Your Home Your Business TWC Central About Us 63°F My Account Mail Support Social Sign In › HOME SKIMIT NEWS ENTERTAINMENT TV SPORTS LIVING SHOPPING GAMES VIDEO WATCH TV REACTIONS: Pet Toy Safety Tips for Your Pooch Original | Michelle Walker, Originals Published March 11, 2014 08:00PM EDT Twitter 0 Share Email Nothing is as relaxing and rewarding as spending some playtime with your pup, or simply kicking back while they entertain themselves with their beloved toys. Picking the right toys for your dog doesn't have to be difficult -- there are a few simple guidelines that will ensure their safety and satisfaction. Size Matters Some toys offer a size guideline right on the packaging. This can go by weight, age, breed size or other measures. This can be helpful but not always 100 percent spot-on. The biggest clue to finding size-appropriate toys for your pup is to look for any small parts that could be choking hazards. In general, their toys should be no smaller than their mouth and throat. Cool toys such as the Chuck-It, a fun tennis ball launcher, even comes in multiple tennis-ball sizes to ensure safety and fun. Many styles of tug-ropes -- which can also double as a teeth flossing trick -- come in several sizes as well, so make sure you pick a size large enough that your pup can't accidentally swallow it. Fabrics and soft hides particularly can easily twist in your pup's intestines and cause everything from uncomfortable blockages, to trips for emergency surgery. What's Inside Counts Just as we have become sticklers with reading food labels and children's toy packaging, dog toys should have just as much info as to their materials, toxicity, etc. Similarly, if you are looking at plush or squeak toys, examine them to see if the inner stuffing can be easily chewed up, or if squeaker-pouches can be optionally removed. Once the toy has been played with a bit and starts to come apart, knowing what's inside (or how to remove it) is your best bet next to tossing the toy in the trash. Better safe than sorry! Sharing Isn't Necessarily Caring Children's toys as a rule should not be considered appropriate toys for your animal kids in the house. Even with larger parts and kid-safe materials, dogs can be much stronger/more determined chewers that can easily destroy or choke on children's toys and toy parts that you might not expect with normal use. Creating these boundaries between your children's and pet's possessions is also safer, in that you're preventing possible toy aggression around the young ones, or tears when the kiddo's favorite toy turns up missing pieces. These simple clues -- and some common sense -- can guarantee a happy pup and a happy house. Twitter 0 Share Email Love it Important Inspiring Tired Fail Shots fired at Ukrainian base in Crimea Lawyer: Egypt trial of 545 set for verdict Vietnamese American communities, at a glance NCAA upsets crush perfect bracket hopes 7 killed in clashes in northwest Yemen Bombings, shooting kill 16 in Iraq Pope announces 1st members of sex abuse commission Clinton appeals to idealism of college students Autopsies due in NJ shore motel fire that killed 4 Obama's Europe ties get new test in Russia dispute Michigan's 1st gay marriage license issued Are tougher sanctions against Russia to come? Sponsored Links From Twitter » I Agree A Friendly Disclaimer Time Warner Cable is not responsible for content posted from Twitter.com. By clicking the "I Agree" button you accept any risk associated with content from unknown users which is subject to Twitter terms of services . San Marcos , CA › 1 Like Like 0 1 1 Like Like 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 You May Like by Taboola Sponsored Content Don't Miss Pet Toy Safety Tips for Your Pooch http://www.twcc.com/articles/2014/03/11/p/pet-toy-safety-tips-f... 1 of 2 3/22/14 4:16 PM