Zeus dog toys

The Better Bones range includes wrap bones, twists and large rolls in flavours such as chicken, duck & cranberry and lamb & mint, designed to give a keen chewer something to work at for longer than a standard toy. They suit dogs who enjoy gnawing as an activity in its own right, rather than dogs who prefer to fetch or tug.

As with any long-lasting chew, size the product to your dog rather than your dog's age alone, and supervise a new chew the first few times to see how quickly and how your dog works through it.

The Nitro range covers weighted balls, tuggers and slingers built for more active play, aimed at dogs who like to fetch, chase or tug rather than settle down with a chew. The weighted design in several of the Nitro toys is meant to make throwing and bouncing more predictable during a game of fetch.

This range suits energetic dogs and owners who play fetch or tug regularly, and it's worth choosing a size that matches your dog's mouth and strength rather than picking the smallest or cheapest option in the range.

A dog who is happiest settled on their bed working through something is better served by Better Bones, while a dog who wants to run, chase and tug is better matched to Nitro — most households end up with a mix of both, since a dog's mood and energy level change through the day.

Whichever range you pick, inspect toys and chews regularly for wear, and remove and replace anything that has started to fray, split or break into pieces, since a damaged toy or chew is more of a hazard than a fresh one. Keeping a couple of each type on hand means there's always something suited to whatever your dog fancies on a given day.