Although Ruby is only allowed plush and rope toys under strict supervision, between subscription boxes and giveaways, we've still amassed quite a collection. They are still nice to have now that Boca has joined the family, because when I play tug with Ruby I toss a plush over the dog gate for Boca to play with. So far she has not demonstrated the appetite for stuffing that Ruby has. These tugs and stuffies used to reside in "toy jail," - Ruby's seldom-used crate - but I decided that was a waste of a perfectly good dog kennel, and that I'd like to make it available for use if I needed to separate the dogs or work with them one on one.
I already had this vinyl shoe holder behind the door of my downstairs coat closet, and have been using it for hats, gloves and scarves. I consolidated the winter items and made room for the dog toys in the bottom two rows. I love how accessible and organized they are now! I'm waiting for Ruby to make the connection and start pawing at the door when she wants to play tug.
Since I'm on the topic of toys and games, I want to share how proud I am of Little Rubes that her bravery for catching the ball mid-air has increased immensely thanks to the red Sprong ball visible in the upper right hand pocket. We received this ball in one of the subscription boxes, and while it is quite delicate and would not hold up to the slightest amount of chewing, it is soft and lightweight making it perfect for catch! Ruby has gotten so much better about releasing the ball to my hand, too.
Where do you keep your dog toys?
That's a good idea but we can't reach'm! We have a basket
ReplyDeleteLily & Edward
My dogs also have a basket where their more durable toys are kept. That basket is on the stairs behind a dog gate, though, that is generally kept closed. I find that they are more excited about their toys if they don't have free access to all of them. I usually hand out two or three for them to play with in the evenings.
DeleteDoes the floor count as storage? You are so organized! Blueberry isn't into stuffies or rope toys - just Nylabones and only if the mood strikes her. So I have 4 different types of Nylabones in the living room that I have to remember are there lest I step on one with my bare feet.
ReplyDeleteWith my last dog Shadow, she had tons of stuffies that usually were missing the actual stuffing and some limbs and I kept all of these on the bed in a corner. Then in the morning, she would wake me up by jumping onto the bed, grabbing a stuffy and taking it into the other room. She would repeat this until I got up or until all the stuffies were in the other room. Then, I would have to place them all on the bed again that evening so she could repeat the ritual the next day. This sounds even crazier to me now that I've typed it out. The things we do for our dogs...
I don't like to leave toys, even the more durable ones, laying around when I'm not home, so my routine is usually to put 3 or 4 down at night and pick them up in the morning before work. We have a basket on the stairs for Benebones (similar to Nylabones), balls and rubbery toys, and the plush and rope things are in their new home above.
DeleteIt's funny - yesterday at a work seminar we were asked to think of our #1 skill and I chose organization! There's nothing I like more than categorizing and putting all things in their proper places.
OoOO What a great idea!!! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletedon't know how I wasn't following you, but I am now! Super clever idea for the dog toys! We have a few foot stools with covers that also function great for dog toy storage! Barks and licks and love, Dakota www.dakotasden.net
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by! The storage ottomans or footstools are another great idea!
DeleteOh, I missed this when it posted. I keep about three-four toys down for Silas at once--one or two tuggies and one or two fetch toys. The rest go in a basket on top of his crate. Putting most of them away *really* cut down on his incessant poking me with a ball.
ReplyDeleteOnce Ruby gets her mid-air catch down, I highly recommend the Bionic Toss-n-Tug frisbee. It's a good shape to catch, and we've put it through the wringer without so much as a tooth mark.
And, pawing at the door reminds me: as kind of a cheap-and-easy food toy, a few times a week we will put some treats inside a cardboard box and tape it up. Whenever Silas is hungry, he stands by the closet where I keep the boxes. If I ignore him, he will sit in the closest chair, pointedly watching the box closet.
I really like the toy rotation policy. The girls get some durable toys when I get home from work (West Paw Hurleys and a ball or two), sometimes I separate them and play tug with Ruby while simultaneously tossing a plush for Boca (Ruby goes in a down-stay when it's Boca's turn), and I usually put down their Benebone chew bones in the evenings. I pick everything up in the morning before work.
DeleteI'll keep an eye out for the frisbee! Ruby has one of the fabric fliers, but if it gets dirt/sand on it she won't retrieve it (and I can't blame her, who wants a mouthful of dirt?)