Best Backyard Dog Toys

Thank god we survived the winter and now finally summer is just about here.   Much like having children, being a dog parent requires that every time the season changes, our dogs needs new toys for that season.   The toys that worked for wintertime are not going to cut it in the backyard for the summer.   We do very different things in summer, so which are the best backyard dog toys to get your dog?

Are certain dog toys only outside toys?  Why can’t my dog just take their inside dog toys outside?

I will answer all these questions and provide some of my very favourite dog toys for you and your dog to play with in the backyard.

Why backyard playtime

Keeping our dogs entertained in our own backyard, has many positives upsides.  As dog parents, we all know that our dogs need regular exercise every day, to ensure they stay healthy and fit.  Taking our dogs for daily walks is very important, but so to is outside play time.

Much like humans, dogs don’t mind the exercise and going for a walk, but they want to have a little fun when they are all done.  Backyard play time provides a great end to a hard walk, hike or bike ride.  That extra bit of one on one time, between you two is priceless.  Dogs absolutely love playtime with their parents.

There is also another very important reason why having fun and backyard playtime is beneficial.

We all know that a busy dog is far less likely to be getting into trouble in the yard.  Digging, barking, and overall destructive behaviour only happens when a dog has no other distraction to occupy his time.  Nobody wants to be dealing with that bad dog behaviour.  Distraction is always the best way to avoid any of these pitfalls bad behaviours.

So whether it is keeping your dog busy to stop bad behaviour, or extra fun bonding time, none of this is possible without the proper toys to play with outside.

I have never never never let my dog take his inside toys outside.  Those are his inside toys.  We make sure that FERGUS has a slew of outdoor toys that strictly stay outside.  The #1 is to keep things clean.  I don’t want a dirty, slobbery toy in my house that was just sitting in the grass.  Nope!

The other reason I keep the inside and outside toys in their places, is if your dog always has access to all the toys at once, then they don’t have something to look forward to when they go outside.  Anticipation for those toys they haven’t seen in a while is part of the fun and excitement.

I also strongly believe that many of these toys I am about to share with you in my opinion are strictly outside toys.  They are meant for a more energetic play that is best done outside.  OK time to get to the goodies.

Chuck-It Breathe Right Stick

($12.99 – $20.99 PRICES VARY)

This is currently FERGUS’s absolute favourite toy.  He loves it!  The second that he goes outside he grabs it and carries it around in his mouth.   One of the reasons that I think that he loves this toy so much is that he can breathe through the toy when he is carrying it, and not just through his mouth.  Laying with it in the grass while holding it with his paws while he chews on it.   A bit heavy to throw, but we do use it to fetch a ton anyway.  Playing tug with it is also something he loves to do with this toy.

PROS:

• Bouncy
• Easy for dogs to breathe and carry it
• Super durable
• Floats in water
• 2 sizes Small and Large
• Great to play tug with
• Can put treat sticks through the holes

CONS:

• Leaving it in the sun can make it brittle
• Can get a bit slimey
• Not indestructible

Kong AirDog Squeaker Ball With Rope

($4.00 – $10.00 PRICES VARY)

For my dog FERGUS he loves anything in a toy that has a rope and a ball.  Put the 2 together and it is a masterpiece.

PROS:

• Durable and strong rope
• Nonabrasive felt ball
• Squeaker toy
• Great for throwing
• Awesome tug toy
• 2.5 inches in diameter

CONS:

• Rope can be pulled and separated from ball
• Not the best squeaker
• Dog may pull at the felt of the ball
• Needs a stronger rope
• Must be supervised

Chuckit Zipflight

($10.99 – $14.99 PRICES VARY)

My boy FERGUS is also in love with this awesome soft Frisbee called the “Zipflight”. He loves to fetch it and even is currently learning to catch in midair. I love this toy, because it is so lightweight and easy to throw. I think that FERGUS likes it so much, because he can easily carry it around due to the softness of the material.

PROS:

• Soft to catch
• Easy to throw
• Fast flying
• Floats in water
• Durable
• Bright colors

CONS:

• Not tear proof
• Fabric can get dirty
• Can rip or tear
• Very light, so hard to throw in the wind

Chuckit Bumper Dog

($13.99 – $16.99 PRICES VARY)

PROS:

• Floats in water
• Great for a paddling pool
• Fun to play tug of war
• Soft material easy on your dogs mouth
• Easy to fetch in the water

CONS:

• Only good for light tugging
• Rope can break and be ingested
• Needs to be supervised
• Not for aggressive dogs

Kong Wubba Classic

($11.99 – $28.99 PRICES VARY)

We are using this toy quite a bit in the yard right now.  I like it because I can swirl it around using the fabric strands when I go to throw it, so FERGUS never knows where it is going.  It is very unpredictable, which makes it kind of fun. I also love to run around and have him chase the ball when I am pulling it.

PROS:

• Great for tossing
• Easy to fetch
• Very durable fabric
• Tennis balls inside
• Long fabric strands fun for shaking
• Bouncy
• Squeaky
• Comes in 3 sizes Small, Large and XL

CONS:

• Kind of heavy toy
• Not good for extreme chewers
• Fabric susceptible to tearing
• Size small is very small

Chuckit Slobber Free Kit

($24.99 – $35.99 PRICES VARY)

When it comes to inventing a toy that requires me to not have to bend over every time to pick up the toy, I am sold.  I also have to say that I love all Chuckit toys.  FERGUS is a bit of a rough houser, and so far all their toys have been durable and a real hit.

PROS:

• No bending over to pick it up
• Ring is easy to throw
• Natural rubber
• Slobber doesn’t stick to it
• Great for fetch
• Topspin infused for extra bounce

CONS:

• Not easy to clip the ring in
• Need to use
• the perfect angle
• Clip or clamp can loosen up over time

Outdoor toy round up

Most of these toys are my dogs FERGUS’s favourite toys.  The other toys are the top selling best outdoor dog toys currently on the market.

FERGUS is currently 6 mos old and absolutely loves to play in the backyard.  If he could, he would stay out there all day.  We generally don’t let him stay out there for long alone.  I prefer to see what he is up to out there.

If his toys are outside, supervising him with toys, is something we do every time.  No toy is completely destructible, and safety is so important with our dogs, that I just don’t want to risk it.  Playtime in the backyard is for the two of us to do together.

Well I hope these dog toys have you excited about getting into your backyard with your dog and having some fun.   Just remember one toy is not good enough to keep your dog engaged.  Having a selection of toys is a great idea, especially if you keep a few hidden away and only pull them out every so often.   Then it is sort of like a new toy to them and they get all excited.  That is just a tip that I use regularily.  Best of luck to you and your dog parents.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on any of these toys and how they work for you, just drop me a line below.