Dog toys are things that provide entertainment and keep your dogs busy all day long. These are simple yet very efficient tools that help develop the ability of dogs in properly obeying the command of their masters.

Though it is not that necessary, dogs still need dog toys. It is important for it gives a lot of benefits for them. You may not immediately see the effect, but you will see its wonders when your dog continuously plays with it.


Dogs, specifically when they are still puppies, need the right nourishment and affection similar to raising a child. You’re probably aware how your dogs run and come close to you as soon as you arrive home. This only means that your dog also needs some of your affection.

It is a reality, however, that not all dog owners have that much time to focus on their pet’s needs because of busy schedule. To compensate on that, the best thing to do is to look for an alternative tool which can entertain and develop the abilities of your dog even while you’re away. And the simplest, most affordable yet very effective way to perform all your duties as a master is with the help of dog toys.

Dog toys can act as your furry friend’s best partner while you’re away and during a very lonesome day. Dog toys may keep him busy all day long. Your absence will be forgotten and a very cute dog toy will serve as their playmate. Dogs love to play at all times so this is definitely part of their need.

One aspect of a child’s growing up years is the effort of their parents to develop their kid’s mind by letting them play toys and do other activities for recreation. Just like human, dogs also need this kind of attention to help develop their own abilities to properly interact on the environment they are living in.

Dog toys provide a major role in sustaining dog’s agility while slowly training them and boost their conference. Dog toys also have the power to emphasize the needs of your dog and also the things your pet hates the most.

Along with this, another good reason why your dog needs dog toys is that it encourages him to positively play with or without a companion. Dog toys also help stave off boredom which is very usual for domesticated pets like dog.

Keeping out dog’s misbehavior is also one of the major reasons why your pet needs dog toys. Moreover, dog toys allow your dog to have the most suitable item to chew so you no longer need to worry what other things inside the house your dog will mess up the next time.

So if you want to simply train your dog while not spending too much, dog toys are the best solution. It comes in various styles, colors, shapes and sizes depending on what your dog prefers the most. Don’t let your dog suffer anxiety, boredom and other unwanted behavior. Simply give them the dog toys of their choice and you will no longer have to worry about their situation especially when you’re away.

Face it, you like toys. So does your pet. That's because toys are a fun source of amusement for your pets when you're busy living the part of your life that doesn't involve leashes and plastic bowls with the name "Killer" across the side of it.



Plus proper use of toys can keep your pet healthy (and you thought they were just good for making fun of Bower when he spins out chasing it across the linoleum). Toys put your pets in the habit of regular exercise as well as building a sense of enjoyment that will keep them young. After all, a playful pet is a healthy pet.


In fact, toys play a major and important role in emotional and mental development of your pet (they may not have the same effect for you, sorry). They offer a great solution for boredom, inappropriate chewing and anxiety (and you thought you had problems).

Now keep in mind that just like the multitude of mood swings your furry friend can have, there are a multitude of toys to choose from, but hey, variety is the spice of life, and don't worry, when it comes to picking the toy that's right for your pet you just need the right information from your pet. To start with, let's say your cat is touchy and demands a smorgasbord of play things, the message in those creepy green cat eyes is simple, buy cat toy. Dog owners don't worry because dog's always have the same idea on this as the cats and it's just as simple; buy dog toy.

So just where do you do that? You will find that smorgasbord of pet toys at any pet store, and they come in affordable prices. But before you walk in like a cat-eye hypnotized zombie chanting "buy cat toy" or "buy cat toy", put some thought into what to look for in a cat or dog toy (after all, let's be honest, you're going to play with it just as much as they are). Also, don't forget to buy dog toy while you're there.

So, to get you started here are a few tips to keep in mind while purchasing;

1. Try to buy a toy that matches your pet's size, not your size.

2. Make sure that there are no dangerous small pieces, as your pet could try to swallow it leading to choking, whereas if you tried to swallow it you just might feel really weird for the next three days.

3. Bones and sticks can splinter and cause choking and vomiting. Actually, they can even perforate your pet's mouth and throat (for those of you not in the know, perforating your throat is bad) so use non-splinter chew toys such as Nylabone Edible Bones, to allow your pet to gnaw with no fear.

4. Bells can be problematic for birds, besides just being really annoying. Use a treat dispensing roll toy instead, after all, food equals fun. On that note do not offer any leather toy (if not specially tanned), paint or any wood preservatives to your feathered friend for they can be toxic. So to recap, food equals fun, toxic equals not fun.

5. Cats often enjoy hiding out in plastic bags, and while you are unlikely to go to the pet store for the sole purpose of buying a plastic bag it is important to know because doing so can get their head stuck in it's handle, leading to choking and suffocation, so you're better off with a treat dispensing roll toy which will not choke or suffocate them.

6. When purchasing toys online, make sure to do a price comparison before ordering because many online shops will offer seasonal discounts that you can cash in on.

And lastly, make sure to supervise your pet while they play with their toy, this will minimize any accidents and then maybe later, if you ask nicely, they may even supervise you while you play with it too. Enjoy the toy.

A wise purchase will make sure that you make the worth for money. Look at the following ideas and determine which one suits you more.

• One of the most important pet supplies, provided by almost all pet care industries today, is pet bowls. You can’t ignore buying a pet bowl for your pets. You must buy water bowls and food bowls before you bring in your home your pets. This pet supply should never be skipped from your pet supplies list. It is a good option to buy a stainless bowl because almost all pet foods don’t react with stainless bowls.

• You should also consider buying some grooming pet supplies for your pets; using these grooming pet supplies, you can make sure that your pets are always huggable.
• Toys are must for pets since they love to play and they enjoy even simplest of the toys like balls etc. Toys makes your pet busy while you are away in attending any other issues of your daily life like cooking food, bathing, studying etc.

Tips for Pet Supplies:

There are many tips that can come handy for you but it usually depends upon the nature of your pet. However, following are some of the very common tips that you can use for your pets:

• It is always advisable to buy various pet supplies before you bring in home your pets; hence making your pet feels comfortable with their supplies.

• A leash or a collar is optional for cats but they can be thought as a necessity for dogs. But if you think that your cat needs to go outside, then a collar becomes necessity. It is a good practice to mention your phone number on the collar.

• Make sure that your cat needs a bed or not because most of the cats ignore beds and they usually their own spotted comfortable places in your home like sofas, chair or even in the middle of two beds. However, you should look for those beds that are recommended by pet care industries.

• You must buy toys for dogs; especially puppies. You should go for some sort of interactive toys for your pets which will make them happy as well as they will serve the purpose of a little exercise tool as well. Such toys may include balls or any wand-type toys; especially for cats.

• If you have puppies in your home then one of the best pet supplies for them is chewing toys since it suits their natural instinct as well. Never give your puppies things like shoe etc as a shoe toy or they will develop a habit of chewing your shoes even when they grow up.

• Squeaky toys can make you crazy but these toys can become really handy when you are planning to leave your dog and you go out.

If you've ever felt confused about how to choose the healthiest cat food for your feline companion, you're not alone. The pet food recall in the spring 2007 sent many spinning. Most pet owners are aware that pet supplies food manufacturers are required by law to list all of the product ingredients in order of weight. While that is helpful, an organized checklist is more useful when shopping. Here are some guidelines from top animal food experts.

Cat Food Ingredients in Order of Importance

1. Proteins

LOOK FOR: Meat or fish named on the label with words like--chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, herring, salmon, etc. Also acceptable are concentrated named meat proteins like--chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb meal, herring meal, etc.

WHY? Cats are what scientists call "obligate carnivores". This means that they are designed to eat a meat diet. When you're choosing a food for your cat, you want it to have all the available nutrients to provide for good energy, strong muscle tone and a
stable immune system so the meat protein source should be primary.

AVOID: Unnamed food ingredients with words like--poultry by products, meat and bone meal, meat meal, poultry meal, animal digest, etc. Also avoid protein fillers like--corn gluten meal, wheat gluten, egg product meal, soybean meal, wheat germ meal.

TIP: If you look at a cat food label and group all the grain ingredients together, they are often more primary than the meat pictured by manufacturers. This disguises protein ingredients that are inferior, portraying them as nutritious.

REASON: Cat foods containing by-products, meat and bone meal or non-specific, generic meat meals are often rejected leftovers from the human food chain. That means they can contain "4-D" nutrient-deficient animal protein sources such as:

* Dead animals (including meat with sodium pentobarbital, the most common euthanasia drug though industry sources deny they use dead dogs and cats, however there are no laws or regulations against it).

* Dying animals (including those that FDA meat inspectors reject for the human food chain plus dying animals from zoos and pet farms).

* Diseased animals (according to federal meat inspection regulations, fuel oil, kerosene, crude carbolic acid, and citronella can be used to denature diseased meat before rendering).

* Disabled animals (including those who are too weak to walk due to disease or malnutrition).

2. Carbohydrates and Vegetables

LOOK FOR: Whole grains like brown rice and barley or starches like whole potatoes or sweet potatoes. Whole fruits and vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, alfalfa, apples, cranberries, etc.

WHY? These whole grains and starches are actually digestible by cats providing a good source of energy. The whole fruits and veggies provide an excellent source of fiber plus natural occurring vitamins and minerals.

AVOID: Vegetable proteins and gluten, which are indigestible and cause allergies for cats, are made from refined flours, wheat, mill runs, brewer's rice, etc. Also watch out for processed fruits and vegetables like dehydrated potatoes, tomato pumice and alfalfa meal.

REASON: Vegetable proteins, especially soybean meal protein, have become favorites of pet food manufacturers because they are cheap sources of protein, giving them bigger profits and making it appear that cats are getting good protein. Glutens made from flours are merely cheap binders or "glue" in pet foods. Both sources can result in severe nutritional deficiencies.

3. Fats, Oils and Preservatives

LOOK FOR: Named fats from quality sources like--chicken fat, lamb fat, sunflower oil, herring oil, etc. Natural preservatives like mixed tocopeherols and Vitamin E from whole foods are preferable.

WHY? Fats and oils from named, nutritious animals and plants provide a rich source of essential fatty acids that help produce healthy skin and lustrous coats. The natural quality preservatives in proper balance to your cat's foods ensure they get all the necessary nutrients for life and good health every day.

AVOID: Fats from non-specific sources like--animal fat, poultry fat, vegetable oil. Also stay away from synthetic preservatives like BHA, BHT and ethoxyquin.

REASON: Because the standards for pet foods are much less than for human food, pet food manufacturers are allowed to use rendered animal fat, vegetable fats and oils that have been rejected as inedible for humans. They can include rancid oils and fats or used restaurant grease, which have been disguised with flavor enhancers made from processed by-products. Plus synthetic preservatives like butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and ethoxyquin can cause liver and kidney damage or even cancer. They are used solely for a longer shelf life, not nutrition.

4. Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements

LOOK FOR: Antioxidants from natural sources like fruits and vegetables. Vitamins like Ascorbic Acid, Beta Carotene, Biotin, etc. Chelated minerals may also be added like iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, etc.

WHY? These are all natural or food sources of quality nutrition and supplements ensuring your cat stays healthy and lives longer.

AVOID: Artificial flavors and colors. Another common additive is propylene glycol, a less toxic version of antifreeze used in cars.

REASON: The flavors and colors are added by the manufacturers to make them look more appealing to pet owners and taste more appealing to cats (and dogs). While propylene glycol adds a sweet taste to the food, it should NOT be part of your cat's daily food fare.

SOURCES: Pet Food Report from Animal Wellness Magazine, Fall 2007; Animal Protection Institute "Get the Facts: What's Really in Pet Food," May 2007 at API4animals.org; Dr. Wendell O. Belfield, DVM, "Food Not Fit for a Pet" at Belfield.com.