My Pthalate,, PVC and BPA-Free Puppy

Because I didn't know about these toxins while Denali was a puppy, I didn't avoid most of the toys I now do. Without being assured about the quality of the toy and the materials, I am hesitant to give a young puppy (or even Denali) something like that to chew on and possibly destroy and ingest. Thus, the importance for resilient and healthy toys. Luckily, there are two such big companies, and many other smaller ones specializing in eco-friendly, safe dog toys. I purchased ours from our local pet food store, Sirius Cooks, in Oak Park, IL. But, I've also purchased several from Olive Green Dog and have been super impressed with their service!

Remember, dogs are just as susceptible, if not more, than human children to ingesting the toxins from their toys. I mean, when was the last time a four month old baby successfully destructed a toy with their teeth?

Things to Look for:
-PVC Free: PVC toys often contain lead, cadmium, and organotins. Furthermore, PVC as a gas is a carcinogen.
-BPA-free: BPA is just one of the latest bad guys
-clear plastic- transparent plastic is not the most stable.

Good Companies:
As I have mentioned before, I love West Paw Design and all of their toys. After learning about the dangers of PVC and pthalates, I purged all of Denali's questionable plastic toys (especially the pliable ones) and replaced them with a new set of all of West Paw's. Denali couldn't be happier. His favorite is definitely the Bumi, because of how it whips around.

Planet Dog is also a great company. It also has very high standards, and is very conscientious. Many of their toys are made of recycled content. Denali loved his pink and blue double planet toy, although it was never big enough for him to stuff things in and eat. I'm not sure I would leave it with a puppy again, however after finding some of the continents missing. Luckily, Denali usually spits out the pieces of the toys he chews up or they come out the other end.

The big picture here for me is to avoid what bad things I can for Denali (and any future dogs) in the hopes of extending their short but meaningful lives. If I wouldn't want my kid to play with it, I don't want him to.