Product Review: West Pet ZogoFlex Bumi

The Zogoflex Bumi is a durable dog toy from West Paw. Intended for games of tug, it is throwable, chewable, and recyclable. It stretches, floats, and is easy on the teeth. As an added bonus for some dogs, it can be shaken wildly so that the ends thwap them in the face. The Bumi comes in two sizes, the large is about an inch bigger than the small.

Photo by Erin Koski

This arrived in our highly disappointing May BarkBox, and I was not happy to see it. Brisbane really doesn't like solid rubber toys, and will only hold it to be polite. The Bumi doesn't squeak or make any noise at all when he bites it, so he just doesn't see the point.

Sisci, on the other hand, thinks the Bumi is pretty cool. She is determined to play with all the toys, and absolutely must carry something around when excited. She thinks the Bumi is very nice to gnaw. When thrown end over end, it skips across the ground in a way that is lots of fun to chase and bite.

This is the smaller of the two sizes, and it's still bigger than Ru. He ignored the Bumi completely until Sisci started playing with it. Ru loves to play tug with Sisci, sometimes she even notices and plays along. The shape of the Bumi is just right for Ru to grab and end and run along with her. They can even gnaw on it at the same time, which is excessively cute.

Pros: Super durable. Stretchy to absorb shock during vigorous tug games. Stands up to a decent amount of recreational chewing. Easier on the teeth than rope tugs, and it lasts longer too. soft enough for indoor play on noisy hardwood floors. Provides places for multiple dogs to grab.

Cons: Won't stand up to a power chewer on a mission of destruction. Does not come in a size suitable for tiny dogs.

Bottom Line: I appreciate the Bumi a lot more since Sisci and Ru started using it for the most adorable tug games ever.

What is your dog's favorite tug toy?