Dogs need to play and they have fun playing. It is also an essential bonding opportunity between owner and his/her best friend! Whether playing in your family room, backyard or dog park, having a dog toy box with a great selection of toys, is essential for your pack mate.
Think about stocking up on toys that hit these five categories:
(1) Plush, (2) Fetch, (3) Puzzle, (4) Chew, and (5) Overall Play.
Here are some of my favorite brands in those categories. You can find a lot on (affiliate) Amazon or Petmate.com, which provided me with some complimentary dog toys to try out!

PLUSH – Mutt Nation Plush Pets


The Mutt Nation soft plush puppies are designed to look like a real life rescue and the tag shows a photo of the actual dog with a background story of their rescue. There are at least six from which to choose. Plus, a percentage of the proceeds from MuttNation’s pet collection goes to support Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation. You are giving a great gift to your pet that saves a life of another pet. You can find the full collection at Petmate.com or on (affiliate)
Amazon.com.
OVERALL PLAY – Fat Cat Water Bottle Crunchers


Dogs just can’t resist the satisfying crunch of an empty water bottle. If your dog is the same way, then you will want to check out the (affiliate)
Water Bottle Crunchers. Just place an empty water bottle inside the toy for a toy that packs a punch with a crunch, as well as encourage reuse and recycling. The outside fabric is made of heavy-duty canvas construction for durability too. You can also find them on Petmate.com.
PUZZLE TOYS – Dogzilla and JW




You cannot go wrong with Puzzle toys. They are essential for many puppies for mental stimulation.
Petmate.com has a HUGE selection and definitely worth a perusal on what might be best for your pet based on size. The carry a big selection from JW Slide n’ Snacks as well as DogZilla. I also like Outward Hound and Trixie. You see them all on my
Amazon affiliate New Puppy Must Have List.
FETCH TOYS – Chuckit!




You need to have fetch toys. Chuckit! is a go-to-brand. For example, with the (
affiliate)
Chuckit! dog ball launcher, you increase the range and speed of your throw making dogs get more exercise (and fun) as a result. It is a side bonus that it means you don’t have to pick up a dirty, slobbery ball either! They also have fun indoor options like a soft squirrel, ball and football – plus other fun fetch toys! So it is an essential in your dog toy box!
CHEW TOYS


Lastly, you need Chew Toys. While rawhide or other bones are good, they are food. So when you don’t want the extra calories for your dog, a chew toy is an alternative. They satisfy the need to chew. Ropes are fun to play with, tug and chew on. The JW Playplace Butterfly Teether from Petmate.com is a great teething toy for puppies. You can even put in the freezer for gum relief. The Booda Knot Rope is a good rope toy that also has breath freshener in it! Bonus! Zoobilee is another brand to take a look at. They have (
affiliate)Â
cool dog toys that are made out of real firehouse fabric.
What toys do you like the most for your dog?