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7 Dog Toys That Will Keep Your Pup Busy & Happy Outdoors
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Outdoor playtime is great for pups of all ages and sizes. The best outdoor dog toys to keep them busy are durable enough to withstand both the elements and your dog’s teeth, which means they're frequently made of tough materials like hard plastic or rubber. Toys that will keep your dog busy should be toys they can play with on their own (though you should always supervise, of course!), but choosing the best toy for your pup will depend on their preferred style of play.
Engaging outdoor toys invite your pup to interact by chewing, chasing, tugging, or solving puzzles, among other things, and are a great solution if you’re wondering how to keep your dog entertained in the yard. If your dog loves to gnaw, look for toys that are designed to hold up against serious chewers. If your pooch needs a lot of physical activity, they might like a ball, bouncy toy, or a toy to tug with their teeth. Water-loving dogs may enjoy their own pool to splash around in, and puzzle toys can provide hours of mental stimulation, especially for food-motivated dogs. Also keep your dog’s size in mind. There are plenty of large dog toys for outside use if you have a large dog, but smaller pups and puppies will need smaller toys to contend with.
Whatever your dog enjoys, pet parents indicate that these seven dog toys are perfect for outdoor play, and that they have kept their pups entertained for hours on end.
1A Ball That Makes Sounds When Played With
With more than 10,000 reviews on Amazon and 4.1-star rating overall, this Wobble Wag Giggle ball is truly a unique toy that’ll catch your dog’s attention. When played with, the ball makes a variety of kooky sounds. Your dog will love fetching, nudging, rolling, and shaking the toy. And luckily, it requires no batteries; the secret is the noisemaker inside of the ball.
The ball is made of a durable vinyl. It's available in an ordinary green color, but you can also nab a glow-in-the-dark version for nighttime play.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Great toy for my year old shih tzu, but I quickly decided it is an outdoor toy! Too loud and annoying in the house but perfect for the yard. He enjoys it for awhile, then goes on to other things but that is natural. Very well made.”
2A Chewable Toy That’s A Good Alternative To Actual Sticks
These faux sticks are the ultimate doggie chew toy. They combine real wood with nontoxic synthetic material, so that your pup can enjoy the experience of chewing on a stick without the danger of splintering wood.
These Petstages chew toys come in a wide range of different flavors and formats, from a wood-flavored version shaped like a branch to a peanut-shaped, peanut-flavored version that can be stuffed with treats. Choose from four sizes as well: Petite, Small, Medium, and Large.
As with any toys (especially chew toys!), always supervise your dog while they use this toy. While it's designed to withstand aggressive chewing without splintering, it's still possible that a dog could break off smaller pieces that could be a choking hazard.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Had to order more because they are wonderful! I have a boxer, a Boston terrier & a miniature Australian shepherd and the bone is very durable for all of their chewing! Two of the dogs kept destroying soft toys, so I tried a dogwood stick and they keep them busy and are surprisingly durable! It can have small pieces come off, but so far it is not an issue. My dogs love chewing sticks outside, so this is a great alternative. I keep mine in the backyard as an outdoor toy!”
3A Toy On A Bungee String That Hangs From A Tree
Don’t have time for a game of tug of war with your dog? This XiaZ dog toy will essentially play it for you. The dog chew toy is attached to a bungee string and then hung on a sturdy tree limb (hang it up to 10 feet off the ground, depending on the size of your dog). You can even attach it to a wooden beam on your deck if you don't have a tree. Your dog will thoroughly enjoy pulling and biting the chew toy, and when they let it go, it’ll launch for them to chase it.
The toy can hold up to 260 pounds. The manufacturer advises that you should always supervise your dog during use.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "We have an energetic, aggressive chewer and she loves her toys. We bought this toy for her for Christmas and could not be more pleased. Our male (the big headed one) couldn’t care less about it, and that was to be expected. Our female, Avi, runs circles around him and he/we need help keeping her busy and tired.. this worked! 30 minutes outside and she napped for a solid hour.”
4A Treat-Dispensing Puzzle Toy
Give your dog a challenge with the OurPets IQ treat ball, which requires that they correctly roll the ball in order to get treats or food to fall out. The puzzle ball’s difficulty level is adjustable, so you can set it for as hard or as simple as you’d like. The ball is made from a hard plastic, and it disassembles for easy cleaning; simply rinse the ball in warm soapy water.
With more than 8,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.1-star rating overall, pet parents love that this ball keeps their pooch entertained for long periods of time. Choose between a 3-inch or 4-inch size.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "It is a great way to keep you dog entertained. I would put his food in it and put it in his outside kennel so he would have something to do than just bark.”
5A Foldable Dog Pool That’s Super Durable
If you have a water lover on your hands, then your sweet pooch will surely love making a splash in this Yaheetech dog pool. The pool is designed specifically for dogs as it doesn’t have any inflatable parts, so it's pop-proof. Instead, it’s made of super-durable medium-density fiberboard (MDF) covered in an extra-tough PVC material, with wrapped edges for extra protection against wear and tear. The thick, slip-resistant material at the bottom of the pool is certainly dog-friendly, too. The pool has a drain, so it’s easy to clean out the water, and it’s foldable for storage. Choose from three sizes (Large, X-Large, and XX-Large) and. two different colors (red and blue).
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "I really liked the thickness and quality of this pool.. my dog was already scratching at the sides and this thing is TOUGH!!! Love the drain plug as you can connect a hose to it.”
6A Fan-Favorite Bright Toy You Won’t Loose Outside
With more than 16,000 reviews on Amazon and a solid 4.6-star rating overall, it’s clear that this Kong dog toy is highly-regarded on the site. And as a dog owner myself, I can also testify that the Kong is a super entertaining toy for your pet, as dogs can fetch it, chew it, toss it, and more. The toy is made from rubber, and its shape means that it’ll bounce unpredictably, which just adds to the fun. If you need even more entertainment for your dog, the Kong can be stuffed with peanut butter, kibble, or other treats. Your dog will spend hours trying to remove treats from the toy.
The Kong is dishwasher safe and comes in a range of formats based on your dog’s size. While the Kong is super strong and will hold up against harsh playtime, there is also an extreme version of this beloved toy for “power chewers.”
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "You can stuff it with just about anything and it holds up to outdoor weather (I do not recommend leaving it outside, but one rain or snowstorm won't kill it). It has an irregular bounce so it will be a surprise for the ball loving dogs out there. You can freeze treats inside of it, too (think yogurt or peanut butter).”
7A Durable Ball That's Practically Indestructible
Even the strongest of chewers won’t be able to destroy the Boomer Ball. The ball is made from sturdy polyethylene, so it’ll withstand plenty of rough playtime outdoors, and there's no need to worry about deflating it. Your dog will love chasing after the ball and pushing it with their nose. And it even floats in water.
The Boomer Ball comes in four sizes. It isn't designed to be picked up, so choose a size that's larger than your dog can carry.
Enthusiastic Amazon review: "Finally a toy my pit bull can not destroy! Perfect outdoor toy. So far has lasted longer than any toy he has ever owned so very happy to have found this.”
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