A Toy Story- Your dog sees everything — so play nice!
Something as simple as a dog toy turns out to be way more powerful than most people realise. In fact, most people don’t actually use the stuff their dog loves — like toys — as a reward in training at all. Or, even worse, they wave it around saying “you can have this soon, but not yet” like their dog speaks fluent English.
Newsflash: they don’t.
Common Toy Mistakes (You Might Be Making One)
1. Leaving toys lying around all the time.
If your dog’s toys are always available, they become boring background noise. They lose all value.
2. “My dog just destroys every toy we give them.”
That’s often because of mistake #1. If the toy’s always there, of course your dog’s going to rip into it out of boredom.
3. You take the toy = game over.
No one wants their fun snatched away. Your dog learns that giving you the toy = no more fun. So they avoid you or leg it.
4. Chucking a ball over and over again down the park.
That’s cardio, not training. Not saying never do it — but if that’s all you’ve got, you’re missing out.
5. One ball, never given back.
If your dog thinks they’ll never get it again, why the hell would they hand it over?
Why Toy Selection Actually Matters in Dog Training
Not every dog wants a ball. Shocking, I know — I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
But let’s say your dog does love a ball. You can still be smarter with how you use it. I always go for a ball with a rope or handle. That way, I can actually play with my dog, not just lob something across a field and hope for the best.
That kind of interactive session is what trainers call co-operative play — and it’s one of the most powerful tools you can have in your training arsenal. We’re talking serious positive reinforcement here: your dog gets to do something they genuinely love, with you, and you’re shaping behaviour in the process.
If your dog is more into erratic movement and a good chase, try a KONG with a rope — they bounce unpredictably, which is more prey-like and super satisfying for the right kind of dog.
Want to dial that up even more? Grab a flirt pole or a furry tug toy like a chaser from Tug-E-Nuff. For dogs that like to bite and hang on, a bite pillow or strong tug toy is ideal. The feel and resistance hits the spot for a lot of working breeds. Check out K9 Corner for some great gear.
This is where genetics play a part. A terrier’s going to love digging in and shredding a tug. A sighthound? They’ll probably want to chase something first. That’s the kind of stuff I’m looking at when I meet a dog — not just what they do, but why they do it.
“Won’t This Make My Dog More Likely to Chase Things?”
Nah. It’ll actually give them an outlet so they don’t go looking for one elsewhere.
You’re tapping into their natural instincts with purpose — and you can start layering in basic obedience while you play. Stuff like “out,” “leave,” or recall in the middle of arousal. That’s gold.
And if your dog doesn’t have a 10/10 recall? They shouldn’t be off lead anyway.
Fixing Those Earlier Mistakes
1. Stop leaving toys all over the house.
They lose value fast. Keep a few special toys aside that only come out for training or proper play. That way, when the toy comes out, your dog knows it’s game time — and you’ve got a solid bit of positive reinforcement ready to go.
2. “But my dog shreds everything.”
Yeah — because they’re bored. Try some tougher toys during play, not just as solo chews. And if your dog’s a chewer, consider natural chews like cow hooves (Sam loves them). Avoid plasticky crap like Nylabones or rawhide — they’re awful for your dog and do sod all for drive fulfilment.
3. Don’t just snatch the toy to end the game.
Let your dog win sometimes. If they bring it back, the game keeps going. If they drop it on cue, you mark and throw it again. Suddenly, giving it up doesn’t mean the game’s over — it might actually extend the fun.
Eventually you do have to end the session, and when I do, I either trade the toy for food or I let Sam win the final round and keep it. I say “finished” and she knows it’s done. Sometimes I give her something after. Sometimes I don’t. But that took time and consistency to build.
4. Endless ball throws ≠ meaningful play.
Look, I’m not saying never do it again. But if that’s all you do? You’re just creating an elite athlete who needs 50+ reps to feel tired. That’s a nightmare in summer — heatstroke territory. Have other tools in the bag… like some co-operative play.
5. “My dog won’t give the toy back.”
Because in their mind, they never get it back. You’ve snatched stuff before — socks, shoes, toys.
Now they think, “Nah mate. I know your game. You take it, I lose it. Sod off.”
This isn’t about bribing — it’s about building trust. Show them that giving something up leads to more good stuff. That’s the whole deal with positive reinforcement: behaviour pays off. Over time, you’ll fade out the food or second toy. But only after the dog gets it.
Wrap It Up
Turns out the humble dog toy is more useful than you probably gave it credit for.
This isn’t a full guide — there’s always nuance and a few “yeah, but…” situations — but if nothing else, I hope this gives you a new way of looking at dog toys and how you use them.
Because let’s be honest: our dogs aren’t with us long.
And I guarantee, the memories made through real play — the kind where you’re both in it — will always outweigh the ones where you’re just flinging a ball and praying they bring it back.