A great deal of thought should be given when choosing the right toys for your bloodhound. You must first learn about the breed and understand their mannerisms before going out to the store and buying just any old thing.
By nature, if a Bloodhound doesn’t have a lot to keep their minds occupied, they are just like any other animal on the planet, they get bored. Many new dog owners will spend a great deal of money spoiling their new pet by going to their local pet store or by ordering online all kinds of toys which they think will be enjoyable to the dog.
Bloodhounds like to have jobs to do, such as walking or running, training for search and rescue, or anything which they think will please their owner. They love to play and I don’t think they ever grow out of that stage. Now don’t be fooled, they are a very smart animal and some owners end up being the fetcher instead of the fetchee so you’ll want to keep their minds on the task at hand and not on something else.
While they are at idle in their yard or pen, they always look for something to do. Most bloodhounds like to chew so you will want to choose a toy that will last and won’t hurt them if they ingest it. Once they get old enough to play with one another they will want other items to occupy their time.
One toy that is good and it will last a while is a rope toy. They will pull on it with one another if they have a playmate and try to take it away from the other. It’s always good entertainment for the owner as well to watch their new dog play. Get involved with them as much as you can. Pull the rope but always let them have it so they know that this is their toy and no one will take it away.
Eventually the rope will get old and frayed and they will start to eat it. Toys don’t last forever and once this happens you will want to take it away from them and get a brand new one. They will be very happy to see a fresh new rope to play with.
Another great chew toy for them are hoofs. These you can find at just about any pet store. Ask the attendant at the store where you might find them. They will last a while also and it will keep them busy for hours but just as with a rope, once they start to get small and chips are lying around, you will want to replace them with a fresh one.
Since Bloodhounds like to chew, a new owner might get disappointed with the new dog because they like to chew on their doghouse. This is common of just about every bloodhound I have seen. Some will literally destroy the house if they don’t have enough to keep them busy, and others will only nibble at it for a while.
The best toy for any Bloodhound that I have found is a plain old, everyday, ordinary stick. They come in many flavors, pine, aspen, willow, maple, oak. You will have to adjust the dogs taste to what is available to you. Where I live the aspen trees are abundant and I get them a fresh stick often and it keeps them busy for hours.
Toys for your bloodhound don’t have to be fancy, only safe and practical so they stay busy and they won’t hurt themselves by eating something that is bad for them or gets stuck in their intestines.
Have fun with your dog, they aren’t around forever. Once you find a good toy for them, you will have a lifetime of enjoyment playing and watching them for hours upon hours per day.
