Are Too Many Toys Bad for Dogs?

For dog lovers like you and us, our furry companions are family members. In fact, more than that – they’re our babies! So it’s only natural that we strive to make sure our babies have the toys they need to keep them mentally stimulated, happy, and safe. But how much is too much? Is quality more important than quantity? In today’s post, we’ll explore the right number of toys for your pup, and how to choose the best interactive dog toys to keep your precious fur baby’s tail wagging.

Is there really such a thing as “too many” dog toys?

While you love your pooch and want to pamper them with the best of everything, you can overstimulate or overwhelm them with too many options. While dogs do need toys to thrive and further develop, you need to make sure they have a reasonable number of quality, interactive dog toys. Too much can be stressful for both you and your dog! First, you’ll end up with a mess of toys scattered across the floor (and tucked under furniture) that will end up being largely ignored. Also, with so many options, it can be difficult to choose which toys to let your puppy play with, or to discover which toys will stimulate your puppy’s mind the most. Meanwhile, your puppy may not know where to start when it comes to choosing a toy, or may be unsure of how to play with a toy. Or, they may just be bored! After all, seeing the same pile of toys day after day is a sure way to make your puppy lose interest. So, long story short – yes! Your puppy can indeed have too many toys! Limiting your puppy’s daily choices will have a positive impact on their lives.

So, how many dog toys do we need?

There is no “one size fits all” answer to this question, as dogs have different needs. Generally speaking, though, dogs thrive when they have three to five toys to choose from at a given time. This provides them with enough variety to keep them busy and stimulated without overwhelming them with choices. It also makes it easier for you to choose one or two interactive dog toys to keep your pet engaged to build some much-needed bonding.

Should I throw away my excess dog toys?

No, not necessarily! If you’re a dog owner who may have gone a little overboard when it comes to buying toys, you don’t need to start throwing things out. Dogs, like people, love variety. While you may only want to provide your dog with a limited number of toys at a given time, there’s no reason they should only be able to play with those toys! We recommend rotating toys every week. Each week, you can put away the toys your dog has played with and replace them with other toys! This will give your dog extra stimulation and allow you to vary the playtime for you and your pet. If your dog has a particular favorite toy, it’s best to always keep that toy on hand rather than rotating it out each week.

So, how many toys are too many for a dog? The truth is, you can always add more quality toys to your collection—it’s just a matter of limiting the number of toys your dog has access to at any given time. We recommend rotating durable, stimulating, engaging toys every day that you can use to build a strong bond with your pup.