Product Review: Chuckit Floppy Tug

Petmate's Chuckit Floppy Tug is a unique rubber tug toy that changes shape when you move it. The toy starts out as a coiled spring, but can be pulled into a big loop. Let go and it coils up again. This is a surprisingly heavy toy with a lot of potential energy. It snaps back into shape rather quickly, but also uncoils under its own weight.

Photo by Erin Koski

I bought this toy on clearance, thinking it might be too heavy for Godzilla. It's really amazingly heavy. As my friend's toddler remarked while tossing toys for the dogs, "That one is too much." The newer version might be lighter, but ours weighs about 2 lbs. That's a lot. 

The combination of weight and shape gives this toy a lot of potential energy. Stretch it out, and it will spring back with a lot of force. If somebody lets go suddenly mid-tug, whoever is at the other end is gonna get whomped. 

I brought the Floppy Tug along to play with a client's pit bull, who thought it was amazing. When he shakes it, the toy whacks him in the face. This makes it incredibly exciting. Zip and Godzilla avoid shaking this particular tug toy for the same reason. It's too much.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Very exciting toy, especially for dogs that enjoy rough play. Spring shape practically moves on its own. Soft enough to throw and catch without breaking stuff. Good on hardwood floors.

Cons: May be too heavy for some dogs. Can snap back and hit hard when stretched. Not as durable as expected.

Bottom Line: This toy lasted approximately three weeks after the girls discovered it. They didn't tug it, we just played fetch, but it started getting bite marks pretty quickly. It's marketed as a tug and chew toy, but best just as an interactive tug if your dog tends to destroy stuff.