Natural Rubber Chew Toy - Stuffable, for Serious Chewers

Most dog toys are built to survive a photograph. This one is solid natural rubber, and it is the shape almost every serious chewer ends up with.

The point is the hollow centre. Empty, it is a bouncing toy that never comes back the same way twice. Filled, it turns ten minutes of eating into an hour of work — which is the whole trick to a dog that chews the furniture out of boredom rather than badness.

What to put in it

• Peanut butter — check the label says no xylitol, which is toxic to dogs
• Their own kibble, dampened so it packs and falls out slowly
• Plain yoghurt, then freeze it — a frozen one lasts three times as long and soothes a teething puppy's gums

Why rubber and not plastic

• Flexes instead of shattering. Hard plastic and real bones crack teeth; vets see it constantly
• No stuffing to swallow, which is the other emergency-surgery classic
• Erratic bounce off an uneven shape, so fetch stops being predictable
• Dishwasher safe, and it will need it

Being honest with you

No chew toy is indestructible. This is tough rubber, not armour. Check it over now and again, and bin it once chunks can come off — that goes for every chew toy you will ever buy.

Best given when you leave the house. A dog that has a job to do stops watching the door.