Afghan hounds are good at guarding the house and also they are much better at protecting the master’s property. But when it comes to playing, most people think that they do not love to play, due to their aloof character and sombre look.
But the reality is they are much good at playing and they love to play to pass their time. They may not be able to play with your toddlers or exactly not enthusiastic about playing, but they love to play themselves.
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What kind of toys does hound like?
The toys that you get for your afghan hound should be really strong and hardy in order to take care for them. Those should not be much flimsy as afghan hounds will try to tear it while playing.
Some bone toys are good for afghan hounds but chose those that are from some good and trustworthy companies and contain no allergen or chemical colourings.
For the cuddling, you should give it some plush toy which will keep them calm and also help them to stay out of depression. Also, these toys sometimes come with rip apart facility, so you can choose these toys.
Some rubber toys offer them mind stimulation so that kind of toys is also good for afghan hounds.
Balls are always a favourite toy for dogs, mostly for afghan hounds. They can play fetch with the ball, but remember to give them the right-sized ball which they can hold between their teeth.
How to choose toys for dogs?
There are various sizes and types of toys available for dogs, but you never know which ones are just perfect for your afghan hounds. As this breed is the usually calm type and they are not the general happy to lucky types, choosing the toy that will make it happy and also will be much useful is not an easy task.
While choosing toys for the afghan hounds, the below criterion should be fulfilled.
Safety:
The material of the toy should be hazard-free. Most of the toys, especially those that are budget-friendly, made with low quality plastic or polythene. Dogs have the usual habits of chewing their toys. So the toy that you provide, should be safe and should not contain any harmful or harsh colour or chemical that can damage or cause toxicity to the dog.
Size:
The sizes of the toy should match the size of the dog. You should always buy the right sized toy for the right sized dog. Afghan hounds are a big breed dog and they should not like something very small. A nice and big sized toy will be perfect for their playing session.
Types of dog toy:
There are various types of toys available and these support various needs of the pet. So here we will be discussing a few common types.
Soft squeaky toys:
For the big breeds like Afghan hounds, you should get toys that are plush. Afghan hounds are sober in nature and they would never rip the toy away. If you find a squeaker toy, nothing is better than that. The squeaking sound will make the dog happy and will make it feel the presence of someone else when it will be playing with the toy.
Soft squeaking toys are just fine for your afghan hound. Soft toys are harmless and useful in many ways. These toys will never hurt the dog, which is a chance in the case of hard toys. The dogs have the habit of biting and pushing or pulling things, and they do that more so with the toys. So if the toys have hard or sharp corners, then the chance of an accident will be raised.
Treat or puzzle:
Dogs with a high intelligence level will appreciate puzzle toys that have treats hidden inside them. You do not have to buy treats separately as peanut butter, cracker or such small things can be used as treats. If you can get some toys that can hold multiple treats, then it will keep the dog busy for hours. This is also a nice activity to improve the motor skills of the dog. The brain also gets active and they do not get bored easily.
The puzzle toys usually come with different skill levels. So if your afghan hound has managed to crack one level, you can set the game to the next level. This is also pretty interesting and hilarious to watch for the dog owners.
Comfort dog toy:
Comfort toys are needed by dogs of all sizes and all ages, though the size of the toy differs from small to big, depending upon the size and maturity of the dog. The stuffed toys are perfect for this purpose and the dogs will feel safe and secure when they get to clutch the soft toy against their body. This is much therapeutic for the dogs who are suffering from anxiety issue due to separation or change of place.
Do not offer too small toys to the dogs which are large, as they can chew or nibble at it, or they can try to swallow it, resulting in choking. You must pay close attention to the dog when you doubt something like that had happened or may happen.
Now there is a list of some interesting toys available in the market, which you can provide your afghan hound with.
1. Zippypaws-skinny Peltz no stuffing squeaky plush dog toy:
These are fun characters with colourful bodies. A bunch that is made up of fox, raccoon and squirrel, this toy set is 18 inches long so it will not be easily swallowed by the big Afghan hound. These three are many adorable woodland figures which will be loved by your pet dog. They are durable and there is no stuffing inside them. This is why the dog will never be able to create a mess by pulling out the fillers.
These are squeaker toys which will give out clear and loud sound and this is a nice way to keep the dog engaged for long hours. The brand is an old and reputed one, thus you can expect them to deliver some good quality toys which will be not harmful to your dog. These toys can be separated though they come in a single pack, your dog can keep one toy as its comfort toy or play with them in the bunch.
Pros:
- Nice design
- No fillings
- Rightly sized
- Loud squeak emitter
Cons:
- Aggressive dogs can chew it off
2. Nina Ottosson by outward hound dog brick interactive treat puzzle:
This is an intermediate level puzzle toy for dogs, and you can offer this to your afghan hound when it has got matured. This is a great piece of the puzzle that will help the dogs to fight the bust of boredom. This is an intermediate level puzzle game so do not give it to the Afghan hound when it is young or immature. They will love this game once they are more than a year old. There is a flip lid compartment that can be opened and slide. There are two treat hiding areas which are separated by plastic cabinets. The dog will be interested to find the exact square where the treatment will be kept.
This interactive dog treat puzzle is made up of safe plastic, is washable and food-safe material. This fun toy will be successfully calm an anxious dog as this will work as a mental stimulator and will help the dog to concentrate on a single thing. This can be destroyed if the dog is aggressive so do not offer this puzzle that is rather destructive in nature.
Pros:
- Nice and creative puzzle
- Contains treat
- Keeps dog calm
- Increases brain power
Cons:
- Can be destroyed by aggressive dogs
3. Volacopets 5 different functions interactive dog toy:
This is a set of dog toys that come in a single package. There are dog puzzle toy, IQ toy, treat ball, food treat dispenser and squeaky balls. This is a complete set to keep any large-sized dog engaged for hours. The set is available in different sizes but you have to get the medium-large dog balls set for your afghan hound. These balls are of bright colours and a great gift for your pet on such joyful occasions. These are made of non-toxic toys and will not harm the Afghan hound when they chew it or hold it by mouth.
The giggle toy ball and the treat dispensing toy ball will keep the dog interested and engaged for a long time as they will be happy to find some treats suddenly coming out of the balls. The squeaky ball toy will emit sounds that will be much enjoyable for them. This set is really good to increase the attention span of the dogs and also stimulate their motor functions.
Pros:
- Different kinds of toys compiled together
- Pocket friendly
- Safe material
Cons:
- Some balls possess choking hazard for large dogs
4. Vanfine dog squeaky toys:
This is an almost indestructible and tough chew toy for large dogs like afghan hounds. Made from non-toxic material, this chew toy comes in classic red colour which makes it look much appealing. The size is perfectly suitable for large dogs and the eco-friendly rubber makes it an ergonomic product too. The rubber is all-natural and that is why this is one of the top loved chew toys for dogs. The beef flavour of the toy makes it more appealing to the dogs, who love this particular smell. The natural chewing habit of dogs will be satisfied with this chew toy.
You can get a lifetime replacement of this toy is if it gets dismantled, which shows that the brand has put its ultimate effort to create it. The built-in squeaker will create a sound when the dog will chew it, and that will make the playing experience more enjoyable.
Pros:
- Indestructible
- Safe rubber
- Nice colour
- Built-in squeaker
Cons:
- In rare cases, can be destroyed by aggressive dogs
5. Outward hound hides a squirrel plush dog toy puzzle:
This set is available with various other small animals but for the afghan hounds, squirrels with XL size will be just ideal. This is a plush toy in brown colour and this is an easy way to keep the Afghan hound busy with this puzzle. The tree trunk needs to be filled with the squeaky toys that are available in the package. Then the dog will find the squeaky toys themselves from the trunk and that is the fun and puzzle solving part.
Also, you can use these toys separately for play fetch. But the afghan hounds are not much likely to fetch as they love to play games that involve intelligence and not direction following. However, their natural hunting instinct will be working on high as they will find the toys from every possible angle of the trunk.
Pros:
- Gentle for teeth
- Interactive game
- Improves searching ability
- Safe for afghan hounds
Cons:
- Small toys may get lost easily.
Faqs:
Which toys are bad for dogs?
There are various chew toys that are not good for hound dogs. The quality and chemicals used in creating the toys are not always safe and thus you can never say when the toys harmfully affect your dog. Other materials like cow hooves, deer antlers, hard cheese blocks, pigs’ ears and ice cubes are not a good element to play with. You should not offer these things to your afghan hound to play with.
How many toys a dog should have?
Do not offer too many toys to the dog every time. Even if you have bought more than 10 toys for it, always places 4 to 5 toys before it. Also, replace the toys once a week and give 2 or 3 new toys. It will keep the dog engaged and it will feel that it is getting new toys to play with often. Do not keep all the toys out all the time as that will make all of them dirty at once and you need to clean them.
Keeping a few toys handy and others shelved is a better idea but do not take away the favourite toy, if the dog has any, from it. There is sometimes one chosen toy that is much liked by the dog. You should leave it alone other than the time of washing.
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