Keep That Away From Me!!!

10 of the WORST Toys and Chews For Your Dogs 

       Often, people are asking and questioning what toys or chews they should purchase for their four legged family member, so this post is dedicated to what toys to stay away from for either harmfulness or their easy destructibility. So, here is a list of the 10 WORST dog toys and chews that you could purchase for your dog. 

1. Raw Hide Bones or Chews are terrible for your dog. Rawhide bones do not easily break down in your dog's stomach, making digestion  and the passing of this product extremely difficult for your dog. 
2. Tennis Balls although seem like a harmless, fun and cheap toy for your pet, are actually quite harmful and destructive towards your dog's teeth. The material that tennis balls are made out of act like sandpaper against your dog's teeth, shaving them down with every clench of your dog's jaw! The loner they chew, the more likely it is you'll be making a visiting to your Veterinarian or possibly dental surgery for your poor pooch. 
3. Hard Plastic Toys can lead to fractured teeth, infections, and the need to either get a tooth pulled or replaced. Regardless, it is one extra trip to the vet you do not want to take!
4. Cow and Beef Hooves are similar to hard plastic toys, due to their density and hardness, they can result in fractured teeth. 
5. Pig Ears are a very greasy product and can cause your dog to get an upset stomach, which is no fun for your dog!
6. Cooked Bones are very dangerous to give your dog. The cooked bone is firstly unnatural to the dog and their both has a hard time digesting it properly, which leads to upset stomach and the runs. BUT the most dangerous part of cooked bones is that they often splinter, which could scratch your dogs throat or puncture and organ. It is best to just completely STAY AWAY from cooked bones, regardless of how much your dog may want it. 
7. Stuffed Toys may seem like great fun, but if your dog is one of the many that likes to rip them to pieces and pull out the stuffing, then this is not the best option for your pet. The stuffing can be toxic if swallowed by your dog, which would lead to another expensive vet visit. Also, Stuffed toys ofen have pieces that can be easily ripped off and chocked on (such as the eyes). Try to remove anything such as this on your dog's toy or refrain from purchasing it altogether. 
   
8. Squeaky Toys can be lots of fun for your dog, however, dogs often become fixated on getting the noise out of the toy and so begins the destruction of the toy. If the dog get the noise maker out, they often swallow it, which could lead to chocking or blockages. Make sure that this is a supervised toy to make sure that your dog stays safe when playing. 
9. Rocks seem like something that wouldn't even need to be on the list, but many people just let their dog consume, carry the rock in their mouth, or chew on the rock and this is soooooo bad for your dog. Not only will it likely lead to fractured teeth, but if swallowed, it is very likely that your dog will not be able to pass it, making surgery necessary to remove the rock. 
10. Nylabone although this product can be good for younger teething puppies, it is advised that dogs with stronger jaws or larger breeds stay away from this toy because it is not indestructible and can be broken into pieces that you dog may chock on or get lodged in their stomach. It is very important that you read the warnings and disclaimers on the tag of a toy or chew before you purchase it so that you are aware what you are buying (here is what most people ignore about this product that the company puts right on the packaging): 
    

NON-EDIBLE CHEW PRODUCTS are made with plastic, rubber, or nylon. They are NOT intended for consumption. During normal chewing, tiny bristle-like projections are raised that help clean teeth. If these tiny pieces (no larger than a small grain of rice) are ingested, they should pass through. A dog should not be able to break off larger pieces of any Nylabone^® Non-Edible Chew.If you think that your dog swallowed a large piece of a Non-Edible Chew, take the chew away and contact your veterinarian for advice. No dog toy or chew is totally indestructible. Frequently inspect any chew before giving it to your dog to make sure it’s whole and intact, with no missing pieces. Replace a Non-Edible Chew when knuckle ends are worn down, or if it becomes too small to chew safely. Nylabone Chews and Toys should not be boiled, placed in a dishwasher, washing machine, or convection or microwave oven.”  

        Keep play time a safe time for your dog and make sure things that are potentially destructible are supervised or kept away from them! Keep up with #WoofWednesdays for next week's post about the top 10 best toys and chews for your dog!

Tails wags from the CompleteK9 Team!