My dog, Kali, has been my stalwart companion for more than 13 years, since I picked her up from the local SPCA branch as a scrappy puppy with a broken paw. To keep her entertained in those first few months while she healed, we worked on tricks such as:
- Differentiating colored Frisbees
- ‘Herding’ and stacking rubber-lipped plant pots
- Figuring out food puzzle toys (which took all of two seconds for this smart border collie).
These kinds of activities were great for exhausting a puppy who needed to be mostly immobile indoors. But they also exposed her to a lot of plastic and synthetic rubber.
Did that early exposure to phthalates, BPA, lead, and other chemicals in dog toys affect her development?
Maybe. What I know for sure is that a lifetime of exposure to these toxic chemicals could really take a toll. So, I set out to find some eco-friendly, non-toxic dog toys to keep Kali amused without compromising her safety and health, or mine, given how much I also handle these toys.
What if you’re not the DIYer type, though, and your current stash of dog toys is well worn? This is where things get a little trickier, because:
- There’s no regulation of dog toy safety
- It’s very difficult to tell which dog toys are safe, eco-friendly, and non-toxic
- Many companies claim to make safe toys, but user experiences often suggest otherwise
- There’s nothing eco-friendly about repeatedly buying plastic toys that only last a few days or weeks.
You’ve probably heard scare stories about melamine in dog food and lead in children’s toys, but is there really any reason to be concerned over the kind of toys your dog plays with every day? In short, yes, especially if you’re training your dog using ‘bumpers’.
Check out our top choices for:
Who regulates dog toy safety?
Surprise! Nobody regulates the safety of dog toys.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) passes the buck, as do the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Pet Products Association (APPA).
To be fair, the CPSC will occasionally step in, but only when there’s a reasonable chance that a dog toy may also be used by a child. The FDA also maintains a list of livestock- and pet-related products that have been recalled, but this is a small list as it’s nobody’s mandate to check the safety of these things, so recalls typically only come up in extreme cases.
Not only is there no clear regulation, researchers note that dog toys often contain high levels of toxic chemicals that can easily be ingested by a dog chewing, licking, or otherwise interacting with the toy.
And, if you handle your dog’s toys, especially when they’re covered in slobber, you’re also coming into contact with these toxic chemicals.
Durability of dog toys
Most dog toys are made with plastics, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Some of the toys that manufacturers claim are eco-friendly are made with:
- Recycled synthetic rubber
- Heavily processed recycled ‘natural’ rubber
- Recycled plastics of unknown composition.
While we’re big fans of recycling at Leaf Score, this kind of plastic has it’s place, and that’s not in our dog’s mouth (or gastrointestinal systems).
The sad reality is that recycled plastics are often a source of harmful chemicals such as:
- Phthalates
- BPA
- Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals
- Formaldehyde.
Some of the best eco-friendly dog toys are either made from biodegradable materials that break down without damaging the environment or are made with recycled postconsumer materials and will last for years without needing to be replaced.
Natural dog toy materials
My top tip for choosing eco-friendly, non-toxic dog toys is to go for toys made with natural materials.
Skip the plastic (even if it’s recycled or recyclable) and choose dog toys made with:
- Appropriate (non-splintering) wood
- Wool
- Natural rubber (not recycled rubber)
- Organic cotton or recycled cotton
- Hemp
- Jute.
I would avoid dog toys made with leather (even if vegetable stained). That’s because I’m yet to find a company making leather pet products that shows any evidence of care for the welfare of the animals whose hides they use. Add to that the environmental impact of animal agriculture and leather dog toys don’t seem particularly great for human health either.
The by-product argument doesn’t hold weight for these luxury goods either. There are no certifications or other reassurances that the cows are well treated before they are slaughtered for their hides, hooves, and hocks.
How to sniff out eco-friendly, non-toxic dog toys
There’s no fast and easy way to identify a truly eco-friendly, non-toxic dog toy. Instead, the likelihood is that you’ll need to contact individual manufacturers to ask questions about their products.
The more we all do this, the more pressure these companies and the industry as a whole will feel to adopt better practices and use safer materials and construction techniques.
The better a company is, the more likely they are to respond with guarantees that their products are:
- Free from toxic chemicals
- Routinely tested to ensure low lead levels
- Backed by third-party test results.
While you wait to hear back from a manufacturer, check the label or online product description carefully.
Toys made in North America or Europe, from materials also sourced from these areas, are more likely to meet a higher standard of safety compared to toys made in China, Mexico, or elsewhere.
Look also for toys certified safe for children under three years old. This means the toy has been tested for certain toxic chemicals and should be free from small parts that can become detached and cause a choking hazard or bowel obstruction if swallowed.
Final thoughts
Dog toys are certainly handy to help exercise your dog and keep them from destroying your home through boredom.
The best trick to learn, though, is how to find safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly dog toys. Kali and I have sniffed out a few over the years, and found some stinkers too. (See my article on Popular Dog Toy Companies to Think Twice About.)
If your dog is a keen chewer, check out the following:
My top takeaways when choosing dog toys are:
- Supervise play
- Remove damaged or unsuitable toys immediately
- Choose toys that fit your dog’s size, temperament, bite, and play preferences
- Make your own toys at home
- Have a variety of toys on hand and rotate toys to maintain interest
- Avoid toys with single air holes which can create a suction trap
- Avoid heavily dyed and painted toys, soft plastics, overly hard or soft toys, and those that smell chemically
And, finally, remember that you are the best toy of all for your dog! While they (hopefully) don’t chew on you all that much, you’re far more entertaining than any Kong or squeaky toy. Get to know your dog and keep each other company. Toys are not a replacement for love and affection; something my pup reminds me of every day.
It’s a great idea to regularly clean dog toys, but be sure to use natural, biodegradable, gentle soap only. Using harsh or fragrant cleaning agents could cause irritation to your dog’s mouth or skin. Many laundry detergents also contain potentially toxic chemicals that your dog should not ingest.
Dog toys made with rubber, latex, and nylon are typically OK to clean in the dishwasher. You can usually put stuffed toys inside a pillow case or laundry bag and wash these in the machine with dog blankets and towels. Toys such as rawhide can’t be cleaned, however, which is another reason to avoid them as these can quickly become contaminated with bacteria and other germs.