Noise is what turns a ball into a game for a lot of dogs. Something that giggles when it is shaken and squeaks when it is pounced on gives back a response every time, and a dog who ignores a silent ball in the corner will often carry a noisy one round the house all afternoon. Shaped as soft animal characters, this one is light enough to throw indoors without taking an ornament off the shelf.

The body is plush over a ball shape, so it is soft in the mouth and easy for a puppy or a small dog to pick up and carry, which is half of what makes a fetch toy get used. It is gentle on young teeth and on the mouths of older dogs who have lost interest in hard rubber. The same softness makes it good for tug, and it is light enough to be thrown accurately across a garden or a hallway.

• Plush ball shaped as animal characters
• Giggles when shaken, squeaks when pounced on
• Soft on teething puppies and older mouths
• Light enough for indoor toss and fetch
• Doubles as a gentle tug toy
• Easy for small dogs to carry

One correction and one warning. Plush does not clean teeth, whatever the category name suggests. Dental work is done by brushing and by vet-approved chews, not by fabric. And a plush toy is for supervised fetch, not for chewing to bits. Once a seam opens, the stuffing and the squeaker inside become a swallowing risk, so take it away and replace it at that point.

Who it's for: Puppies, small dogs and gentle-mouthed adults who want an interactive noisy toy for fetch and tug rather than something to destroy.