Comments on NW Dog Whisperer: Choosing Appropriate Play Toys and Chew Toys

Thanks for the great comment on my dental health p...

2008-03-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the great comment on my dental health post. Also more great info here :)

You're so right, Jen. But it's hard for some peopl...

2008-02-22T12:33:00.000-08:00

You're so right, Jen. But it's hard for some people to grasp the concept that a dog thinks instinctively, not rationally like we do. (I'm glad to hear that there haven't been any disasters with the neighbor's cat, either! Whew!)

It's been a long road with our Johnson-American Bulldog. He's now two years old, and he has had hamsters and pet rats, cats, and a litter of kittens crawl all over him, and he's fine with it. But due to his protective and large-animal-tipping instinctive behavior, playtime with other large dogs (or any sized dogs) is rough. He will slide under their bodies at full speed and lift up in passing, carrying 150 lb dogs on his back while he runs.

Play toys are no different, they tap into the dog's instinctive nature, and bring out the more "natural behavior of a dog". When we as people recognize these behaviors, we truly become the leader of the pack.

Your point about toys that can confuse a dog about...

2008-02-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Your point about toys that can confuse a dog about what's permitted is a really good one, and not often made. As it happens, I have a greyhound with an extremely strong prey drive: it became clear that giving him fluffy stuffed toys to play with was not at all a good idea, as he couldn't distinguish between a teddy bear and the neighbour's cat! Fortunately, we've had no disasters... but all of his toys are now as far away from the look and feel of small animals as it's possible to get!