Tuffy's Jr. Ring (red)

Enjoyment: 4/5
This isn't the first toy that Matty will go to, but she really does love playing with it when prompted.  She really enjoys carrying it around and even throwing it for herself!  It's versatile in its uses (fetch & tug) and it seems to be a great size for her.

Durability: 5/5
As with the Tuffy nEELmo, the stitching is extremely tough, the fabric is incredibly durable, these things are made to LAST.  No obvious signs of external weakness whatsoever.

Interactive: 5/5
Interactive to the core, this toy is designed to be played with relentlessly!  Throw it, roll it, tug with it, fetch, it's just an all-around enjoyable toy.

Availability: 3/5
 The best place to get this product is at Mydogtoy where you can get discounts just for being a toy tester and submitting your review once a month, but if you want to locate this (or other) Tuffy items online you can shop at Nextag or Amazon.

Price: 4/5
Sitting at $10, you won't find very many toys that are a better bargain for your buck.

Quality: 4/5
Very durable, excellent materials were used when constructing this toy!  The only thing taking a point away is, like the nEELmo, the squeakers are nearly impossible to activate and sometimes don't squeak at all.

 

Tuffy Sea Creatures-nEELmo

Enjoyment: 4/5
Matty enjoys this toy, but the squeakers are difficult to activate and that's usually one of the drawing points for her.  However, this is quickly becoming one of her top favorite toys, she loves to drag it around (kind of like a large stick) and play tug.  The durable ridges of the toy make it harder for her to get to the softer plushie sides and gives her a challenge.  Lots of wagging and playing with this guy.

Durability: 4/5
Being a Tuffy toy, it's rated as a 7 out of 10 on their scale, and I would say that's a pretty fair rating, however, Matty quickly managed to tear loose some of the stitching around the face, discrediting the "5 rows of stitching" as advertised.  Though all-in-all this is a very heavy toy, and seems to be quite a durable product in spite of a few loose threads.  It can be washed and played with outdoors, and is designed to stand up to the elements.

Interactive: 3.5/5
You will want to spend time with your dog and this toy, mainly using it for fetch or maybe a bit of tug and chew.  Keep your pup supervised as it plays with this toy to keep it from ingesting any parts of this that may come loose. Can also be used for pool or lake fetching, if your pup likes to splash around in the water.

Availability: 3/5
The best place to get this product is at Mydogtoy where you can get discounts just for being a toy tester and submitting your review once a month, but if you want to locate this (or other) Tuffy items online you can shop at Nextag or Amazon.

Price: 3/5
Overall I think this product should stand to be a bit cheaper, maybe in the $10 range.  Improve the accessibility and quality of the squeakers, maybe fix the thread fraying, and I'd be a lot happier.

Quality:  3.5/5
Unlike the Mighty Toy Ball that we tested out last month, once the "outer shell" on this guy is removed or damaged, you will need to throw the toy away. Overall I think the materials that are used to make the nEELmo are wonderful, tough, and pleasing for doggie mouths to chew on, just watch out for the frayed strands of string and the loop of cloth at the end of the toy.  As stated above, if the squeakers are replaced to something a bit more reliable, I'd give a higher score.

 

 

Hartz Rubber Ball with Bell Dog Toy

Enjoyment: 1/5
This is one of the first toys that I bought for Matty, and to this day it sits completely untouched.  It looks as if I just took it out of the package.  I thought it would be a good item to play with while she was going through her "chewies" but even at the peak of her teething and chewing on EVERYTHING she left this untouched.  I can throw this ball, and she'll chase it, but when she gets to it she won't even touch it.  I don't know if she dislikes the weight, texture, or the sound of the bell.  Maybe it's a mixture of all of the above, but it just wasn't a good fit for Matty.

Durability: 5/5
It's hard to judge this category because Matty has given it next to zero attention, but judging by how it feels with the tough exterior and heavy rubber throughout, I have a hard time picturing ANY dog that could destroy it, though I'm sure large heavy biters could get through it eventually.

Interactive: 3/5
This would be a great toy to use in a game of fetch, ideally outdoors, because of its weight it could easily break a window or a fragile piece of decoration around the house.  Not a tug-of-war game, not an educational game, and it really isn't specifically intended for long periods of solo chewing which limits this item and its versatility.

Availability: 3/5
Hartz is a well-known brand that is stocked at most chain grocery stores, such as Wal-Mart, but it isn't a brand that you can easily find in pet stores.  You can visit their official website and browse through the full line of toys and products, but I didn't find this item in specific.  Curiously enough, they did have a small dog alternative.

Price: 3/5
At about $7, the price seems a bit steep for a big hunk of rubber with a bell inside.  However, if your pet enjoys this toy you should have many many hours of playtime before it is destroyed, stretching that dollar further and resulting in a fair price.

Quality: 5/5
There really isn't much to this product to be able to judge the quality, but the material used seems extremely durable and would most certainly stand up to the elements and big tough chewers.  Would be great for outside play.

                                                                 Bell ball is lonely :(

See also: Hartz Run 'N Romp Dog Toy review

ToyShoppe® Squeaker Mat Long Body Dragon Dog Toy

This wonderful fella has SIXTEEN squeakers built in, and as if that wasn't enough, it has a rattle in its head!  Simply put, this is a wonderful toy!  Highly recommended for youthful, excitable puppies or dogs, ideally small or medium in size in spite of its advertised recommendation for large dogs.






Enjoyment: 5/5
I know I've bragged about toys before, but seriously, this is probably Matty's new favorite playmate (tied with her "Bobo" which I'll review a bit later).  I knew when I saw it at PetsMart that she'd love it, because she goes CRAZY over anything that makes a lot of noise and it's a bonus when the toy is larger than her (gives her a "dominating" feeling).  If you're tired of your pup instantly chewing the squeaker out of a toy and quickly becoming bored with it afterward, this is a great option because even if one is removed there will be 15 more squeakers to go through!

Durability: 3.5/5
This guy is amazing because of all the of squeakers built in, but that leaves all of the individual pockets vulnerable for tearing open.  There isn't any stuffing, which is a huge plus, but there are multiple areas that a more destructive pup could tear off rather easily (such as the whiskers, teeth, back ridges, and maybe even arms & legs) but overall this toy is built rather sturdy and even if some of these pieces are chewed off, there will be more play left in it with very little to zero mess to clean up.

Interactive: 4/5
This is a very versatile toy, semi-educational, great for tug-of-war or for the pup to bite and explore on their own.  Not the perfect candidate for fetch, however, it CAN be thrown and retrieved just will likely get underfoot and trip up the paws of smaller dogs while they bring it back to you.  Also make sure you keep it indoors as it could get dirty and pick up grass easily, and I don't advise washing it unless it's done gently by hand.

Availability: 4/5
I found this product at my local PetsMart, but it can also be purchased online.  It's an exclusive made by ToyShoppe® for PetsMart only, but you can find similar alternatives at other places like Amazon if you prefer.

Price: 4/5
As always, I judge the price versus the amount of joy that Matty gets out of it, and this guy has already paid for itself twice over if you look at it that way.  It may seem a bit steep at around $17, but consider the mere size of the toy (about 26" x 6") and consider putting it at the top of your toy list.

Quality: 3/5
Decent materials throughout, though they aren't designed to stand up to the elements or to the "test of time" with rough chewers.  Keep an eye on this toy and inspect it regularly after play to make sure none of the furry parts or squeakers are loose and need to be disposed of or re-attached (for those sewers out there).

See also: ToyShoppe® Hide A Squirrel Dog Toy review

KONG AirDog Multi-Colored Happy Birthday Squeakair Medium Balls

You can read more about the company and their incredible origin story at their official KONG website.




Enjoyment: 4/5
As you can expect, any kind of bouncing and squeaking ball will probably make your dog happy, but KONG is one of the definitive makers of tough and enjoyable dog toys, these aren't just another "tennis" ball, these things come in a multitude of colors and sizes to suite any dog.  Matty loves to keep on the move, and the Birthday Balls have the perfect amount of bounce and squeeze-ability to make it satisfying for both pup and owner to grip onto, and light and airy for hours of enjoyable fetch.

Durability: 4/5
The Birthday Balls seem to have a lot of wear and tear in them, the ball itself will last a long long time, but the fuzz on the outside of the ball will start to fray and become a mess as it easily becomes targeted by distracted pups.

Interactive: 5/5
Definately an interactive toy!  It's simple, yet fun, and creates lots of bonding time without getting old.  It also expends lots of energy for that pup that's full of excitement.  However, Matty tends to leave them untouched if there isn't anyone to throw them for her. 

Availability: 4.5/5 
You can find these just about everywhere!  Target is confirmed in-store, but you cannot order online from them, however, places like Petsmart will deliver them right to you.

Price: 5/5
You can get this set of three for around $5.  Combine that with the amount of durability and playtime that you'll get out of each ball and you've got yourself a real bargain!

Quality: 4/5
Without the fraying of the outer "furry" shell, this would be a perfect score, but even with the fraying you still get quite a lot of playtime before it becomes unusable.

Mighty Toy Ball - Medium Orange

I recently signed up to be a dog toy tester with MyDogToy and agreed to receive a toy once a month for Matty to try out and for us to review.  This is our first one, and I'm very excited to be starting a video series specifically for this reason!



Enjoyment: 5/5
Matty took to this toy INSTANTLY.  She adores the loud bellowing squeaks that it produces and the ease that they come out.  Perfect for fetch, and it even has a bit of a bounce to it!

Durability: 5/5
It is as they advertize, absolutely tough to the very core!  The outer "shell" (the fabric) could potentially bunch up and eventually be torn off, but then there is another layer underneath!  It's like getting two toys in one, with the added bonus of ZERO fillers to worry about once the fabric layer is removed.  HERE is a really cool chart and explanation about how the Mighty brand toys are made.

Interactive: 4/5
This is absolutely meant to be an interactive toy rather than a chew toy.  Plan on spending hours and hours with your pup playing with this wonderful toy, romping and squeaking and bouncing away!

Availabilty: 3/5
You can find the Mighty brand of toys at various places online, such as Amazon or Nextag, but I highly recommend becoming a tester with MyDogToy to get a discount and an insiders look at all the latest and greatest dog toys and items!  Locally I haven't found a single thing by them, so this will be something that you'll need to find at your favorite online source.

Price: 5/5
When you take a look at some of your "higher end" dog toys and see that you're spending at the very LEAST $15 for an item that doesn't take nearly the wear and tear that this item does, the VIP price of just over $10 seems incredibly generous when you take a look at how much play time Matty & I will get out of it.

Quality: 4/5
Definitely made from some of the very best and most durable fabrics and resources available!  As I mentioned before, this toy will last you a long long time.  There really is no other way to put it, there's not much of anything they could do to improve my happiness with this item!

Update: About a month and a half later the "outer shell" is still in-tact, but the squeaker has stopped working.  You can hear it rattling around inside.  Matty still plays with it, but it's lost a bit of its luster now that she can't make it squeak.

Hartz Run 'N Romp Dog Toy

Enjoyment: 5/5
Matty absolutely loved this plush toy!  She instantly took to it, scooting around on the floor on her belly while squeaking and chewing around on her new plaything.  Just look below for the compilation photo of her in her own little happy place!

Durability: 1/5
What the Run 'N Romp toy has in enjoyment is sadly lacking in the durability department.  Within the first hour, Matty had the majority of the "hair" pulled out, and by the 48 hour mark she had completely obliterated the poor thing, leaving stuffing in its wake.

Interactive: 4/5
Enjoyable for both pet and owner, you can play tug of war or fetch, or the pup can have a good time just playing away on their own.

Availability: 5/5
These guys can be found at your local grocer (such as Wal-Mart or Reasor's) as well at Target and other common retail chains, or even the official Hartz website.

Price: 3/5
At around $7, the price seems a bit high for what it is.  Just about any dog or pup of any size could probably have this toy shredded in a matter of hours, so when you consider the short window of time that your furry friend will have this item it is quite expensive.

Quality: 1/5
The quality of items used to make this toy are direct factors in its lack of durability.  Within the first day Matty had most of the "hair" pulled out, and large puncture holes where her teeth went into the fabric.  After 48 hours the toy had to be disposed of.  Which is a shame, because Matty just adored the poor little thing.  I recommend this item for smaller teething puppies, or gentler dogs that don't enjoy destroying their toys.  As always, monitor your dogs use of this and all toys, there ARE small parts (such as the squeaker) that can be easily accessed and possibly choked on if your pup is a rough and tough player.

JW Pet Megalast MegaBear - Medium

Enjoyment: 3 / 5

Matty really likes working her teeth into this one!  It's superfun when you throw it, because of its awkward shape you never really know what crazy directions it's going to bounce!  It has a very light and appealing vanilla scent that Matty seems to enjoy, the texture is smooth and materials are very strong, yet the bear has a "dewy" feel to it, making it a very satisfying chew (especially for a pup who hasn't fully grown into their adult teeth yet).  The squeaker is hard to activate though, and the toughness of it keeps her from going back to this toy on a regular basis.

Durability: 4 / 5

This product is made of thick, strong, durable material.  At first impression it seems much more dense and heavier than it should be, but surprisingly enough it floats on water!  Matty has had some time to put some hardcore chewing into this guy, and he seems to be holding up extremely well!  The only sign of wear is around the squeaker.

Interactive: 3.5 / 5

This is a versatile toy, it's main focus is to provide hours and hours of satisfying chewing for your pup, but it's a really fun fetch toy as well!  But as I mentioned before, this bear is unpredictable and should be thrown in a safe area away from breakables!  Not ideal for tug-of-war because of its squat body and awkward shape, but it would make a PERFECT lake or pool toy!

Availability: 4 / 5

I found the megabear at Petsmart, so you should be able to go to just about any national chain pet store and find one of these guys, however, searching at Target and Wal-Mart proved to be fruitless.  For those of you who don't want to make a trip to your local pet store, you can buy them online through Petco, or RetailPets.com.  You can also check out the manufacturer's WEBSITE to learn more about their environmentally friendly/solar powered factory that produces their vast array of pet toys.  They have some info about the Megalast line, but don't have this specific item available for sale.

Price: 4 / 5

I grabbed one of these medium bears (in store) for about $7, available in a variety of colors (including green & red), but I found that Petco is offering it online for about a dollar less.  OR you you can try the "mega" version for about a dollar more, great for larger breed dogs.  These toys are built to last and will provide lots and lots of play time, a price for this item that's under double-digits seems quite generous.

Quality: 4 / 5

I cannot boast enough about this wonderful company who has managed to make a 100% biodegradable chew toy that is not only TOUGH but also such a joy to play with.  No obvious places of weakness or concern, and the squeaker is buried in such a way that it makes it harder for the pup to try to chew it out.  I'm very pleased with the Megalast Megabear and highly recommend it to everyone!

Nylabone Puppy Starter Kit

Enjoyment: 1 / 5
After Nylabone came so highly recommended I felt really confident in purchasing the Puppy Starter Kit to welcome Matty home and help her move into her teething stage, however, she absolutely WILL NOT touch them.  If I pick one up and hold it for her she'll gnaw on one end of it for a bit, but as soon as I let go she quickly abandons it.  I wish I had higher praise for the enjoyment factor because I know these are supposed to work wonders for dogs or puppies with the "chewies" but Matty just simply doesn't like them.  I think the main problem is that she needs toys that will have at least a little bit of "give" to allow her that satisfying feeling of destroying it, and she just can't get it out of these.

Durability: 5 / 5
I think you could blow these out of a cannon, run over them will a cement truck, strap a stick of dynamite to them, and they would STILL look brand new.  They're heavy, TOUGH, very serious chew bones.

Interactive: 1 / 5
There is next to nothing you can do to interact with your puppy and this toy.  It's too heavy to be thrown around for fetch, and it's awkward/hard to get a bite OR grip on it for tug-of-war.  Most certainly an item to be enjoy solo by your hardcore rough & tough chewer, regardless of the "made for puppy" label, I'd leave Nylabones to the full-grown dogs.

Availability: 5 / 5 
These things are EVERYWHERE.  You can walk into your usual Wal-Mart, Target, even some more obscure places such as CVS or Walgreens and be able to find them.  And of course any pet retailer such as PetCo or Petsmart will have multiple varieties on hand.  If you prefer online shopping, WAG is a fantastic source for Nylabone products.

Price: 3.5 / 5
It's no secret that Nylabone is proud of their products, you'll see price tags that rage from competitive to excessive, the best idea is to shop around and get the best deal before making a big purchase.  I recommend doing what I did and sample a "beginner's kit" (it was only $9), and you can find + print a pretty generous coupon from the official WEBSITE.

Quality: 5 / 5 
Check out the Nylabone website where you'll find detailed information about the company as well as their products.  The Puppy Starter Kit consisted of very strong & high-quality materials, and in that regard I'm very satisfied.

PETCO Curly Sheep Plush Dog Toy

Enjoyment: 4 / 5
This is one of Matty's very first toys (she got the yellow one)!  It's delightfully plush, with a built-in squeaker that's easy for young pups to squeeze, yet the sound is muffled enough that it shouldn't frighten some of the more skiddish puppies.  The lining under the "wool" is something crinkly, the way a sheet of saran wrap would sound, giving it additional enjoyment for the pups that feel accomplishment from their toys making noises.  She's very fond of this little guy, highly recommended for a puppies first plush friend.

Durability: 3 / 5
This is a very soft plush, with multiple protruding areas (such as the nose and limbs) that are easily chewed open when a pup is focused on one area, revealing fluffystuff that gets stung all over the floor before you know it.  It's perfect for gentle dogs and young puppies, but your more zealous hound will have it shredded in no time.

Interactive: 3 / 5
You have about the same interaction here as you would with any other plush, it's light and airy making it an ideal candidate for indoor fetch, and it's soft and squishy body makes it easy for a dog of any age to latch on and play a bit of tug-of-war.  It's also suitable for the pup to play with the item alone (just look out for the fluff that may start to come out of the seams or holes that have been chewed).

Availability: 1.5 / 5
This product was manufactured exclusively for PetCo, and can be found at your local store OR through their WEBSITE.  Though you can also find it through a few other sources, like Amazon, the official site is more reliable and they're even on sale.

Price: 4.5 / 5
At about $6 for this wonderful little guy, he's more than worth the pocket change!  For the amount of playtime and enjoyment that Matty got out of it, I'd say it's more than worth it, especially with the current sale price being only $4.79 online!

Quality: 4 / 5
As with most plush toys, you have to go into it understanding that they just won't outlast your KONG or Nylabone items.  That being said, this curly plush sheep stood up to the tests and passed with flying colors!  Matty's sheep friend accidentally got into one of her puddles and had to be machine-washed, and was then hung out to dry.  It came out good as new!  This little plush really impressed me with the amount of wear it was able to endure before we finally started to notice some fluff emerging from the seam in its back, we were able to mend it and get a bit more play out of it, but the squeaker eventually stopped working and now he can only be played with gently and under supervision.

ToyShoppe® Hide A Squirrel Dog Toy

Enjoyment:  5 / 5
After hearing about the FANTASTIC reviews for this product, we had to check it out for ourselves!  And sure enough, the entertainment really is as great as they say!  The challenging hide & seek element keeps Matty on her toes and completely enveloped in the toy.  She LOVES the high-pitched squeaky sound that the squirrel makes and makes no hesitation to bury her face into the stump and "chase" after it!

Durability: 1.5 / 5
It pains me to rate such a great product so low in any of the categories, but the truth is that this just isn't a toy that's made to last.  The soft fabric and furry tail of the squirrel make it extremely vulnerable once your pup gets ahold of it, in fact, Matty instantly started to try and yank the tail right off of it as soon as she had hunted it down.  I had to grab the squirrel from her and start the game over again to keep her from destroying it the first day.  The stump, however, is much more durable and made of quality materials that make it versatile and leaves the option open for hiding other teats and toys inside once the squirrel is out of the picture.

Interactive: 5 / 5
This is a VERY dog & owner interactive toy.  It's amusing and entertaining for both owner and pup, with a bit of education and problem solving mixed in.  However, you also need to keep a good eye on them so that they don't destroy or misplace the squirrel--DO NOT leave this toy unattended, keep it set aside for special play time where you can devote your full attention on your furry friend to ensure and long life for this item.

Availability: 1.5 / 5
This toy was made exclusively for Petsmart, you can find it in stores or on their website, but you're out of luck anywhere else.  I've had zero luck finding a website for the manufacturer/developer which makes me wary of an item because I like to be able to put a face to the company that makes whatever it is that I'm buying so that I can investigate their reputation as well as give them proper credit when blogging about them, so it rubs me the wrong way that there is next to no information about Toy Shoppe dog toys.  As an alternative, I located a different version on Amazon that is the same basic concept, but available in different sizes (by a company called Kyjen).  In retrospect, I wish I had purchased the item from them because of their informational website that contains background history as well as other innovative dog items.


Price: 4 / 5
Not going to complain about the price at all, with my Petperks card at Petsmart the item was under $15USD and has already earned its weight in playtime.


Quality: 3.5 / 5
The tree stump portion of the toy is sturdy and made of quality materials, the elastic around the openings is secure and sturdy, while remaining soft and squish-able while Matty digs around for the squirrel.  However, as mentioned before, the squirrel is very frail.  The materials are quality, but the cloth is thin and the tail is furry and easy to pull out and shred.  This product is also sold loose, which resulted in me getting home with only ONE squirrel, whereas I was meant to get THREE.