Instinctual Dog Toys

Before dogs became human pets and companions, they roamed the earth free, using their instincts to survive. And, while the couch-lounging, treat-eating dogs of today have it easier than their ancestors, and are certainly more domesticated, they still have those same inner dog instincts. Instinctual Dog Toys are toys designed to calm and pacify a dog's natural instincts. For example, back in the day, dogs would chew on pretty much anything they could get their canine teeth on - their most favorite chew things being bones and sticks. Not only did all that chewing feel good, it kept their teeth clean and sharp. True, dogs today aren't doing much hunting and don't need razor-sharp teeth, but that doesn't mean their desire to chew on something hard but a little soft has gone away. So look for dog toys that are tough but still plyable. Like the West Paw Hurley or Bumi for instance. Another type of instinctual dog toy focuses on a dog's sense of smell. It's been said that a dog's sense of smell is a thousand times more powerful than that of a human. But, in fact, dogs have 220 million olfactory receptors their noses, while humans have only 5 million. Wild dogs used their sense of smell for various reasons: to find food and prey, to detect visitors, to find members of their pack, etc. Nowadays, pet dogs still have a keen sense of smell and it excites them when they encounter an instinctual smell, like that of another animal. The Sheepy Bar Tug, Buffalo Bar Tug and Bungee Bar Tug are great examples of this type of instinctual dog toy

Let's face it, dogs love to play, chew, smell, run and fetch. It's as simple as that. Providing them the toys that allow them to do what comes naturally to them is one of the best gifts you can give a fun-loving pooch. Instinctual dog toys go just a step further in providing a way for dogs to release that instinctual desire that all dogs have inside of them (Yes even the ones that drink bottled water and wear rain booties).