Pro Dog Trainer's Guide to Toy Selection #55
Shaped by Dog with Susan Garrett
DogsThat
4.8 • 679 Ratings
🗓️ 18 December 2020
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Visit us at shapedbydog.com
Choosing the best dog toy for any activity will lead to success. The toy you choose needs to be safe and suit the purpose. Before I was a professional dog trainer, I never gave any thought to toy selection apart from if a toy appealed to me. Since those days, I've created systems and processes for toy selection to benefit my dogs. Picking the wrong toy can set your training back and could be dangerous. Picking the right toy will set you and your dog up for success.
In the episode you'll hear:
• The six categories that toys can fit into and the best toys for each.
• About looking at what's on the end of a tug toy.
• What toys are best, and what toys never to choose for retrieving.
• Why never to play fetch with sticks and not let your dog carry a stick.
• My thoughts on tennis balls that you might not want to hear!
• Toys you can use to exercise your dog.
• How toys for training help educate our dogs.
• Why to consider where you will reward your dog for toy selection.
• What to know about toys that deliver food to your dog and where to use them.
• About toys that are entertainment for dogs.
• How to use toys for enrichment and what to consider about your dog's safety.
• The toys you can make at home that won't cost you anything.
Resources:
• Podcast Episode 54: Dog Toy Checklist: What's Good and What to Avoid-https://dogsthat.com/podcast/54/
• Vlog Post: Retrieve Games-https://susangarrettdogagility.com/2009/08/retrieve-games/
• 4MyMerles Creations-https://www.4mymerles.com/product-category/say-yes/
• West Paw Toppl Treat Toys-https://www.westpaw.com/dog-toys/puzzle/toppl-treat-toy
• Nina Ottosson Puzzle Game Toys-https://www.nina-ottosson.com/products/all-products/
• *Aerobie Sprint Flying Ring-https://geni.us/Aerobie
• *Chuckit! Amphibious Bumper-https://geni.us/bumper-fetch
• *Kong Squeezz Stick-https://geni.us/squeezz-stick
• *Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll Rope Ball-https://geni.us/rope-ball
• *iFetch Interactive Ball Launchers for Dogs-https://geni.us/ifetch-ball-launcher
• *iDig Digging Toy by iFetch-https://geni.us/ifetch-digging-toy
*Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Pop quiz to start today's podcast, you're going to be training a dog to retrieve to you. |
| 0:17.0 | You want them to learn how to become an awesome retriever right to hand. Now, you have a choice |
| 0:21.9 | of three items that you're going to start this training with. Would you use, number one, |
| 0:27.4 | a squeaky toy. Now, it doesn't have to be this squeaky toy, but size appropriate for your dog. |
| 0:33.6 | Would you use a stuffable food toy that you can put food in there and then wrap it up super tight with Velcrove so it's, you know, they can't get into it? |
| 0:43.5 | Or would you use a rubber bone? You choose. If you are watching this, put in the comments what you would choose. |
| 0:52.1 | Hi, I'm Susan Garrett. Welcome to Shape Eye Dogs. And today is |
| 0:56.9 | all about toys. If you're watching this on YouTube, go ahead and hit the like button for me right now |
| 1:02.0 | because I promise you, you're going to like what I've got for you. If you're not watching this and |
| 1:06.1 | you're listing in your car, I've got lots of things and I'm going to describe them to you, |
| 1:09.7 | but when you get a chance, |
| 1:16.5 | circle back and watch this on YouTube. You're going to love it because lots of great things to show you today as well as tell you. So, I'm also going to be giving away my favorite training |
| 1:24.5 | toy. The toy that I use most often when I'm training my own dogs. |
| 1:28.6 | I'm going to talk about the retrieve items that I suggest you not use with your dog, |
| 1:35.1 | three of which are very dangerous and potentially could cause death. And that's right. |
| 1:41.4 | I'm not exaggerating. It could cause serious injury, if not death, right? |
| 1:46.4 | I'm going to circle back in what I promised from our last episode. I told you, there's |
| 1:52.1 | five toys that I started my dog training career with that didn't cost me one penny. So |
| 1:57.5 | dog training is an expensive investment at times, but dog toys don't have to be |
| 2:02.2 | that investment. I'm going to share with you how you can make or get your own toys. And there's |
| 2:07.5 | nothing illegal or immoral with what I'm going to tell with you. Back before I was a professional |
| 2:14.0 | dog trainer, I actually didn't give any thought into why I picked a toy. It would |
... |
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