Round toys roll in a straight line, and a dog works that out within a week. A hexagon does not. It catches on its own edges, tips, stalls and then darts off at an angle nobody predicted, the dog included. That unpredictability is what keeps a chase game interesting past the third throw, and it is the entire reason for the shape rather than a styling flourish.

It is moulded in natural rubber at 128g, heavy enough to travel properly across a hard floor but not so heavy that it hurts if it bounces up. The flat faces are grooved, which gives the toy a second life once the running about is finished: spread a soft paste into the grooves and the same object becomes a slow licking activity that settles a dog back down. Rubber rinses clean, so switching between the two uses is no chore.

• Natural rubber, 128g
• Hexagonal form for irregular rolling and bouncing
• Grooved faces hold pastes and soft rewards
• Works for chase play and for calm lick enrichment
• Suited to medium chewers
• Rinses clean between uses

On durability: rubber this soft is comfortable to mouth and kind on the teeth, which is the trade-off for not being armour. Heavy-duty chewers will eventually get through it, and any toy chewed into pieces should be binned rather than patched up.

Who it's for: Clever, high-drive dogs who lose interest in a ball by the fourth throw and need the toy to be doing some of the work.