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The title basically says it all. I'm looking for suggestions for fun, stimulating dog toys that my dog can play with alone (i.e. without me having to do anything to get the toy to work, not when she's alone without supervision). Would prefer them to be small-ish and easy to put away in a cabinet or closet when not in use. We live in Manhattan, in a 1 bedroom apartment without a backyard, so stuff like automatic ball throwers aren't going to work. My apartment isn't small by NYC standards but I certainly don't have space to install anything sizable from a wall/ceiling/etc.

Backstory: I have a 10 month old Keeshond who doesn't love to play with toys by herself. She will happily play tug (and similar games) with me, loves to run around with other dogs at the park, and enjoys training (we do obedience and agility). She also likes to chew, and has several Benebones, as well as a steady supply of Himalayan Dog Chews. We have a few toys that, in theory, she could play with alone (Kong Cozie, Hide-A-Squirrel, and such) as well as basically every type of Kong which I use for all her meals. She likes toys filled with food, and I try lots of different recipes in the Kongs, but I reserve the Kongs for when she's alone (i.e. when I go to work).

Any suggestions are appreciated.

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    why the affiliate links?
    – Robert hue
    Commented Apr 18, 2017 at 5:54
  • @Roberthue just a habit since the links are shorter and it's a single click copy
    – LMGagne
    Commented Apr 18, 2017 at 14:31
  • 2
    Removed the affiliate links, see this meta for more detail
    – Zaralynda
    Commented Jul 21, 2017 at 13:34

2 Answers 2

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How does your dog react to toys that squeak? I've got 2 Bichons; one loves them and will happily play by herself, the other is completely uninterested in them. The ones that squeak are usually on the smaller side and plush, so they should work well in an apartment.

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  • She doesn't seem to care. The Kong Cozie squeaks, we also have 2 balls with squeakers (both Kong brand) as well as a GoDog plush dinosaur that squeaks. Every once in a while she'll chew on one, but doesn't seem motivated by squeaking.
    – LMGagne
    Commented Jul 21, 2017 at 13:45
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Suggestions you may not have tried:

  • Kong toys frozen in ice blocks, but in an apartment these would make mess obviously so perhaps not suitable. I do this outside with my Shepherd in summer.

  • Toys that dispense treats when the dog rolls them around the room. We have the buster cube which my dog loves.

  • A durable ball with holes, you then get a durable piece of string or a shoe lace or something and tie the ball to it. My dog loves this as she grabs the string and runs around the room and loves it when the ball follows her. She amuses herself with it for a long time.

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