# do you use boredom busting toys ?



## rick smith (Dec 31, 2010)

didn't want to hijack a similar thread that is still running, so wanted to make this a new one

when i started using toys for reinforcers and rewards (about 15 yrs ago) i stopped letting dogs have chew toys to keep. i don't think a dog needs a toy to chew on to relieve boredom or enjoy the full "dog life". and i think when you start em out early in life giving them a chew toy, you are just conditioning an unnecessary self satisfying habit that will stay with em forever and sometimes become obsessive.
- fwiw, i also preach this same philosophy to all dog owners i work with, whether the dog is trained to bite or not

for clarification, the dog that i mentioned in the other thread who destroyed a few soccer balls got corrected for doing so; i didn't think it was funny or cool...took a few weeks of constant work to stop that from happening, but he won't chase after them anymore even if they roll by close to him....i also gave the kids i know a variety of other balls to toss around him to further proof him.....but to this day, he still goes nuts for a ball/tug/kong wubbers, etc when i toss em, so it certainly didn't kill his "toy drive" either. and if i happen to see any ball laying around unclaimed, he will DEFINITELY "get it" if told to do so //lol//

"cuz balls" brought back some dejas vous  
- i had two dogs (akita/gsd) that were crazy for them, but in a bad way ... BOTH had the same nasty habit : would roll them to people just to "dare" them to try and pick them up ... both were VERY bad guarders and had nipped/nailed people :-( 
- and both were multi-week projects to stop that behavior :-(
- and i still have a cuz ball in my toy stock 

but for me, it's a little like what like Alice was saying a few weeks ago regarding giving her pup free access inside her house ... "what they never get they never miss" ... 
-- works for me, but guess i'm in the minority based on how the other thread is playing out 

curious ... 
Q1. does anyone else have this philosophy ?
..or..
Q2. did anyone stop a (destructive) chewing problem by giving the dog a chew toy ?
--- these Q's would probably not apply to those who have posted that they DO give chew toys

any other comments welcome, but would rather NOT turn it into a "how to stop destructive chewing" debate except for simple yes/no for Q2 ....

- i'm mostly curious about what your basic "dog chew toy" philosophy is all about if you are in the "silent majority" like myself


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## Joby Becker (Dec 13, 2009)

rick smith said:


> didn't want to hijack a similar thread that is still running, so wanted to make this a new one
> 
> when i started using toys for reinforcers and rewards (about 15 yrs ago) i stopped letting dogs have chew toys to keep. i don't think a dog needs a toy to chew on to relieve boredom or enjoy the full "dog life". and i think when you start em out early in life giving them a chew toy, you are just conditioning an unnecessary self satisfying habit that will stay with em forever and sometimes become obsessive.
> - fwiw, i also preach this same philosophy to all dog owners i work with, whether the dog is trained to bite or not
> ...


I let the current dogs chew on some big nylabones, no one here besides me will try to take one from the older dog, but she is not aggressive with guarding them..because no one ever tried to take them. she routinely will hold in her mouth and lay it right on people here as well, probably daring someone to try to take it, but they never do.

I routinely let dog pop soccer balls, and have foam filled slightly smaller sized one, here at the house that we "practice" with. Dog does not chase soccer balls when out and about, unless I am playing fetch with one personally, but sure likes it when I give her the go ahead to grab one that is laying around at the park or on the street.

the dogs only chew on dog stuff, admittedly sometimes they will sneak off and get things they are not supposed to chew on rare occasions (other dog stuff), if they are left out


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## Catherine Gervin (Mar 12, 2012)

Perhaps erroneously, i give our pup lots of her own toys because our 4 yr old has lots and lots of toys of her own and this has helped to mostly keep dog toys for the dog and children's toys for the child with remarkably few overlaps and thusly fewer tears. i never knew this was frowned upon...i thought giving mouth-oriented puppies toys to exercise the wish to gnaw was satisfying for them, and it certainly has had no draining effect on our pup's ball drive...


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## Hunter Allred (Jan 28, 2010)

I have training toys, and non training toys... they can keep the non training ones. The training toys always hold more value to them though.


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Hunter Allred said:


> I have training toys, and non training toys... they can keep the non training ones. The training toys always hold more value to them though.


same here.


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## Mary Velazquez (Mar 31, 2012)

My dogs arent obsessive about any of the toys I give them, the ones they are obsessive about are training toys. I will admit that the boredom busting toys are probably mainly for my sake, not because they arent well behaved or dont get worked or played with, but because, when working from home, I find it pleasant to have my dog lying at my feet chewing a bone or kong.


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## Ben Thompson (May 2, 2009)

I take my dog to the park sometimes to swim and I don't want him targeting peoples soccerballs or basketballs. Especially if they are a gang or something. He does love to play with them though I had one land on my side of the fence and he went apeshit for it.


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## Jennifer Andress (Sep 4, 2013)

Hunter Allred said:


> I have training toys, and non training toys... they can keep the non training ones. The training toys always hold more value to them though.


Yep, same.

I do have a pretty big collection of "boredom" toys (mostly Kongs and other variations on food-stuffed toys like the Squirrel Dude and Kong Wobbler and so forth) for the foster dogs, because (a) I'm not trying to train them for anything other than being well-behaved pets, so building up their drive to work/play is not a priority; and (b) they spend a fair amount of time crated during the housebreaking process (and sometimes while being kept on crate rest during HW treatment) and they need something to do in there so they don't go crazy.

IME, teaching these dogs how to use and enjoy self-entertaining toys is useful for the adoptive homes, because they're almost all pet homes who want dogs that can quietly entertain themselves and/or settle in a crate for a couple of hours when needed.

I don't use these toys for my own dogs; I just don't have a need for them. I do give them Nylabones and marrow bones and whatnot to chew, though. Those don't scratch the same itch as interactive/training toys, so I don't see any harm and I do see a lot of benefits in keeping my furniture intact.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Both my dogs now have their own Kong for the yard but I still use them for reward. I know. Not what we're supposed to do but I've never seen them get bored because of same old, same old. Reward has always seemed to be more about games with me and not just a toy. When I go to the back door both are right there with their kongs begging to do something.
One just chews on his all day and the other tosses his all over the yard.


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