By Alden and Jennifer Little

With the gift giving season upon us, we start thinking about what to get for the kids, our parents and even Uncle Bert. The pets in our life deserve a little attention, too, at Christmas. Buying treats for your dog is fairly simple because you probably already know what they like and what they don’t. But buying toys for them can prove more difficult. Following these simple guidelines should give you some insight into your gift choices.

If you have a dog that you expect to retrieve, it is best not to purchase a tug-o-war toy. Playing tug-o-war will teach the dog to have a hard mouth. It will also give them the idea that they can win the game when they can pull the toy away from you and run away with it. Obviously that is the opposite result you need in a retriever.

For a dog that that already retrieves, the plastic or knobby bumpers (or dummies), make an excellent toy. And if you have a good retriever, you know that you can never have enough bumpers.
With a young dog, just learning the art of retrieving, it is better to use a canvas bumper that is softer on their teeth and gums. Once your dog has finished cutting his adult teeth, you can move on to the harder, plastic bumpers.

For a puppy that has not yet started retrieving, a bumper may not be interesting enough to hold his attention because they lack much bounce. You may choose a simple bouncy ball or even a tube of tennis balls, Their bouncing effect will hold the attention of the puppy driving them to the toy. Once the pup is attracted to the ball, you can start the retrieving process. After they are comfortable with retrieving, graduate them to canvas bumpers and then on to plastic ones.

Always avoid toys that have little pieces that could fall off and cause choking. Just use your best judgement when choosing your pet’s gifts remembering that their safety and enjoyment is the main objective.

For more information about training and our winter special, please call Tru-Line at (334) 419-9921 or (334) 366-4732. From our family to yours, have a wonderful and safe Holiday Season.