Which are the best tug of war toys for large dogs? We review the most popular choices for big breeds.
Okay, let's talk tug toys for the big dogs. My guy, let's call him Brutus (because, well, he is), is a monster chewer and puller. Finding a toy that lasts more than five minutes with him? Yeah, that was a whole journey.
First off, I wasted a bunch of money. Went to the usual pet store, grabbed whatever looked tough. You know, those plush toys with the "reinforced stitching"? Total joke. Brutus had the squeaker out in seconds, stuffing everywhere. Cleaned that mess up more times than I can count.
Then I thought, ropes! Big thick ropes gotta work, right? Bought a massive one, felt super sturdy. We had some good tug sessions, maybe a week's worth? Then I started noticing strands everywhere. Little bits of rope all over the carpet. Worried about him swallowing them, so that went in the trash too. Tried a few different rope brands, same story. They just shred over time with a powerful puller.
Finding What Actually Works (Mostly)
I started digging around online, asking other large dog owners. What were they using? A few things kept popping up.
- Fire Hose Material: Heard good things about toys made from actual fire hose. Sounded tough. Found one, looked promising. It definitely lasted longer than the plush stuff or the ropes. We got a good few weeks out of it. Eventually, Brutus managed to chew through an edge, then it was game over. Still, better than most.
- Hard Rubber Toys: This seemed like the most solid bet. Stuff like KONG makes, but specifically the ones designed for tugging. Not just the treat dispensers, but the ones with handles or specific tug shapes. Got one of the black KONG tug toys – the really dense rubber. This one's been the winner so far.
Here's what I learned works for us:
The super-dense rubber toys designed for power chewers are the best bet for tug of war. The KONG Tug Toy (the black extreme one) has held up the longest. It’s got some give, so it doesn't hurt his teeth, but it's incredibly hard to destroy.
We also got a Jolly Pets Tug-n-Toss ball. It's not exactly a tug toy in the traditional sense, but the handle makes it easy to grab for pulling, and that plastic is ridiculously tough. He chews on the handle sometimes, but hasn't managed to kill it yet, and we've had it for months.
So, my process was basically trial and error, mostly error at the start. Avoided the flimsy stuff, tried ropes (meh), gave firehose a shot (okay), but landed on the heavy-duty rubber as the best option for a serious game of tug with a big, strong dog like Brutus. It's still important to supervise, no toy is truly indestructible, but these have given us the most mileage and the best games.
