The happiness of our dogs is our top priority as devoted dog owners. We frequently give our pets the best care possible in terms of their food, veterinary care, daily exercise, and other factors. I’m sure I’ve made jokes with my husband about how I wish we could take care of ourselves as well as our dogs do.
Why then do we frequently (unknowingly) miss the mark when it comes to selecting toys for our dogs? Choosing dog toys that are mentally stimulating, long-lasting, and above all SAFE for our dogs (on multiple levels) should be a top priority.
The benefits of natural rubber dog toys are extensive. They won’t break down over time, won’t be filled with known cancer-causing chemicals like many other dog toys on the market, and come in a variety of designs to keep your dog amused and content.
But that barely scratches the surface. To better understand why natural rubber dog toys are the best toys to buy for your dog, let’s look at the top 5 advantages of these toys.
Dogs are frequently more than willing to play with any object they can get their paws on, in contrast to cats, who can be quite picky about the toys they like. Because of this, you must watch your dog’s playtime carefully to ensure that no “unscheduled” activities occur.
Make sure to purchase toys for your dog that are the right size. Too-small toys can easily be ingested or get stuck in your dog’s throat.
Ask your veterinarian which rawhide chew toys are suitable and safe for your dog if you’re considering giving one to your pet. Give your dog these toys only when you can keep an eye on them as they may present choking hazards.
Many rawhides are byproducts of the cruel international fur trade. Consider toys made of extremely hard rubber, which are safer and last longer, as a humane substitute.
Be warned that the item may be destroyed by diligent fluffing, carrying and nosing. Dirty laundry, such as an old t-shirt, pillowcase, towel, or blanket, can be very comforting to a dog, especially if the item smells like you.
How Can You Tell if a Rubber Toy is Dangerous?
How can you determine which toys are safe on your own if there is no central database of safe toys or governing body that declares which toys are dangerous?
Is purchasing safe dog toys a lost cause given that almost all dog product manufacturers have mastered the art of misleading product labeling?
Well, you have a few options.
Check for product recalls or warnings. The first thing you can do is check to see if there are active or archived recalls or warnings about the toy or the manufacturer. The FDA will occasionally issue a recall or warning for particularly dangerous toys, which you can find here. You can also check with the Consumer Product Safety Commission to see if there are any active recalls. The American Pet Products Association may have some information as well. A good site to keep an eye on is Ecology Center. They test consumer products for toxic chemicals.
Check for reviews of the product or manufacturer. While the world of product reviews has been tainted with scandals (especially on the largest eCommerce platforms) and they cannot be taken at face value, youve got to start somewhere. Any time youre shopping for a dog toy, whether its rubber or not, you should take a look at reviews online. Look for reviews of the toy specifically and then look for reviews of the company. Make sure that there are no complaints and no signs of issues with a toxic toy. Youd be surprised at how many big-name brands have toys full of toxic chemicals!
Look for warnings or guarantees on the product packaging. No toy will have a big “warning, full of toxic chemicals” label on it. Youre looking for the opposite. Try to limit yourself to toys that explicitly say that they have no PVC, no BPAs, no lead, no chromium, and so on. A toy that doesnt say this isnt necessarily toxic, but its better to be safe than sorry, right?
At all costs, avoid toys made overseas and look for products made in the USA with USA sourced materials. This is perhaps the most difficult recommendation as given the lack of regulation, the pet industry is flooded with Chinese dog toys.
The majority of pet owners are typically very aware of the risks associated with purchasing pet food made in the USA or with ingredients from China. In many cases labeled as “globally sourced ingredients”.
However, they frequently are not aware that Chinese-made dog toys expose their dogs to comparable risks.
According to Dr. Sharon Gwaltney, Vice President of the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, lead is the toxin pet parents should be most concerned about.
In most cases, American dog toy manufacturers that actually manufacture their toys in the USA, will follow the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s guidelines when it comes to pet toys. As scary as it may sound, imported products do not comply with CPSC guidelines.
Just pause for a moment and ask yourself, “Why would they?”
Why would manufacturers in other countries devote expensive resources to creating safe dog toys when they can easily sell these products to unwary pet parents like you while prioritizing profits?
As a result, some may contain up to 100 times the recommended safe level of lead.
I started Toe Beans to make life better for every member of the fur family and to use education as a tool to increase pet care literacy and give pet parents more power to make better decisions for their cherished fur kids. Read about our story here.
Get a testing kit. There are some testing kits available, usually at hardware stores. For example, you can buy a kit that tests for the presence of lead. Its primarily designed to test paint chips in an old house or check the water in areas with lead pipes. However, it can still potentially detect lead on a rubber dog toy. Unfortunately, these are impractical to buy for every toy you want to test.
Send the toy out for testing. A handful of different agencies will test a product you send them for dangerous or toxic chemicals. Unfortunately, this is quite expensive.
It would be better if a central regulatory body performed the testing for us all rather than each of us having to pay hundreds of dollars for each toy to be tested and possibly not receiving the toy itself back.
Look for third-party endorsements and certifications. If a dog toy states it is “safe” look for objective evidence of that claim on the product. Has the product been tested for safety? if so, do they have an Intertek or other certification? If it states non-toxic, has it been tested for toxins? does it have a USDA certified organic certification? or perhaps the product is Bio-based certified?
Bottom line: Any product claims that would persuade you to purchase a product should be independently verified. In a world where anyone can produce anything in China and sell it online, pet owners need to be on the lookout for con artists and dubious characters.
Avoid rubber toys entirely. If rubber and plastic toys are so full of problems, why even get one? Why not limit yourself solely to natural, bio-based products?
Bamboo.
Another great natural material like olive wood, bamboo has gained great popularity as a material in recent times, thanks to its green credentials. Bamboo, for instance, grows thirty times quicker than other trees, and absorbs a scarcely believable thirty-five times more carbon dioxide.
FAQ
What happens if my dog eats his rubber toy?
A: There’s probably nothing to worry about if your dog is eating, drinking, and eliminating normally. It’s possible that the piece was completely chewed before being swallowed or that it was never swallowed at all.
What kind of rubber is safe for dogs?
Rice husk and natural rubber. Dog toys made of rice husk and natural rubber are completely natural, free of harsh chemicals, and safe if consumed for any reason. They are one of the best material combinations in terms of non-toxicity.
Are rubber balls toxic for dogs?
Rubber balls can safely be used during play time. Just watch out that your friend doesn’t get to the toy when you’re not looking. It’s a good idea to restrict their access to the balls while you’re away.
Is KONG rubber toxic to dogs?
Yes, we put safety of your pet’s enjoyment of KONG toys as our top priority. KONG toys and treats are tested for safety. Our treats are made in North America, and our rubber is entirely natural.