“Soft dog toys that last” and “Bull Terrier” – sounds like a paradox
For Bull Terrier owners who like to give soft toys to their dogs, “Tuffy Toys” may be a viable choice.
They are currently the only soft toys I buy for Mila, because of their durability. Don’t get me wrong! I am NOT stating that they are indestructible or that your dog should play completely unsupervised with them.
All I say is that these toy may be a great choice for people looking for something made of fabric and “kind of soft” but at the same time able to resist a Bull Terrier’s nipping and tearing.
Mila has already owned several ones of the Tuffy toys: The sheep, the piggy and the tug o’ war toy.
The sheep has been taken out of the equation after about a year of fun, the tug toy got replaced after about a year. The pig is the newest one, now about six months old and still in use in its first version.
I found the Tuffy Toys on Amazon. But I think the original manufacturer is vipproducts.
The Tuffy Toys are all pretty firm and good quality – like the heading says: soft dog toys that last
The outer layers are made of several layers which are stitched together, including one fleece layer and one strong canvas layer. The seams are made of several rows of stitching and are trimmed by some very strong black ribbon that is connected to the toy by several additional rows of stitching. The manufacturer says that their toys are held together by seven (!) rows of stitching for each seam. In my experience this statement is plausible.
Here they explain how the toys are made
I am always a little skeptical about sticking out details, such as labels, tails, ears or thick seams, because they often are a favored trigger for chewing.
But I have to say, these toys are holding up pretty well despite the thick seams, as these are so durable.
Some toys, such as the tug toy come with squeakers. The animals don’t. At least not the ones Mila owns.
If your soft toys don’t last – as long as you hope for, sewing them MAY be an option
I do not give any guarantees here, just describe how I handle the matter:
I sew and repair Mila’s toys several times before discarding them by strong and flat stitching. That helps to make the toys live longer. But it is important that the visit at the “plush pet clinic” does not result in very thick and raised “scars”, because those would work as even more interesting triggers for chewing!
Read more about the Tuffy soft dog toys that last on the next page
Luke es destructivo compulsivo, los juguetes suves son los peores para el, le da placer destruirlos
As they can learn everything else in terms of behavior they can also learn HOW to play correctly – in our human understanding – and not immediately destroy everything they are given.
Many dogs are very curious and like to dismember things just to learn what’s inside. Looking at their ancestry it’s no surprise that chasing things and ripping them apart is part of their nature – especially for dogs as the Bull Terrier, who was originally bred and used to chase small rodents. Many games they play are prey games, that’s imprinted in their genes. So, that is what they usually do, when we give them small items to play with without giving any instructions on how to use them.
This is especially true for what I call the “new toy factor”. Everything new is particularly interesting and needs to be examined closely.
But most breeds – also Bull Terriers – are eager to learn and to comply. If we take the time to show them how we want them to play with their toys, supervise and interrupt rough play, pretty soon they turn from little destroyers into more gentle players.
The best way to do that is to play and interact WITH them and the toy, which most of them LOVE anyways – much more than playing on their own.
Mila has a whole basket full of soft toys she has access to all day long, all of which are months to years old.
Well, it never hurts to know how to repair a broken seam now and then. 🙂 After all they’re dogs and their teeth are sharp. 🙂