BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: terrier
Date: 30 Oct 12 - 01:37 PM

As KONGS have been mentioned in this thread,I feel I have to mention that they are NOT indestructible. Yes they are very tough, but when they do start to break down, the heavy chewing dog will have no difficulty in pulling large chunks off it, which, if swallowed by the dog could cause real problems.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: Crowhugger
Date: 30 Oct 12 - 12:46 PM

GUEST is right about Kong. At the pet supply store just ask about toys for "heavy chewers". They'll be made of rubber, with or without a squeaker, with or without rippled or nubbled or other interesting surfaces. If choosing a hollow toy, choose one(s) with thick walls. Make sure it's small enough for a Yorkie to grip, as many heavy-chew toys are designed for Lab or pittie sized dogs.

Forget any stuffed cloth or plastic toys, or toys not designed for "heavy chewers" as these will be shredded in no time and the dog's bowel could be blocked by swallowing the polyester stuffing from the eviscerated prey.

Another good option is cotton rope-toys, often tied to look like a bone but also in other shapes. Can be braided or twisted or a mix. Yes, will eventually be destroyed but it takes quite a bit of time--months or longer--even for my 3 intense chewers. We have several that are years old.

FWIW you can easily teach the dog that you are not a suitable fetch partner, or that for you a ball does not equal fetch. When it brings the toy/ball to you, accept it, then sit on it and ignore the dog completely for that duration. Start at 10 seconds before returning it, increasing to 15, 20, 30 seconds etc; each time you return it, DON'T throw, just put it in the dog's mouth. By the time you get to a minute it will probably be looking elsewhere for a fetchmate. If not, just keep working your way up to 2, 3, 4, hours.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: GUEST,999
Date: 30 Oct 12 - 12:02 AM

A quick scan of this thread title and thread indicates to me that no one has mentioned Mitt Romney. I shall. And, with no insult intended, the plural is missing on 'ball'.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 29 Oct 12 - 03:30 PM

Thanks for your help.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: GUEST,Ebor_Fiddler
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 06:25 PM

I don't think they make them small enough Geoff! I give mine the smallest Kong which he hasn't chewed up yet, unlike most of his (unauthorised) chewable toys!

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 03:33 PM

Surely a Yorkie should have a cricket ball?
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: BS:good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier ?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 05:04 AM

I don't know what constitutes a good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier, but I imagine a Yorkshire terrier would make a pretty good chewing ball for a Bull Mastiff.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 03:17 AM

KONG

www.kongcompany.com

It will become the favorite. Expensive but indistructable even for a pit bull.

Erratic bounce gives it a true "hunt prey" type effect.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 28 Oct 12 - 01:01 AM

For a dog that plays catch - i.e. tries to catch something that you throw, you may save yourself some outrageous dental bills if you stick to something soft and squishy. A Nerf is probably too easily destroyed, but harder rubber (hollow?) balls are available.

For something for the pup to just "worry with" it's hard to beat plain old rawhide - strips/strings of it wound wet into a ball and dried fairly well before you give it to the dog. If you make your own, you can make them the size most appropriate for your own critter, and need to make sure you don't make them too heavy for your friend. The dog can still eventually work it down to loose bits, but it will take a while. You'll only have the problem of feeling appropriately guilty about not playing catch-n-fetch with your animal - which usually requires something a little gentler on the dentition.

If you look in the (shhh ... don't tell the dog) "cat section" at the pet shop for toys, you probably can find hollow rubber balls (soft enough not to hurt but hard enough to last a while) with a little bell inside to simulate caring whether the pup is interested, but even a fancy bell won't fool the dog into thinking "you cared enough" if you don't help with the game.

John

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: gnu
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 02:53 PM

Hehehehee.

Subject: RE: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 11:58 AM

Some friends of mine once got a squeaky Margaret Thatcher head for their dog to chew on.

The dog took one bite and was too terrified to ever try again.

Subject: BS: good chewing ball for Yorkshire terrier?
From: GUEST,Big Al Whittle
Date: 27 Oct 12 - 11:36 AM

Now and then my sister comes to see us. She is a nice sister and she has a nice dog - a yorkshire terrier.

Generally speaking I buy it a ball, which it chews. However the ball disintegrates and leaves bits on the carpet.

This time I bought it a wild duck with a squeak from Tesco's. I made sweeping flights across its vision and squeaked the squeaker. Sure enough, it pounced on the duck and 'worried' it and growled.

I have in the past bought the string balls, but Nelly (the dog) wants me to keep throwing them for her, and the chewing ball routine - gives me more time to myself.


In conclusion - I need a ball that Nelly can chew but which doesn't disintegrate. Any ideas from proper dog people?