#3 'Stay Busy' Toys to Combat Boredom

Why these are needed:
Dogs are not meant to just 'be there', but due to an owner's busy schedule and responsibilities, there may be lots of time windows throughout the day when a Poodle is essentially on his own to stay occupied.  And in this sense, thinking of toys as 'stay busy' tools can make a huge difference in your Poodle's happiness level. 

When a puppy or dog is just sitting around without anything to do, he will reach a limit where boredom turns into frustration. And where monotony turns into depression. 

If your Poodle has been too bored, you may not even realize it until you hand over a super-fun, interactive toy and see him perk up. Alternatively, some Poodles are very expressive about how they feel. Such behaviors as excessive barking, destructive chewing, pacing, and signs of irritability can all be traced back to being bored and/or not being able to release pent-up energy.

It must be noted that regular exercise plays a role in this as well. If your Poodle is not taken out twice per day for at least 20-minute sessions, even the best of toys may not fix his woes. So, a good balance of getting outside for walks and offering the right toys during down-time is the best fix. 
Qualities of the best toys to fix boredom and keep a Poodle occupied:
 You'll want toys that will be perfect for both when a Poodle is home alone and also when you are home but cannot interact with your Poodle at the moment. These toys should:
  • Allow a Poodle to play fully independently; you will not need to do anything else other than point out the toy (if you are there).
  • Call out to the puppy or dog. A huge aspect is that the toy interacts with the dog. In this way, playing is a two-way street. The dog noses the toy, the toy responds. The dog chews the toy, the toy reacts. This type of element can keep a dog busy for a long time, basically until he's completely tuckered out. 
Recommended 'stay busy' toys for Poodles:

1) The amusing Babble Ball toys are out of this world; these are super interactive toys that can keep a puppy or dog amused and busy for hours.  There are 3 sizes (small for toys, medium for minis, and large for standard Poodles). Also, there are two fun types. One lets out animal noises, with engaging sounds like pigs, frogs, bears, birds, even other dogs speak to him. There are 20 different animal sounds in all.


The other is just as wonderful. It lets out funny phrases such as 'Come here, puppy!' and 'Hot diggity dog!'. There are 20 amusing, encouraging phrases in all. For both of these, the toys automatically shut off when not in use, so the batteries do not run out. 

2) The Look Who's Taking line of toys, which includes the adorable Plush Duck Toy are super fun as well. There are over 15 different types of stuffed animals, and each one makes a corresponding animal noise. These are good sized quality toys that stand up to daily playing. The size of these toys range from 5" (the baby chick) to 7" (the cow) and a bunch in between. There is a parrot, frog, rooster, monkey, goat, lobster, and more.