Whether you own a large dog or a dog that adores chewing, many owners have to consider purchasing oversized dog toys. These can prevent choking hazards as well as allowing big dogs an appropriately sized toy. Larger toys can allow you to play a fun game of tug of war without worrying about your dog accidentally biting you in excitement.
Many owners will purchase average-sized toys for large dogs or dogs with powerful jaws, this can often lead to them having an easier time destroying them. This can lead to you spending a lot of money on replacements. Instead, buy specific toys for oversized dogs.
What are Oversized Dog Toys?
Oversized dog toys range from large to extra large and provide a larger size of toy for your pooch. Larger breeds such as the Great Dane and the Newfoundland have larger and stronger jaws. Therefore, they require bigger and stronger toys so they do not destroy them. If they destroy a toy through chewing, they may eat the materials and parts of the toy. Or they may gain an injury externally or internally by chewing or swallowing the parts. Therefore, purchasing toys for oversized dogs can prevent many toys from being destroyed. Which leads to costly replacements and possible injury.
Another benefit that comes from providing dogs with massive dog toys is that you are less likely of being accidentally bitten during an exciting play session. This can be quite painful and can be worrying if you have children in the home. Larger toys can give you more physical space to avoid physical injury, which is particularly useful when you have a young dog of a large breed. As it allows you to avoid sharp puppy teeth whilst still in the process of training. When you have a puppy, they can be quite initially rowdy. Whilst they are still being trained, an oversized dog toy can prevent painful nibbles and bites.
How to Choose The Right Oversized Dog Toy?
There are multiple factors that you should consider before purchasing a toy for an oversized dog including durability and material. Take a look through the different elements to think about in the list below.
Durability
Durability can be defined as the strength of an object and how robust it is. Huge dog toys should have a high level of durability as they are going to be gnawed and pulled from the moment they are brought home. Therefore, if the sewing seems aren’t strong or any other connectors are weak, it will quickly be torn apart and break.
Firstly, if this toy breaks, you will have to pay to replace it. If your dog is a heavy and frequent chewer then you will regularly have to replace these toys, which can quickly become expensive. Furthermore, if a toy breaks, it can lead to smaller parts that can be chewed upon and swallowed. These parts may fracture and cut your dog’s teeth or gums, if swallowed they can become choking hazards and can cause internal tears and impaction.
Make sure to check the reviews of any products you buy to see if these products are break easily. You can also check the sewing seems of any applicable, store-bought products to see if they are tough or not.
Material
From plastic to felt, each material has its own sets of pros and cons. When purchasing an oversized dog toy, many owners value a material that is durable above other properties, but this is not always the case. A large dog toy may be purchased because the dog is large, not because they are heavy chewers. Therefore, you may be interested in something with a softer material.
Furthermore, young or old dogs may require softer toys because of a lack of teeth or strength. Older dogs especially may have to have teeth removed with time and therefore may prefer softer toys for gentle chewing. On the other hand, you may have a dog of a smaller breed but with a large mouth and strong jaws. In which case you should consider something with a much stronger material such as reinforced nylon.
In order to decide what material is most appropriate for your dog, consider their individual needs such as their age, habits, strength, and size. You can, therefore, deem what type of material is suitable for your pup’s new oversized dog toy.
Type
There are three main types of oversized dog toys you can choose from a ball, plush, or puzzle. Each type has its own benefits and to decide which is best for your dog, evaluate your dog’s individual differences. A ball is a very classic toy for your dog. Most often used in fetch, these may be lightweight to be thrown long distances or heavy so they bounce. If your dog enjoys chewing though, be careful to evaluate the material and whether they would be suited with something else.
An oversized plush dog toy is softer and more appropriately given to young, old, or light chewing dogs. This is because the softer material often makes it less durable. The benefit of these toys is they can bring comfort to more nervous dogs, whilst still being able to be used for tug of way and fetch. Some owners categorize ropes and other designated chew toys as plush toys, but this varies from person to person. If you are buying your pup sizeable dog toys, evaluate their chewing need and strength predominantly.
The last type of toy is a puzzle, where they are often interactive and have some form of enrichment. These can be food-based or combined with different materials. Be wary of a toy’s material for a food enrichment puzzle, as some dogs may become rowdier when they are frustrated or excited, leading to possible damage of less durable puzzle toys.
Accessories
More extravagant toys may come with accessories such as extra parts or compartments for enrichment. These can bring hours of enjoyment for your pup and reduce boredom, on the other hand, however, they may cause stronger dogs to break them and even ingest them. Therefore, these possible health risks need to be evaluated to see if they are appropriate for your pup.
Some oversized dog toys are cute shapes such as robots that can hide treats or hollowed out balls with different sections for snacks. These can be great enrichment tools but if the accessories are of a soft material, your dog is an avid chewer, or their jaw and teeth are very strong, this may be a bad purchase. Accessories can be quickly chewed off and swallowed which can be choking hazards.
Be aware of your dog’s jaw strength and the strength of the material of the toy’s accessories to decide if it is a wise purchase.
6 Best Oversized Toys For Dogs
Here are the most popular oversized toys for dogs.
1. Multipet Green Frog Plush
This adorable plush toy is measured at XXL with its 30-inch length. It resembles a cute frog that your dog is sure to love. With its long length, Multipet has incorporated five squeakers to ensure your dog can squeak with every chomp. Created with a soft material, this toy is ideal for any playful pup.
Many users praise the toy for its durable material and stitching, as many large dogs chew and play tug of war with this toy with minor damage. Furthermore, other users have bragged about the soft material of the toy and how many pups adore cuddling with Multipet’s green frog.
However, multiple users have criticized the actual strength of the toy and stated that their dog began to easily chew away each part of the frog and even expose the squeakers. This can be concerning as it creates the possibility that a dog may swallow a squeaker. Furthermore, if they are repeatedly chewed, they will need replacing and this can be expensive.
2. Chuckit! Kick Fetch Toy Ball for Dogs
This ball created by Chuckit! has a well-considered design with grooves to enable your dog to grab it easily. The grooves are perfectly positioned so your dog can comfortably grab the edges of the ball without having to strain their jaw, as in the case with many balls. This design is durable, waterproof, and brightly colored to ensure it can be used inside and outside.
Many users with medium to large-sized dogs have praised this toy because of its design and materials. They discuss how robust the ball is for the largest breed with the strongest jaws. Furthermore, multiple users have said the glow in the dark version is very useful for when they lose the ball in their garden and it is late.
On the other hand, users have mentioned their dissatisfaction with the stitching of the product. They have mentioned how loose it is and how it easily comes undone, even if the material is very robust, because of this some say the product is easily breakable.
3. KONG – Extreme Dog Toy
Renowned for their indestructible products, Kong offers their XXL dog toy. This product is made from tough rubber and therefore is perfect for a dog that loves to chew. Furthermore, the strong rubber allows the toy to bounce very high, an additional enrichment bonus in play. The main use of the Kong is to put treats inside and let your dog try to gain access to them.
Many users praise this product for its reduction of general anxiety and separation anxiety in dogs due to its distracting enrichment. Furthermore, its strong material makes it so it is not only great for a dog to find treats in, but also wonderful to chew. Even the biggest breed will struggle to leave a dent on this toy.
Multiple one-star reviews argue that the product is not all it seems and it is, in fact, breakable by many strong-jawed breeds. Furthermore, they argue that although the toy is enjoyed whilst treats are inside, many dogs show no interest in the toy once it is empty of food.
4. DCSUIT Dog Toy Balls
DCSUIT offers a giant inflatable tennis ball for hours of fun. The material is non-toxic, robust rubber which the company state is safe for your dog’s teeth. An added plus for owners with teething puppies or elderly dogs with removed teeth. This oversized toy is perfect for a playful puppy or a large breed of dog. Due to this toy being inflated, it can be bouncy and great for a game of soccer.
Users boast about the ease of this product in both setting up and storage. With an average of a three-minute blow-up time to inflate the ball and less than that to deflate, it is not a time-consuming form of enrichment. Furthermore, it can be easily deflated and folded up for storage. Other users love how their dog engaged in play with the family and this toy with little encouragement.
As for negative aspects, a user writes about how quickly their dog was able to pop the ball. However, it is advertised that the ball should not be chewed. Therefore, this product is not ideal if your pup loves to chew their toys.
5. SmartPetLove Tender
This cute hippo toy is designed for large breeds with a squeaker to enrich your pup during playtime. It is not advertised for heavy chewing but is made with strong material. SmartPetLove created this large toy so even your giant breed of dog can engage in playtime. It is brightly colored and has strong material in case your dog decides to start chewing.
Although it is not advertised as a chew toy, many users discuss how their chew-happy dog has not damaged the toy at all. This bodes well for anyone with a dog that loves to chew or a teething puppy. Furthermore, owners love the bright colors and many different breeds have been recorded to adore this toy.
Users argue that the toy is unnecessarily expensive for what you get. It is further mentioned that this toy is not that tough, which goes against many other reviews. However, as it is advertised to not be ideal for heavy chewers, try to avoid this toy if your pet has this trait.
6. Benebone Real Flavor Wishbone Dog Chew Toy
Benebone created this chew toy with real meat flavoring for large, avid chewers. This toy is great for any breed size and will keep them occupied for hours. This is a toy and is not edible, but it is advertised as long-lasting and great for all types of chewers. Furthermore, it comes in three flavors: real bacon, real chicken, and real peanut in four different sizes.
A lot of owners have posted reviews about how their dog is unable to break it and some haven’t even been able to leave a dent. Furthermore, because of the flavorings, dogs are immediately attracted to this large toy. It can keep even your largest pup occupied and prevent them from chewing your furniture.
However, it has been argued that these bones are too hard. One user particularly expressed how it caused her dog to have fractures in their teeth. Therefore, if you are interested in this product, make sure your dog is not over chewing on it as it may lead to dental problems.
Oversized Dog Toys – FAQs
To make sure you are fully informed about oversized dog toys, we have put together these four FAQs.
What is the Most Indestructible Dog Toy?
Although this question is up for debate, one very tough dog toy we recommend is the goughnut dog toy. With their team of mechanical and polymer engineers, its no wonder this product is of such high quality. Even the heaviest chewer will have a tough time breaking this toy.
Can I Give My Small Breed Dog an Oversized Dog Toy?
You can give any sized dog an oversized dog toy. As long as it does not hurt your dog or is too heavy for them, a dog can be provided with any toy. Make sure that they are appropriate for your dog in other ways, for example, give your heavy chewer a strong toy and your old dog a soft toy.
Are There Any Dog Toys That are Indestructible?
No dog toy is truly indestructible without it having welfare concerns. A toy has to have some malleability in order to avoid dental fractures and prevent tooth pain. Therefore, with that malleability, comes the potential of a toy being able to be broken. Compare different toys on the market to find the least likely to break and be aware of what toys are advertised as chew-able and which aren’t.
How do you Make Indestructible Dog Toys?
Indestructible toys depend on the material used and what connects the pieces, if anything. For example, a plush toy connected with loose stitching will be much weaker than a thick nylon rope. Toys made of harder materials such as rubber will be stronger and less likely to break. Furthermore, if a toy is one collective shape without weak structural points, it is less likely to break.
From the smallest to the largest dog, there are toys perfect for them all. These oversized dog toys can provide your pups with hours of entertainment as well as preventing destructive behavior. Furthermore, you no longer have to worry if you can properly cater to your big dog and provide them with the right toys. Now all that’s left is for you to decide which toy is best!