Do toys only dogs can hear really work? See our review of the best ultrasonic toys for happy pups.

Okay, so someone told me about these dog toys, the ones that supposedly only dogs can hear. Sounded kinda weird, right? Like, how do you even know if it's working? But hey, I've got Max, my golden retriever, and he gets bored easily, so I figured, why not give it a shot?

Getting Started with the "Silent" Squeaker

I went online and found one. It looked just like a regular plush toy, a little blue elephant. The description said "ultrasonic squeaker" or something like that. Honestly, I was pretty doubtful. Seemed like a gimmick. How could a toy make a noise I can't hear but drives a dog wild?

When it arrived, I took it out of the box. Looked normal enough. I squeezed it right next to my ear. Nothing. Like, dead silence. Just the soft puff of air you get when you squeeze any plush toy. My wife tried, same thing. We looked at each other, thinking, "Well, this is probably a dud."

The First Test Run with Max

So, I called Max over. He came trotting in, tail wagging, always up for a new toy. I held up the elephant. He sniffed it, seemed interested enough. Then, I gave it a good squeeze.

And you know what? Max's ears perked up! Like, really perked up. He tilted his head, gave me that confused dog look. I squeezed it again. Same reaction! His tail started wagging faster, and he nudged the toy with his nose. It was subtle, not like the crazy reaction he has to the super loud, annoying squeakers, but he definitely heard something.

I tossed it. He pounced on it, started chewing. Every time he bit down in the right spot, his ears would twitch again. It was fascinating to watch. He wasn't going bonkers, but he was clearly engaged in a different way. More focused, maybe?

Further Observations and Experiments

Over the next few days, I kept playing with him using the silent elephant. Here’s what I noticed:

• Indoors vs Outdoors: It worked the same both inside and outside. Didn't seem to matter.
• Distraction Level: If the house was noisy (TV on, people talking), he didn't react as much. But when things were quiet, just a little squeeze got his immediate attention.
• My Wife's Experience: She tried it too, and Max responded to her the same way. So it wasn't just me he was reacting to.
• The "Silent" Part: Best part? No annoying squeaking noise driving me crazy! Seriously, some of his regular toys sound like dying birds. This was peaceful.

So, Do They Actually Work?

Based on my little experiment with Max? Yeah, I'd say they do. It's not magic, and maybe not every dog will react the same way. Max's reaction wasn't over-the-top excitement, more like curiosity and focused interest. He definitely heard something I couldn't.

Was it worth it? For me, totally. It gives Max another type of stimulation, and it saves my sanity from constant squeaking. It’s become one of his go-to toys when we're just chilling in the living room. It’s kinda cool having this secret little sound signal just between me and my dog. Definitely less of a gimmick than I first thought. It's a keeper in our toy basket.