Water play is where most soft toys die. They soak, they sink, and they come back smelling of pond for a fortnight. The Ocean Hammerhead is built to float instead, which turns a river walk or a paddling pool into a retrieve game rather than a wasted toy. The long shark shape gives a dog something to grab across the middle and shake, with enough length left over for two-handed tug.

Tuffy's construction is the reason it survives all that. Multiple bonded layers of fabric are stitched several rows deep and the seams are then covered with protective webbing, so the place where an ordinary plush splits open is the strongest part of this one. When it comes back muddy it goes through the machine and then air dries. Do not tumble it, because heat is harder on the bonding than any dog is.

• Multiple bonded layers with several rows of stitching
• Protective webbing over the seams
• Floats, so it suits water and beach play
• 12.7 x 15.2 x 40.6 cm, around 270g
• Machine washable, air dry only
• Made in China, shipped tracked to the UK
• Covered by our 30-day returns promise

Tough, not indestructible. Tuffy toys hold up far better than ordinary plush and we would still not leave one with a dog who systematically dismantles things while nobody is watching. Check the seams every few weeks and retire it once the webbing goes, exactly as you would with any other toy.

Who it's for: Strong-mouthed dogs who love the water, and owners who have given up on supermarket plush altogether.