Great Danes get a reputation for being the largest lap dogs. While it’s true they’ll find any possible way to sit on top of you, they also love to bond with their families during play time. Once you start playing with a Great Dane, you’ll see just how mesmerizing their running, spinning, and surprisingly graceful jumping can be.
The point is, Great Danes love to play. Either with you or with dog toys. But what are the best toy options for Great Danes? Read on to find out.
The Fluff-Free Experience
At BarkShop, there are a couple of different options for a great fluff-free toy experience. One of the most famous of these categories is the Spiky Ball Core toy, of which the “Lady Liberty Ball” is the most popular. Each Spiky Ball comes covered in a fun, durable plush, as you can see below. And if your dog manages to remove the covering, don’t worry – the ball is bouncy, squeaky, and fun to chew on, thanks to the spikes.
Another great fluff-less option is the Super Chewer category of toys. They’re for the heavy chewing Great Danes out there, the ones who destroy Plush Toys with frequency and ease. They include durable rubber toys like “Wobblin’ Walter.”
A Time To Tug
You’ll want to keep Tug Toys around for your Great Dane since they have a habit of spinning and zooming around the house while thrashing their rope toys around. It’s hilarious to watch!
Another way to play with a Tug Toy is to grasp one end of the rope and entice your pup to take it from you. Try dragging the rope slowly in front of them or dangling it just out of their reach. Trust us, it’ll be impossible for your Great Dane to resist!
Bonus tip: Look for longer tug toys so that you and your pup can both easily grab the toy. The “Pupcorn Garland” is 20 inches long and has a squeaker in each piece of pupcorn.
Where Are The Treats??
Since Great Danes can be couch-potatoes when they want to, sometimes you do need to entice them to be active.
This is where a treat holding toy can come in handy. It’s easy to get into the habit of putting peanut butter into treat-holding toys, but let’s mix it up! Take a portion of your Great Dane’s meals each day and turn it into an activity for them. Grab a cup of your dog’s food, soak it in half a cup of water, and store it overnight in the fridge. Then stuff the moist food into the treat holding toy – say, the “Max the Marching Penguin.” If your Great Dane tends to get all their food out of the toy, within 1-2 minutes, pop the food-stuffed toy into the freezer overnight to create a more difficult challenge.
Bonus tip: When picking a treat holding toy, check to make sure the size of the opening is easy enough for a dish brush to fit into. This will make clean up so much easier! The aforementioned “Max the Marching Penguin” will easily accommodate most dish brushes and be strong enough to withstand your Great Dane’s chompers.
Just Keep Chewing
The need to chew is a basic instinct for dogs, including Great Danes. Chewing aides in maintaining dental health and can even help to relieve anxiety. If your Great Dane loves to chew, you might want to find the perfect chew for them!
Benebones are one excellent option since they come in a variety of different shapes and flavors. You can get the bacon dental chews, or a BARK pretzel, or even a treat-holding Pawplexer.
Bonus tip: If this is your Great Dane’s first time chewing on a Benebone, maybe start with the version pictured above. The wishbone shape has plenty of easy spots for your pup to grab onto with their abnormally large paws!
