Must Have Dog Toys For Your Next Car Ride
Are you going for a long car ride with your dog and need to keep him/her entertained for many hours on end?
Dogs can easily become bored during car rides just like children and adults. The only problem is that you can easily entertain children with video games or movies but for a dog there isn’t much to do except well… sit and stare out the window. While this might be fun for tops 10 minutes, your dog might turn to more destructive activities like chewing up his/her dog seat belt or even worse your car upholstery. You really don’t want that happening!
That is why I have complied together a fantastic list of the best dog toys for car rides so you can keep your dog happy for the maximum amount of time possible.
The best dog toys for car rides are either interactive dog toys, good quality chew toys or plushy toys without squeaker/noise making attachments. Interactive dog toys are the best as they can keep your dog occupied for many hours and also act as a good brain exercise for your dog. Chew toys are a more typical type of dog toy however are still quite effective and have the added bonus of acting as a teeth and gum cleaner. Finally, plushy dog toys are also really fun for car rides however you should look for ones without squeaker features as this can be distracting for your driving and also a very annoying repetitive sound that you can’t escape from for many hours on end.
Continue reading for some great suggestions for these types of toys and links to where you can get them at the best prices possible.
Table of Contents
1. Interactive Dog Toys
An interactive dog toys is a great option for a car ride with your dog as it can keep him/her entertained for hours! There are two main types of interactive dog toys – food reward interactive toys or puzzle type interactive toys.
The Best Interactive Puzzle Dog Toys For Car Rides
Look for puzzle toys that are made from soft materials like the plushy ones below as they are the safest option for travelling in a moving car.
1. ZippyPaws – Woodland Friends Burrow, Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
2. ZippyPaws Food Buddies Burrow, Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
The Best Interactive Food Reward Toys For Car Rides
The other type of interactive dog toys are ones with treats. They can either be for kibble or smearing peanut butter inside. My first suggestion is one where you can put small treats or kibble pieces inside and then your dog rolls it around and the treats slowly fall out. The other is the famous kong toy that everyone talks about. For this one you can smear peanut butter inside. This is definitely a messier option for a car ride however it is super delicious and you can easily combat the mess by putting down a towel or getting a dog car seat cover. I talk more about this below.
1. StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
2. KONG – Classic Dog Toy – Durable Natural Rubber – Fun to Chew, Chase and Fetch
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
Most people put peanut butter inside their kong toys to make them an interactive treat toy however this is optional. You can also freeze the toy with the peanut butter inside to make it last longer as well.
If You Get An Interactive Dog Toy For Your Car Trip Be Aware Of This…
The only downside to interactive dog toys with food is that they can be quite messy, especially if you have fabric based upholstery over leather that can’t be easily wiped down. That is why you should consider getting a dog car seat cover. A dog car seat cover is simply a piece of fabric that drapes over your car’s back seat to protect your upholstery from your dog’s shedded fur and possible scratches from his/her nails. In this instance it will also protect your car upholstery from dog slobber when he/she chews his toy and possible spillages of dog treats from the toy.
You might also be interested in reading my buyers guide on dog car seat covers here!
The bonus to interactive dog toys with food is that if your dog doesn’t like car rides that much it will be motivation for him/her to get in the car and go! Once he/she starts associating car trips with yummy treats and toys, there is no way that he/she won’t willingly jump into the back seat.
2. An Indestructible Chew Toy
The next best dog toy for car rides are good quality chew toys. If your dog loves chewing up things let him/her put some of that energy into chewing up one of these toys! Chew toys are also beneficial to your dog’s teeth and gum health, especially the more textured ones.
The Best Dog Chew Toys For A Car Ride
1. Erocalli Dog Toys Durable Aggressive Chew Toys for Large Dog
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
2. ABTOR Ultra Durable Dog Chew Toy – Toughest Natural Rubber – Texture Nub Dog Toys
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
3. Plushy Dog Toys (Without Sound Features)
The third best type of dog toy for a car ride is a plushy dog toy. Not only are these toys super cute and fun to play with but can also double up are a pillow for your dog to sleep on! You can also look for plushy toys that have no stuffing so it is much safer for your dog by eliminating the risk of him/her swallowing it.
The Best Plushy Dog Toys For A Car Ride
1. FGA MARKETPLACE Monkey Flat NO Stuffing NO Squeak Plush Dog Toy (Monkey)
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
2. FGA MARKETPLACE Monkey Flat NO Stuffing NO Squeak Plush Dog Toy (Frog)
Find Out The Current Price On Amazon Here
If You Get A Plushy Dog Toy For Your Car Trip Be Aware Of This…
The downside to plushy dog toys is that they can easily get ripped up. If your dog is young and likely to do this, this type of toy is not the best option for you are he/she could get up ingesting some of the stuffing or fabric.
Furthermore, lots of plushy dog toys have sound features, like a button inside it or a bell. You might be okay with this but if your dog lots shaking the toy around or chewing where the sound feature plays continuously it could get really annoying or distracting while driving your car.
Toys To Avoid For A Road Trip
- Dog toys with lots of little pieces that could get lost in the car or indigested without full supervision as you are driving
- Squeaky dog toys as the constant sound of it will drive you mad
- Giant dog toys that will take up lots of precious car storage space
- Balls as these are likely to roll off the back seat of your car and onto the floor
- Tug-o-war toys as your dog will have no one to play with. This one is not an absolute no-no if you dog plays with it like a chew toy
Further Reading
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