Stress Relieving Toys & Games

Similar to us, pit bulls are not spared of feelings of anxiety and depression. Obviously, the loving owners as we are, these feeling will be auto-matically transmitted to us, so it is our duty as their protectors to help our pets overcome them. There are many reasons why pit bulls get to feel this way, but most of them are caused by what experts call separation anxiety. Because dogs have been bred and trained to live in close proximity to humans, any separation, regardless of length, will cause them to react negatively.

 

Fortunately, whether your dog feels anxious or has a bout of nervous energy, there are many toys, instruments and games designed specifically for this purpose. While sometimes giving your dog a plush toy to munch on is enough to calm him down, in other cases, you will have to be a little more creative than that.

 

This article will briefly cover only a small number of handpicked toys that we found particularly interesting and all dogs, regardless of breed and personality, will like. If you want more in-depth information regarding dog toys, as well as well-written product reviews, make sure to check out ToyPetReviews. Without further ado, here are a few toys and games that are great stress relievers for dogs.

Puppy Cuddle Pal
While this small toy is technically reserved to puppies, it works very well with adult dogs as well. It is a soft, snuggly body that acts as sort of a makeshift headrest for your anxious dogs. The inside of the toy contains a removable buckwheat packet that you can heat in the microwave. Zap it for 30 seconds, a minute at most, put it back inside and give it to your dog. The inviting shape, soft material and gentle heat emanated by the toy will calm the nerves of your dog and slowly put him to sleep. After he wakes up, you can deplete the dog’s recharged energy levels by using the toy to play fetch.

Kong Classic Dog Toy
Writing an article about dog toys without mentioning, at least in passing, the Kong Classic would be a true disservice to all animal lovers. Kong is the quintessential soothing toy which comes highly recommended by the majority of veterinarians and trainers around the world.

The Kong serves both as calming and interactive toy that will stimulate your dog’s mental activity. All you have to do is simply fill the toy with food and put your dog to work. Naturally, he will try to find out how to maximize the number of treats received, which will keep him busy and satisfied for a few hours.

Thanks to the materials the Kong toy is made out of, it has an unpredictable bounce, which will make your dog go berserk with joy and excitement, before inevitably getting tired and sleepy. Besides playing fetch, the Kong is also great as a makeshift chewing toy because it will calm your dog and satisfy its urge to munch on objects. For extra effect, place a dab of peanut butter inside the toy and watch your pet go crazy after it.

Outward Hound Treat Dispensing Game for Dogs
Is your furry friend unusually energetic, even by dog’s standards? Does he need a job to do? Then this toy might be just the thing that your dog needs to calm his nerves. The Outward hound treat is a puzzle toy that acts as sort of a toy version of hide and seek, only with delicious treats. The board has 29 different hiding spots, which will challenge the dog’s brain, keep him busy and alleviate his feelings of anxiety. Moreover, this feeding board has multiple difficulty levels – you can set the game to begin with a simple warmup session, then gradually increase the complexity of the puzzle in order to keep the dog engaged.

ZippyPaws Burrow Squeaky Hide and Seek Toy
This one is an all-purpose, all-inclusive puzzle, squeaky, plush toy that your dog will never get bored with. Your dog will deplete his energy levels by attempting to remove the squeak toys from the package and will then switch to the carrot part until his chewing urges are finally satisfied. If you want to provide your dog with the best possible sensory stimulation, the ZippyPaws will offer it in spades.

Busy Buddy Calming Toys
Wrapping this article up is the Busy Buddy, a series of simple, but effective rubber toys that will immediately relieve the dog’s feelings of anxiety. Similar to the other products highlighted throughout this article, the Busy Buddy is an interactive toy meant to soothe the dog’s nerves by giving him an engaging task to accomplish.

Fill it with treats, toss it around the house or yard and encourage your pet to solve the puzzle. If your dog is bred for hunting activities, all the better, because the toy itself is shaped like a squirrel.

Conclusion
Unfortunately, dogs are as vulnerable to boredom, depression, and feelings of anxiety as humans. On the bright side, there are a lot of things that you can do to calm your dog’s nerves. One great way of accomplishing this, besides providing him with love and care, is by making sure he gets enough physical activity, mental stimulation, and sufficient sensory enrichment. The toys presented in this article, thanks to their well-thought design and interactivity, are perfect for this purpose.

Written and Submitted by Deborah Hurst

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Mission Statement

Our goal is to provide abused, abandoned or homeless pit bull dogs with the medical attention they need; as well as the love and attention they deserve to heal - both emotionally, and physically.

 

We will work to facilitate the rescue and placement of abused or abandoned pit bulls into responsible homes and participate in fundraising to provide veterinary treatment; spay/neuter; food and shelter.

 

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