Never Too Many Toys!

Two dozen  toys. That's the minimum. That doesn't seem like too much, does it? Yep, you'll pick out a few your dog wouldn't. But put them in the toy box and see. Six months from now he might change his mind and find that new treasure awaiting. Or you'll get a second dog who will love that toy your first dog ignored. All else fails: you donate the bad choice to a rescue group.

(Our toy box is for three dogs, after all--but they have small toys, since they're small dogs.)

Variety! Lots of different kinds! Rotate the choices: turn the box inside out once in a while and hide some away so they look new again. I've met dogs who have only three or four toys--really!--and they get into trouble a LOT. Go figure. Would your human toddler get persnickety if she had only four toys? Boring! One of my favorite things to watch is a dog looking through the box, pawing through toys to find the one she wants. Adorable!

These puzzle games aren't inexpensive--though watch www.jefferspet.com for great deals--so I lend them out all the time. Dogs love them--until they're too easy to solve. Hide them away and then bring them out again after a couple months. Ooh, new toy! You're the best dog parent ever!

Have fun!

Then have more fun!