Balloon rubber is one of the more stubborn things to recycle, and a good proportion of what goes into this ring used to be exactly that. The medium is half recycled balloon rubber and the large a quarter, with natural rubber making up the rest, so it keeps material out of landfill rather than being a piece of new rubber with an environmental label stuck on the packaging.

Natural rubber has a give to it that hard plastic does not, and that is what lets it survive a serious chewer. It deforms under a molar and springs back instead of cracking into pieces. The ring shape gives a dog something to grip for tugging and something that bounces unpredictably when thrown. There is a natural blackberry scent to it as well, which is usually the reason a dog picks it up the first time rather than walking past it.

• 100% natural rubber
• 50% recycled balloon rubber in the medium, 25% in the large
• Medium 13cm, large 16cm
• Natural blackberry scent
• Antibacterial and non-toxic construction
• Meets European Toy Safety Standard EN 71
• Three colour pairings: blue and orange, red and blue, violet and yellow

One thing worth knowing. No rubber toy is indestructible and a determined dog will eventually take pieces off any of them. Size up rather than down, because a ring small enough to fit fully inside the mouth is the one that causes trouble, and retire it as soon as it starts to tear.

What the options mean. Sizes run from Medium to Large — £17.49 for the smallest, £23.99 for the largest.

Who it's for: Strong chewers and tug players, from Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Border Collies to Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds.