Most Durable Dog Toys: All-Stars

 I started buying dog toys in the mid-1990's when I got my first dog. The only toy that I bought then that I still buy for my dogs now is the blue spikey Nylabone Flexichew. I think I have consistently had at least one in my house for at least 25 years. Need to actually make a post about those sometime. Anyway, I was just scrolling through a decade of blog posts here and started thinking about the toys that were featured there that are still kicking around my house all these years later. This is several dogs, several houses, and a cross-country move later, so these are toys with major staying power. I'm not counting toys that I have replaced later because I or the dogs liked them so much. Just the ones where the original toy photographed and purchased is still here.

Tuffy Pteradactyl: Pictured in this review of Mighty Dinosaurs from the same company, I've had this specific toy since roughly 2007. It's a bit worse for the wear these days because it is quite popular, but it is easily the most durable stuffed dog toy I have personally experienced.

Blue Kong: I bought a few of these at once and then never again, so the ones laying around the house right now are the same ones I reviewed back in 2014. Apparently they last a while.

PetProjeckt Dogegg: Very stained and no longer squeaks after 9 years. 

Budy Buddy Booya: See above. Both relegated to the basket of ugly old toys we keep outside these days.

Tuggo: This hard plastic ball with a rope through it has been living in my yard since 2016. It gets dragged around quite a lot. The rope remains in decent shape and the toy is fully functional.

Starmark Treat Dispensing Looper: Has been tossed, carried, and attacked by litters of puppies with the ferocity of fluffy piranhas. Nobody has ever tried to give it a good gnaw though, maybe the shape makes it less chewable?

Original GoughNut: Another testament to the staying power of ring-shaped toys.

Planet Dog Diamond Plate Ball: Unless it has fuzz, balls are for fetching rather than gnawing around here.

West Paw ZogoFlex Air Wox: I think I got the first one at SuperZoo 2016. This is probably the toy that has seen the most mileage and the most playtime. A huge variety of dogs have had consistent access to it for the last 8 years and it is still holding up beautifully. This one probably deserves its own post too.

StarMark Bob-A-Lot: It's tough to clean so I don't trot it out that often. This is a puzzle toy that isn't just out for free play all the time, but I first reviewed it here almost a decade ago so it gets an honorable mention.

Ruff Roots Dog Chew: Currently one of our outside toys. I have no idea why this toy is still here because nobody has ever seriously played with it. I should have tossed it years ago. I think I keep hoping some dog will fall in love with it.

Product Review: Orbee-Tuff Cosmos Sol

This Sol ball from Planet Dog's Orbee-Tuff Cosmos line is exactly the sort of large-diameter toy I needed for my ball fiends. This is a 5" ball that rates 5 out of 5 on their toughness scale. It is hollow, with a hole that allows it to drop treats. It's also recyclable, made in the USA, and 100% guaranteed. Can't go wrong with that!

Sol goes along with Planet Dog's 4" Luna ball, 3" Ringo ball, and their recently added 2.25" Lunee ball. These are fabulously sciency, geeky dog toys that are made to last. Sol is really, truly enormous. It's also flexible enough for he girls to chomp and get into their mouths.

Both Zip and Godzilla are seriously ball-crazy. A recent choking incident made me realize that standard 3" balls were small enough to present a choking hazard. I picked up over a dozen tennis ball-sized toys around the house and yard. The girls still had plenty of plush toys and chew toys, but I could tell they were missing their balls. This one is big enough for me to feel safe throwing it.

Pros:

• Big enough for giant breeds
• Really, really tough
• Not a choking hazard unless your dog is enormous
• Smells nice
• Made in the USA
• Guaranteed, so if your dog shreds it or hates it, Planet Dog will replace it

Cons:

• The hole in the ball allows very determined dogs to hook a tooth in and rip the ball apart
• Some dogs can't fit it in their mouths

Bottom Line

I was looking for something that rolled nicely, was easy on the teeth, and couldn't fit down the throats of my 28 and 26 pound dogs. Sol fits that perfectly.

Product Review: Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Carrot

Recreational chewers rejoice, Planet Dog has added this carrot to their Orbee-Tuff Produce line! This tough toy is just the right shape for holding between your paws for a good gnaw. It's tough, smells like peppermint, and is made in the USA. Like all Planet Dog toys, the carrot is guaranteed, so if your dog manages to destroy it, be sure to let them know!

Planet Dog is Awesome

Photo by Erin Koski

I got to see this toy at SuperZoo 2016, and I knew immediately that the girls would love it. (I ended up buying it on Amazon though, so this is not a sponsored review.) The rep I talked to said the company wanted to add a gnawable shape that dogs could hold between their paws like a bone. 

We're on our way to owning their entire Orbee-Tuff Produce line, because the toys are just so cute. Also durable. They last for years, and you can recycle them when you are finally done with them. They all have space to hide treats of various shapes and sizes, and they are light enough to keep you downstairs neighbors happy if your dog is fond of dropping their toys on your hard floors.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros

• Durable enough for some serious gnawing
• Made in the USA
• Smells like peppermint instead of rubber tires
• Can stuff an entire biscuit in the end
• Seriously adorable
• Guaranteed!

Cons

• Long skinny shape makes it vulnerable to power chewers



Photo by Erin Koski

• Moderate probability of being mistaken for an adult toy (this might be a pro for some)

Bottom Line

The carrot has seen quite a lot of fetch around here, and we haven't managed to kill it yet! Zip is also fond of gnawing it, and the carrot is holding up well. I was worried at first, but so far it has exceeded my expectations. That said, if your dog routinely demolishes black Kongs/Squirrel Dudes/similar toys, you should probably start with something tougher. Or just let Planet Dog know if your dog kills the carrot, because they do have a guarantee.

What's your dog's favorite chew toy?

Product Review: Planet Dog Strawberry

Another gem from Planet Dog's Orbee-Tuff Produce collection, the Strawberry is a tennis ball-sized durable chew toy. It bounces unpredictably, has a hole for inserting treats, and is fun to squish and chomp. Orbee-Tuff toys have a pleasant peppermint smell, and they are recyclable when your dog is done with them. The strawberry measures about 3" long.

Photo by Erin Koski

I am slowly collecting the entire Orbee-Tuff Produce toy line. Years ago we had an eggplant and an artichoke. Now we have a newer, greener artichoke, a tiny raspberry, and a strawberry.

Photo by Erin Koski

I love these toys because they are both durable and super cute. They can handle a whole ton of chomping and fetching without falling apart. I'm told the green stem part of the strawberry can eventually split from the red part, but ours has been holding up nicely.

The strawberry can hold about half a cup of kibble, and the shape makes it suitable for smearing with peanut butter as well.

It's worth noting that Planet Dog guarantees their products, so they definitely want to hear about it if your dog ignores or destroys one of their toys.

Pros: Durable, stuffable, and bouncy. Recyclable. Looks adorable laying on the floor. Easy to clean. Guaranteed.

Cons: Picks up dog hair like crazy, fortunately it rinses clean.

Bottom Line: What more could you ask for?

Stuff We Destroyed: December Edition

It's time for the monthly roundup of stuff that didn't survive the month! When I first started this blog, none of my dogs were destructive. Brisbane had toys that lasted most of his 11 years. Josie didn't care much for toys in general. Ru has never destroyed anything in his life. The current crop of dogs are much harder on their toys, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to put product durability to the test.

I've been in denial for a while, but I'm beginning to suspect that Zip is a power chewer. She doesn't really set out to demolish toys, but she does like to pause for the occasional gnaw while fetching. She hasn't really gone for any of our toughest toys yet, but she has managed to fetch quite a few of our fairly tough toys to death.

That's the Spunky Pup Fetch & Glow Ball up front with the hole. It's sitting in the curled remains of the Chuckit Floppy Tug, which was remarkably short-lived for a toy advertised as "tough".

The leather Aussie Naturals Squeaky Bacon toy sat neglected at the bottom of the toy bin for two years, until Zip decided it had to die. Planet Dog's Mazee, the Amaze-Ball, developed a tear at the opening, and then Zip and Sis decided to pull the maze out of the ball. I got Sisci Godzilla a Cycle Dog 3 Play happy hippo for her birthday, and someone promptly chewed a leg off. Our Nite Ize Glowstreak LED ball developed some tears in the flexible ball material, and then the entire plug that holds in the light popped off one night.

Way in the back there is our original decade-old Starmark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball. RIP. I'm pretty sure the newer material is a bit tougher. There's also a de-stuffed Mighty stegasaurus, our P.L.A.Y. king crab, a Kyjen Plush Puppies stuffed octopus that was older than Ru, and the carcass of a stuffed reindeer from last Christmas.

We also lost some gear this year, casualties of lure coursing and camping. Sisci Godzilla sometimes gets so excited in her crate that she drags in and shreds anything in reach. She got a hold of her ComfortFlex Sport harness at a lure coursing event and shredded it into many pieces. Godzilla has also taken to biting through leashes when excited, so mostly we're using steel cables these days. I got her a tug leash to match the harness, and left her tied up for a few minutes while setting up camp in the redwoods. So long, leash!

Puzzle Toy Review: Planet Dog Snoop

Planet Dog's Snoop is one of those puzzle toys that is elegant in it's simplicity. It's a flexible rubber bowl with a lip that extends all the way down to the bottom of the bowl. Basically, kibble dropped in the bowl is most likely to end up way under the lip rather than falling out. There's no weights or hinges or anything on this toy, but it's still a challenging puzzle. It gets significantly more difficult when you jam a Nook ball in there. I love toys that can work together like that!

Photo by Erin Koski

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 3/5

I can put at least half a cup of kibble in this thing, but a lot will fall out right away. 

Loading speed: 5/5

Dump in food, pull up lip, tilt Snoop around till it all falls in.

Unloading speed (standard dog): 5/5

It takes the dogs a while to get every last treat out of here. Adding the Nook ball makes it a whole project just to get a few kibbles.

Unloading speed (superdog): 3/5

Even with the Nook in there, Brisbane could empty this thing within a few minutes.

Photo by Erin Koski

Size: 5/5 

Light enough for Ru to push around without hurting himself, but too big to pose a choking hazard for large dogs. The tiny guys can shove it and flip it around, really big dogs might pick the whole thing up and smoosh it. I wouldn't add the Nook ball for dogs over about 40lbs though.

Durability: 4/5

This is not a chew toy, Planet Dog doesn't even list it on their durability scale. It's a supervision-only toy like the Mazee ball. (Note: I left my Mazee rolling around the house and Sisci helpfully enlarged the opening.) That said, it's a soft rubber toy and will withstand an infinite amount of rolling, smacking, and chomping unless your dog decides to rip chunks out of it.

Noise: 5/5

Hooray for soft puzzle toys! The only sound from the Snoop is the occasional clatter of kibble onto the floor.

Locatability: 4/5

It doesn't roll very far, but it does fit under the furniture.

Washability: 4/5

It's dishwasher safe, but the lip makes it a bit tough to get really clean and dry. It's definitely for dry treats only.

Versatility: 5/5

The combination of Snoop and Nook makes a challenging puzzle for a variety of animals. Our raven friend Xhuuya loves prying to ball out and then fishing treats out from under the lip. The Snoop alone can be fun for bunnies and guinea pigs. 

Total: 43

Product Review: Planet Dog Nook Ball

Planet Dog's new Nooks are cute little balls made from their special Orbee-Tuff material. They come in one size and three color/shape combinations known as Peace, Love, and Happiness. These are made in the USA out of peppermint-infused recyclable material. Planet Dog guarantees their toys 100%, though I have yet to test this because all of my Planet Dog stuff is apparently indestructible and awesome.

Photo by Erin Koski

The Nook

These are very solid balls, we don't have anything like them. They are basically solid rubber with a design cut all the way through. Ours is Happiness, the yellow smiley face ball. The design makes for several nooks in which to hide treats.

Planet Dog says this ball is for dogs of all sizes, but I disagree. Slightly smaller than a tennis ball, the Nook presents a choking hazard for large dogs. As a child I read a James Herriot story about a collie nearly choking to death on a small ball lodged in its throat, and have been paranoid about it ever since. I'm fairly certain this ball is big enough to be safe for Brisbane and Sisci, but I certainly wouldn't have a dog bigger than 50lbs playing with it.

Pros: Cute and smells nice. Bounces and floats. Can be stuffed with peanut butter or have small treats shoved into the smiley mouth. More durable than a tennis ball, and easier on the teeth. Fits in the opening of a different Planet Dog toy for a bigger challenge.

Cons: Not durable enough for serious power chewers. Does not fit more than 3-4 treats at a time, and if wedged firmly enough a motivated dog might tear it apart to get them. Too small for most labs, goldens, and shepherds to play with safely.

Bottom Line: It's a cute addition to the toybox, and the small, narrow cavities mean that the dogs spend a lot of time and effort to lick out a very small amount of peanut butter. 

Product Review: Planet Dog Diamond Plate Ball

The Planet Dog Diamond Plate Ball is made out of their proprietary Orbee-Tuff material. It measures 3" in diameter and has an opening for inserting treats. This is basically the toughest toy they make. It is made in the USA, and is recyclable when your dog is finally done with it.

This shiny silver ball arrived in our space-themed June Allergy-Friendly BarkBox. We already have a Diamond Plate Double Tuff toy, and this ball matches it nicely.

My favorite thing about Planet Dog toys is that they are made with peppermint oil so they always smell nice. So nice. The ball has a hole in it for hiding treats, but Sisci thinks it's pretty cool empty, too. She's a big fan of balls, and a lot less picky than Brisbane.

Pros: Super durable. Recyclable. Works as a ball and a simple food puzzle. Smells delightful. Made in the USA.

Cons: Will not stand up to a power chewer, especially not a large dog on a mission of destruction.

Bottom Line: This ball definitely gets some love. It's fun to squish, and works well for dogs who are tough on their toys, but not super-destructive chewers.

The June Allergy-Friendly BarkBox

Our June Allergy-Friendly BarkBox arrived right on the 15th, and this one is so good that it makes up for last month's disappointment. The theme this time is "space"! I love all things sciencey, and this box feels like it was put together just for us.

We got a P.L.A.Y. star stuffy that is adorable and already much beloved by Ru. The dogs have loved every toy we've gotten from this company, and each has been wonderfully sturdy. Nobody has de-squeaked one yet, not even the foster puppies.


The other toy in our box is a Planet Dog Diamond Plate ball. We have a Diamond Plate Double Tuff toy that gets a lot of mileage, and I expect to add this ball into our rotation of food toys. It smells like peppermint and has a hole for stuffing it with treats.

Speaking of treats, we got some Bixbi Peanut Butter Pocket Trainers. These are bite-sized grain-free moist treats that look like they will be quite popular. So far I've been happy with all of the Bixbi products we've received.

We also got a bag of Your Dog's Diner Pizza Pawty Crust treats. These are big crunchy treats intended to capture the feeling of feeding your dog your pizza crusts. I know Brisbane gets quite a few pizza crusts (and occasional pizzas).

Everything in this box is delightful, but my favorite thing is definitely the BarkMade exclusive Space Bandana. This is only the second wearable item we have received in a BarkBox, and I love how wonderfully unique it is. I might even wear it myself.

Puzzle Toy Review: Planet Dog Artichoke

The Planet Dog Artichoke is a durable rubber chew toy that can be filled with kibble. It is part of Planet Dog's Orbee-Tuff Produce product line, we also have the Raspberry and had an Eggplant in our toy rotation for several years. This is actually Brisbane's second Artichoke toy, I don't remember what became of the first one years ago.

Photo by Erin Koski

Back when Brisbane was eating premade ground raw food, I used to stuff his daily ration in a toy and freeze it. One of the toys in that rotation was a Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Eggplant. It lasted through several years of stuffing, freezing, unstuffing, and dishwasher before the rubber began to split.

The Artichoke didn't really work as a wet food stuffing toy because it has a relatively small hole set on the end of the stem. It's tough for Brisbane to get peanut butter or anything gooey out. Kibble, however, works perfectly.

Photo by Erin Koski

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 2/5
Fits about half a cup of kibble. Not a lot, but Brisbane only eats 1/4 cup a day so this actually works really well for us.

Loading Speed: 2/5
It's a pretty small hole, even a soda funnel isn't that much help.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 5/5
The foster puppies can spend half the day emptying the artichoke.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 5/5

Photo by Erin Koski

This is the slowest-dispensing non-adjustable toy we have. Brisbane is fascinated with it.

Size: 2/5
The Planet Dog Produce toy line has everything from super-tiny to eggplant-sized toys, but the artichoke comes in just one size. This toy is small enough for Ru to roll but not carry. I wouldn't give it to a dog much bigger than Brisbane.

Durability: 5/5
Our last Planet Dog Produce toy lasted through several years of hard use, I expect this one to last a decade unless something shreds it.

Noise: 5/5
Soft rubber is wonderfully silent on my hardwood floors.

Locatability: 2/5
It doesn't roll very far, but the artichoke fits under furniture. It's not unusual for it to disappear.

Washability: 2/5
Small hole? Check. impossible to see inside? Check. I can jam a scrub brush in there, or fill it with soapy water and shake it, but I can never be sure it's really clean.

Versatility: 3/5
The small hole means that anything bigger than kibble won't just fall out. This toy is a fun shape and can provide opportunities for assorted critters to forage for their dinner.

Total: 33/50

Have you used any Planet Dog toys?

Puzzle Toy Review: Planet Dog Double Tuff

The Planet Dog Double Tuff is a durable, stuffable chew toy. It is made from Planet Dog's extra strong Diamond Tuff Orbee material, and rates five out of five on their durability scale. The Double Tuff comes in three colors and three sizes, ours is a large. It is made in the USA.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is basically a new version of the Planet Dog Orbo. We had two of those that started splitting after eight long years of trips through the dishwasher and almost daily use. Needless to say, I was impressed. If the Double Tuff turns out to be half that durable I will be pleased.

The Double Tuff seems a lot like a Kong at first, with some minor but important differences. The inner chamber of this toy is shaped just like the outside. The bottom chamber is wide and easy to access through the opening, the upper chamber has a smaller opening. This design makes the Double Tuff difficult to clean when stuffed with peanut butter or anything else sticky. I am finding that we enjoy it a lot more when I stuff it with kibble or small biscuits instead.

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 2/5

I can fit a little over half a cup of kibble in here.

Loading Speed: 3/5

Not so bad with a soda funnel, otherwise it's basically one kibble at a time.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 5/5

The texture of the Double Tuff means it doesn't roll very far at a time, and the opening is slightly elevated when it lays on the ground. It's good at dropping a kibble or two at a time.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 4/5

Slower than a bowl, and slower than some toys that are more complex.

Size: 4/5

The Double Tuff comes in three sizes, including a little one for Ru-sized dogs. However, the large seems well-suited to my 40-pound dog and I can't imagine giving one to a giant breed. Owners of power chewers tend to go up a size or two to give their dogs a real challenge, but that's not an option here. 

Durability: 5/5

I would give this toy to a power chewer with supervision if they didn't demolish a similar-sized black Kong. Planet Dog stuff also comes with a kickass guarantee so they're likely to replace it or something if it gets destroyed. I haven't had occasion to test this yet, though.

Noise: 5/5

Dead silent on my hardwood floors.

Locatability: 3/5

It doesn't roll very far, but it does roll. It also fits under furniture, and Brisbane can pick it up. He usually loses interest once the food is all gone, otherwise this would be under the couch.

Washability: 3/5

I used to stick my Orbos in the dishwasher back when we had a dishwasher, but that didn't always remove the plug of crud that got stuck in the top. Only using dry treats means it's pretty easy to give the Double Tuff a quick scrub, but I still have to use a bottle brush to get it really clean.

Versatility: 3/5

I could probably use this toy to challenge Xhuuya the raven. The smallest one would be great for cramming nuts into, and she might actually be able to pull stuff out of the top chamber. She'd probably tear chunks off it though,

Total: 37/50

Puzzle Toy Review: Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Bulb

The Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Bulb is a durable, stuffable rubber chew toy shaped like a bulb from a string of vintage Christmas lights. It is available in two colors and two sizes for largish and smallish dogs. The Orbee Tuff Bulb is made in the USA and comes with a 100% guarantee that I have not yet put to the test.

Photo by Erin Koski

I had been wanting one of these for years, and this one happily arrived in our December BarkBox. This is probably my favorite thing we've gotten in a BarkBox so far. It's basically made of nostalgia (and rubber) because it is shaped like the Christmas lights of my childhood.

Back in the 1980's, we didn't have all those fancy strands of mini lights. There were no animated three-dimensional lighted sculptures of reindeer and snowmen. Nope, back when I was a kid we all just had a single strand of these big fat bulbs adorning our houses every December. They weren't as big as the Orbee Tuff Bulb, but they were a heck of a lot bigger than the ones on all Christmas lights today. Even when I see "retro" Christmas lights now, they still aren't as big as the ones of my childhood, which are still sitting in a box in my parents' garage. Given that "things shaped like Christmas lights" are invariably shaped like those old bulbs, I'm certain this nostalgia is widespread.

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 4/5
I can fit nearly a cup of kibble in here, which is amazing for this type of toy.

Loading Speed: 4/5
A soda funnel speeds up the process quite a bit.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 4/5
The foster puppies spent close to an hour emptying the bulb.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 2/5
This puzzle is pretty easy for Brisbane to solve, but he still enjoys it.

Size: 5/5
The smaller size is small enough for Ru-sized dogs to use, and the larger one is big enough for a really big dog. The flexibility makes it easy for dogs on the smaller end of the spectrum to carry the bulb.

Durability: 3/5
Planet Dog gives the Orbee Tuff Bulb a three out of five rating for durability. It will stand up to an infinite amount of tossing and chomping, but a determined chewer can probably demolish it with little effort.

Noise: 5/5
Soft rubber means this toy is silent on my hard floors.

Locatability: 3/5
The non-spherical and non-cylindrical shape means the bulb doesn't roll freely. This mostly keeps it from disappearing under the furniture. Mostly. It's still small enough for Briz to pick up and carry though, so it ends up in his lair once in a while.

Washability: 2/5
The skinny neck of the bulb makes it pretty tough to get the inside clean, so I only put in dry treats like kibble. Occasionally I'll fill it with soapy water and shake it up before rinsing and drying. I haven't found anything on the Planet Dog website about their toys being dishwasher safe, and I have my concerns. I know one of our previous Orbee toys melted in the dishwasher, back when we lived in a house with a dishwasher.

Versatility: 4/5
The relatively long neck and flexibility of the bulb make it a challenging toy for various animals. We haven't tried giving it to Xhuuya the raven yet, though.

Total: 36/50

Product Review: Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Raspberry

The Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Raspberry is an itty bitty durable, stuffable chew toy for itty bitty dogs. It is made in the USA of recyclable materials, and is part of Planet Dog's line of produce-shaped toys. The Orbee-Tuff Raspberry comes in one size: tiny.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is basically the cutest stuffable dog toy ever. It's slightly larger than an actual raspberry and it's pink. I can fill it with peanut butter or spray cheese-like-substance, and I can freeze it to make it last longer.

There aren't a whole lot of stuffable toys out there for toy breeds. We have an assortment of ridiculously tiny Kongs, but nearly everything else is made for real dogs. I've been avoiding bringing home toys that are way too small for Brisbane, but I've been crating Ru while we work on his housebreaking/UTI issues. Brisbane is also remarkably careful with tiny toys, so Ru gets his wee Kongs and Raspberry in his crate, and if Briz gets it later it's not the end of the world.

Photo by Erin Koski

Pros: Sized just right for under-ten-pounders. Maybe cats too. Made in the USA of recyclable materials by a very cool company. Way too cute.

Cons: Too tiny for real dogs, the much larger artichoke and eggplant just aren't as cute.

Bottom Line: I need a drawer full of peanut butter-stuffed raspberries in my freezer.

Our December Allergy-Friendly BarkBox

Our Allergy-Friendly BarkBox finally arrived, and it was a long wait! The boxes usually ship out from Connecticut on the 15th, and sometimes it takes a week or more for ours to make it all the way over here to the other coast. This box is Christmas-themed, and much more festive than our 75-degree bone-dry weather.

I was absolutely delighted to find a Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Bulb
toy. I've been meaning to get one of these for years, and here it is. This is a durable, stuffable chew toy, and I've loved all of our other Planet Dog Orbee toys.

We got a SafeMade Holiday tartan bandana with Christmas trees and reindeers. It is just the right amount of Christmassy without being tacky.

When I first saw the Etta Says rabbit chew, I thought it was a duck chew like the one in our September BarkBox. Happily it is a rabbit chew, so Brisbane can enjoy it. These things are kind of like bully sticks, but are odorless and won't stain rugs.

The card in the box says it contains some Dogs Love Kale treats, but instead we have some Bixbi Essentials Pork Jerky treats. These are what I wished we had gotten back in our July box 'o'chicken. I'm sure everyone here will appreciate them.

The last thing in our box is a Simply Fido Penguin, which I don't love. It's kind of cute, but my dogs just aren't into crinkly things at all.

Puzzle Toy Review: Planet Dog Mazee Ball

The Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Mazee Ball is a roller-type puzzle toy. This is a step up from the basic ball-with-a-hole food dispenser, with a clear rubber outside that allows the dog to see the treats rattling around in the hard plastic inner maze. It's not a terribly difficult puzzle, so it's a great way to introduce the concept of pushing stuff around to make food happen. This is my new favorite puzzle toy for Ulysses now that he has mastered the Orbee ball with the big hole. We call it the Amazeball.

Photo by Erin Koski

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 5/5
I can fit at least two cups of kibble in here. None of my dogs eats anywhere near two cups of kibble.

Loading Speed: 4/5
I can dump food in pretty darned quick with a soda bottle funnel, but I can't just scoop it directly into the toy.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 4/5
Ulysses can spend twenty minutes or more getting half a cup of kibble out of this toy.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 2/5
Brisbane takes slightly more time to unload the Amazeball than it takes me to unload it by turning it upside down and shaking it.

Size: 5/5
Big enough to be enjoyed by giant breeds, light enough to not crush toy dogs.

Durability: 4/5
The Amazeball isn't meant to be chewed, but will survive a bit of chomping and an infinite amount of rolling across the floor.

Noise: 5/5
The soft rubber outside of the Amazeball makes it amazeballs for hardwood floors. Silence, glorious silence.

Locatability: 4/5
It's a bit big for Brisbane to carry around, and it doesn't fit under most furniture.

Washability: 2/5
The Amazeball can be cleaned by filling it with hot water and shaking it. A bit of nontoxic dish soap probably wouldn't hurt. There's no way I'm getting a scrub brush in there, but at least the clear outside lets me see if there's anything really vile inside.

Hoardability: 2/5
Once it's empty, it's dead. This isn't really a crate toy, it's made to be rolled around on the floor. Sometimes Brisbane will choose to roll it around on a bed, though.

Total: 37/50

Product Review: Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Harness

The Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Harness is a roman-style harness made from soft hemp webbing and lined with fleece. This harness currently comes in five colors and three sizes to fit dogs with chests 16"-40" around.

Photo by Erin Koski

Brisbane isn't a fan of certain types of harnesses, so this has never been one of his favorites. However, the fleece makes it incredibly comfortable and soft for dogs with sensitive skin. It's my first choice for something to leave on a new foster dog for days. Ulysses is wearing it right now. Our harness is a size Medium, in Apple Green so it doesn't actually match either of our Cozy Hemp collars.

I love that the chest strap of this harness is not fixed. It slides freely through both the straps that connect it to the front straps. This means I do not have to lift the dog's feet and put them through anything. I just thread the chest strap through the appropriate loop and buckle it. The top strap also has a loop big enough to thread a seatbelt through, so I could use this harness to tether Brisbane in the car to reduce driver distraction. It's definitely not a crash-protection harness, though.

Pros: Fully-lined with fleece for a soft fit. Extremely durable, and looks great even after years of use. Stays put and does not rotate around the dog. Easy to put on, no feet-lifting required.

Cons: Doesn't come in sizes small enough for Ru. It's a bit bulky because the straps are very thick. The fleece on my harness is light-colored enough that it often looks dirty.

Bottom Line: While it's not currently our everyday harness, this is one that I feel comfortable leaving on Brisbane for extended periods without worrying that it will chafe. It's great for hiking and travel, and I expect it to last through several dogs.

Product Review: Planet Dog Orbees

The Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff balls are made from flexible rubber. The Planet Dog product line-ip has changed a bit in the last few years, but the quality of their products remains the same.

We have a 4.25" diameter Orbee ball with a hole in it, and two Orbos. The Orbo is a lot like the original Kong toy. These things are extremely durable; mine went through the dishwasher a bunch of times back when we had a dishwasher. I used to stuff Bravo raw dog food into the Orbos and freeze them.

The Orbos have two chambers, the large bottom and the small top, connected by a narrow passage. Getting peanut butter, ground meat, or cooked sweet potato into that smaller chamber can be difficult, but it is equally difficult to get the goodies back out. I've found Brisbane slurping peanut butter out of these things days later.

We used to have several more Planet Dog toys: another big ball, an Orbee-Tuff ball with with a rope handle, an eggplant, and an artichoke. The artichoke was difficult to clean. The eggplant eventually began cracking, and I'm not sure what happened to the other big ball.

The Orbo is supposed to have an unpredictable bounce, but Brisbane has very little use for them once they are empty. I like to fill the big ball with kibble for Josie, who is a bit slower and takes half an hour or more to empty it.

Pros: These things are tough as hell. They outlasted my classic Kongs and are still going strong after at least seven years. The two-chamber shape of the Orbo also makes them much harder to empty than a Kong. I wish they were still on the market as I would happily buy a few more. The large ball makes a wonderful and quiet slow-feeder for my elderly dog. It is large enough that it doesn't get lost under the furniture.

Cons: The two-chamber design of the Orbo makes it very difficult to clean, and sometimes I find a nasty surprise down there.

Bottom Line: We use the Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff toys pretty much every day. When they're not being hoarded inside a crate, they are in the freezer stuffed with peanut butter.

Product Review: Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Collars

The Planet Dog Cozy Hemp Collar is an adjustable flat buckle collar. This product has changed a bit in the 8+ years since I purchased mine, as it is now has a plastic buckle instead of metal.

Photo by Erin Koski

I bought Brisbane's first Planet Dog collar when he was just a few months old. He previous collar had worn a lot of the hair off the front of his neck, and I was looking for something soft that would hopefully allow it to grow back. These collars are lined with fleece, and incredibly soft.

The purple one on Josie was the first collar I bought, this one is a Large and the metal buckle is fairly heavy. With his tags adding to the weight, it didn't seem to help Brisbane's lack of neck fur. I found the green collar a few months later, it's a size Medium and rapidly became Brisbane's everyday collar.

Photo by Erin Koski

Both of these collars have made many trips to the beach, but you'd never be able to tell by looking. The worst sign of wear on either is that the Planet Dog logo has come partially unstitched. They were advertised as getting better with wear, and I believe it. I'm not normally a fan of worn-out collars, but I still love these after all these years.

Back when the Cozy Hemp collar had metal buckles, I would recommend it for dogs with skin allergies that left them sensitive to plastics. It now has a nylon buckle, but this makes it much lighter and probably more comfortable.

Pros: Lasts forever and looks great the whole time. Great for dogs with sensitive skin. Machine washable, and weathers repeated salt water immersion better than my Lupine collars.

Cons: The sizing hardware on my collars slips very slowly, allowing the collar to gradually loosen up over time. Not a problem for me since I don't walk anybody on a flat collar, but could be an issue for someone else. It is very possible that this has been fixed since I bought these. They don't make one for super-tiny dogs, so no Cozy Hemp for Ru.

Bottom Line: These collars will probably last longer than my dogs and someday be willed to my descendants.