our toy box changed dramatically. I have a whole new appreciation for good toys! What works best for us is pretty much any toy made by JW Pets. They make the Cuz ball and lots of other toys including ones with squeakers. Kong also makes non-treat dispensing toys, like the  Wubba, that my dog likes. We also have this snake toy that has held up well, but has a really annoying squeaker! We also have Sharkie that is great for a softer toy.

[Gingerbear]

My chi/pap was incredibly destructive with her toys (believe it or not) and so I had to switch to stuffing free toys, and also kong toys. She loves the Kong wubba (they come in a variety of sizes), it's got a soft material that is durable. Kong products are all highly recommended and there are a few different material versions in all the sizes one would need.