There is a particular kind of dog who will not fetch and will not tug, but who will stand in the middle of the room and shake a soft toy until the stuffing gives up. That shaking is a real instinct rather than naughtiness, and it deserves a toy built for it: something light, floppy, and long enough in the ears to whip about satisfyingly as the head goes side to side.

Corduroy is a better choice here than plain plush, because the ribbed weave gives teeth something to catch on and holds up rather better to being dragged across a carpet. A squeaker sits in the body to keep the game rewarding, and the neck is a knotted rope section, which changes the toy considerably by giving a dog a firm, fibrous part to work on with the back teeth instead of nothing but soft filling from end to end.

• Soft corduroy body with a built-in squeaker
• Knotted rope neck for chewing
• Floppy ears made for shaking and carrying
• Light enough to toss, carry and tug
• Seven characters including donkey, giraffe, goat and dog

On soft toys and strong jaws. No plush toy is chew-proof, and this is one for shaking and carrying rather than for a dog who systematically dismantles things. Squeakers and stuffing are both choking and blockage risks once the seams open, so look it over regularly and retire it at the first hole rather than waiting for the third.

Who it's for: dogs who like a soft, noisy companion to shake and carry about, with enough texture at the neck to chew on properly.