Safe chew toys and treats

[Angus Mom]

I’m bringing my 8 week old puppy Angus home this Saturday and was wondering what chew toys and treats would be the safest for him? I’ve heard horror stories of dogs getting poisoned and choking from unsafe toys and treats. Also where are the best places to purchase these items?

Edited February 23, 2022 by Angus Mom

[Dogcoat lady]

Even though Cairns are “small” they have big teeth and chew ability to match. I go for the bigger than expected size, carrots (frozen or not) and Kong’s are great.  I own Chesapeake Bay retrievers, a rugged breed, and my Cairns would go toe to toe with regards to toys.  And the tennis ball was always the winner.

[Hillscreek]

From my personal experience I would say that no toy or chew treat is 100% safe especially with a cairn pup. The small sharp teeth he has now will in a few months be exchanged for an HUGE set of tear everything apart teeth. Good idea to keep him where you can see him and his toys.

 A lot of people use the big Kong toys. My Angus in this pic has a nylabone and a rubber ring. He could destroy the smaller Kong toys. Dog toys are available at most pet stores or on Amazon. Best to research before buying I found

Cairns are small dogs with big dog teeth and jaws as well said above

 

[Angus Mom]

Awsome and thank you both!

[Eliz222]

Atticus, who is 8 months old now, has decided that his goal in life is to tear apart his dog toys (except for the rubber ones). I have put these away for now, and he now plays with a few cloth toys that are dense (and he doesn't tear apart). I bought him a few rubber toys, and these are his favorite. They squeak like crazy and really bounce. You can see one of the balls here. They came in a set of 6.

Another item Atticus likes is Yak chew sticks. I buy these on Amazon. He also likes Beef Trachea dog chews that I also buy on Amazon. You have to REALLY watch them with these and take away when they are chewed down to a choking size.

Hillscreek is right about watching them closely! Never leave them alone with their toys.

[Kathryn]

Our two do well with the braided rope toys at PetsMart (the bigger ones - they would decimate the small ones in no time at all). We play both fetch and tug with these toys. At least there is no stuffing to tear out, and no squeaker to swallow. Eventually they chew them enough to "unbraid" them. We then toss it and buy another.

But our Angus also likes to think that trainers and slippers left in the back hall are also toys...trying to retrain DH to put his footwear away...

Edited February 26, 2022 by Kathryn

[Dogcoat lady]

Recently, I needed to buy a few toys for my new pup.  Here’s how it went.

I wish I would follow my own advice….see above.

The kong on the left is puppy Cairn sized.  The pink one is a puppy kong.  How ridiculous is that!  The lack of scale on the internet. 
 

[Eliz222]

55 minutes ago, Dogcoat lady said:

Recently, I needed to buy a few toys for my new pup.  Here’s how it went.

I wish I would follow my own advice….see above.

The kong on the left is puppy Cairn sized.  The pink one is a puppy kong.  How ridiculous is that!  The lack of scale on the internet. 
 

I think I would return the one on the left!

[Dogcoat lady]

Oh, no!  The one on the left is just right for my Goldilocks pup.  A regular size Kong is just perfect.

[Catalyzt]

Spike again requests that guitar tuners be put on the "okay" list...

...but knows they are not and still-- very reluctantly-- returns them to me undamaged when he finds them.

He now does understand that MY FACE is not on the "okay" list.  He is still supposed to nap at my hip or below to avoid any accidents if he wakes in the middle of a seizure or pre-ictal fly-snap hallucination... though during our early evening nap, I woke up with my chin between his ears.

I need to supervise him more.  He doesn't eat the stuffing from toys, but does extract all of it and litter it everywhere.  He will chew up the rubber squeakers inside a bit, and then leave them alone... it looks like he's ripped the heart out of the duck, squirrel, etc.  But he doesn't eat them, thank God.

Hills, Angus's teeth are terrifying.  Spike is definitely a Cairn "X"-- his teeth are not as thick, smaller, though sharper.