Toys don’t last long with Rufus.
He destroys them in under twenty minutes. Mr. Dinosaur experienced this in about ten minutes of his relationship with Rufus. First a mud bath, then utter destruction.
This is how it goes for any stuffed animal here. I’ve had to rescue some old ones that I bought in Australia as a tourist or that I had as a child and want to keep for sentimental reasons. Not even tennis balls or super-tough Kongs last that long with him. He is Destructo-Boy when given a chance.
But a few things do last, which is good because Rufus needs toys. Sophie, for her part, really doesn’t care about them. She might pick up a toy and give it a shake before getting bored ten seconds later. If you throw a ball she might herd it to where it lands. But Rufus needs to play and chew with something.
First is the Benebone, which we first got with our BarkBox. These things last a very long time with these dogs, and they are safe.
We also have a fantastic WestPaw toy. I am so impressed with this. I got it in June when the teething stage was wrapping up, and this toy has withstood the Rufus test so very well. There are no tears, no shreds, nothing.
Finally we have some bones from Only Natural Pet up in Boulder. These things are great and they not only have they lasted, they are very helpful with keeping the dog’s teeth clean.
Sophie is not remotely interested in the WestPaw toy but she and Rufus will play little games with the Benebones and the bones from Only Natural Pet, each chewing one until the other gets distracted. Then once whichever one gets up to inspect the noise or whatever it was, the other dog moves in and takes his or her toy.
And nobody ever suspects a thing.
The Rufus Files 