Do tough dog toys really exist?

Look at this dog:

 Doesn't he look like butter wouldn't melt?

Well it would. And when it did, it would be left all over the house for me to clean up. Mr Dexter is what's known in the trade as a "power chewer" ie he can demolish anything that he comes into contact with. I spend most evenings picking up bits of toy from the rug where he likes to do the bulk of his destruction. Last week we were in Norfolk visiting the other side of the family, and Dexter and Roxy were left at Hotel Grandparents. In the past when we've done this, Dexter has destroyed bedding, and even had a nibble on the Sky cable. This time, I spoke to my mum the day we were coming home and she said he had been perfect! Well, it didn't last long as she later found he had chewed a panel off the kennel door...

We spend a lot of money on dog toys trying to keep Dexter and Roxy - who isn't immune to a good chomp herself - amused. Dexter is a big, silly, energetic and boisterous boy, but he is also a very sweet and loving boy. He needs a lot of entertaining or he does naughty things and gets into trouble. Just ask poor Jacob, his favourite little person!

Noticing that their toy box was decidedly bare, Isabelle and I made a journey to Pets at Home yesterday. We spent a lot of time in the toy aisle, picking out some lovely new bits for the dogs. We have to pay close attention to what we buy for D+R, as the normal squeaky plastic toys just don't cut it. Luckily, there is a huge market in "tough toys", designed especially for dogs like Dexter. This is what we came away with, totalling £28. Note the things that made me choose these toys were their promising labels "for your power chewer" "tough toys" "invincible chains".

An hour after giving Dexter and Roxy one toy each, this is what Mr Dexter had done. Yes, those blue and black bits are the "invincible chains" and the green and yellow bits are the "durable" chewer.

Simon always says we could make millions in one of two ways: rent Dexter out as a toy tester (I've looked into this and you have to pay for the privilege) or invent a toy which really is invincible, durable and will stand up to a Labrador's jaws. There are only two toys which have stood the test of Dexter: the Clix Dumbbell and the Nylabone Durachew. (Both of these are on the rug in the picture above)

So this morning, after handing over £28 of my hard earned cash for these toys, I watched Dexter tear them to pieces on the rug, to be picked up later on by yours truly. I'd probably be safer just giving him the money to chew up instead....

Oh and just for comedy, I thought I'd include this: Kong Safestix. When Simon first brought one home I thought he'd been at Ann Summers instead of the pet shop.....