The Best Livestock Guardian Dog Toys: Top Recommendations from DOZENS of Great Pyrenees Owners!
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If you’ve ever been around a livestock guardian dog (LGD) breed, whether it be a Great Pyrenees, Spanish Mastiff, or Anatolian Shepherd, you know they’re different from other dogs. Bred to have an independent nature and to have a low prey drive (can’t have them attacking the livestock!), they’re not always interested in the same toys that make your other dogs ecstatic.
Ever try playing fetch with a Great Pyrenees? I have. He wasn’t having it. Not even a little.
On top of that, because these dogs can be gigantic, a lot of popular toys just aren’t durable enough for them. Hand them a stuffed squeaky toy and they play with it for literally 3 seconds before it’s ripped to shreds (and somehow already spread around your entire house).
So what kind of toys should you get for Great Pyrenees and other livestock guardian dog breeds? Great Pyrenees and other livestock guardian dog breeds need extra durable toys for play, such as toys from the KONG Extreme line, Jolly Balls, or non-edible bones. They also do extremely well with puzzle toys for mental stimulation.
I talked to dozens of Great Pyrenees mamas and papas to learn which toys work best for these dogs. I’ve compiled their recommendations (and my own) for puppies and adults alike. I’ve ranked different toys based on how highly they were suggested.
Keep in mind that dogs are all unique individuals and a toy that works for one dog may not work for another. Some Great Pyrenees owners, for example, told me their dogs actually loved playing fetch, which isn’t typical for the breed. I suggest buying a couple of different types of toys, see how your dog responds to them, and keep trying until you find some your dog really loves.
I’ve included YouTube videos of these products whenever I could find them. This will help you see what the toys are like and how dogs play with them.
I’ve included links for chewy.com for these toys. Chewy.com is hands down my favorite online store for dog supplies because of their mission to provide dogs with the best lives possible, their excellent customer service, wider variety of products, and lower prices. However, I know some of you are loyal Amazon customers, so I’ve included Amazon links as well.
Let’s get to the good stuff!
1. Soft Toys for LGD breeds
Most soft toys just aren’t going to hold up for adult LGD breed dogs. In fact, I don’t know if any will hold up long term. However, almost all Great Pyrenees dog owners told me that their Pyrs absolutely love soft toys. They especially love any with squeakers.
If you can buy soft squeaky toys cheaply somewhere (I get mine at the local dollar store), you may want to buy some and give them to your dog as a once in a while treat. Believe me, you’ll smile as your boy or girl rips that thing to shreds in a fit of pure joy. Always supervise your dog when he’s tearing up a toy – you don’t want him choking on the squeaker. Take that away as soon as it’s exposed.
There are a few soft toys for LGD breeds that several Great Pyrenees owners recommended. These hold up considerably better than others. Some Pyrs hold onto them for quite awhile, but just know that if your dog is determined to rip stuffed toys to shreds, even these won’t last.
Best Soft Toy: Tuffy’s Mega Ring Dog Toy
This toy is made with three different layers of fiber to be extra durable. The squeakers are encased in protective pouches to ensure your dog can’t get to them. For added fun, the toy floats in water. One LGD owner told me her dog not only loved this toy, but it lasted for weeks of rough play.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Puppy Option: Tuffy's Mega Junior Ring Dog Toy
This is the same as the adult toy above, but a smaller size for your puppy.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
2. Additional LGD Puppy Soft Toys
Obviously, puppies will have a harder time ripping up soft toys and so they do have a few more options to choose from.
Good Soft Toy: Fat Cat Floppability Barnyard Bullies Dog Toy, Suspicious Chicken
This toy was recommended by a Great Pyr owner who told me her puppy loved it. The toy has a squeaker and is covered in heavy duty canvas for durability. The Pyr mom I talked to said her puppy used this more as a security toy than as a rough-and-tumble-type toy. She liked to carry it everywhere with her and sleep with it at night.
See it at Chewy
Best Soft Toy: KONG Wubba
Several Great Pyr owners told me their puppies loved their KONG Wubbas! The Wubba is designed to be extremely durable with reinforced stitched nylon fabric. The Wubba toy has both a squeaky ball and a bouncy ball within it.
If your puppy is really young and small, you’ll probably want the puppy variety:
See it at Amazon
However, if your puppy is a little bigger or older, you’ll probably want to get the adult toy:
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Go for large or even extra-large with the Wubba. One Great Pyrenees owner told me she bought a large for her (older) puppy and it was too small. She gave it away and then ordered an extra-large, which her puppy found irresistible!
3. Balls for LGD Breeds
I had more than one Great Pyrenees mama tell me that their pups won’t play with balls unless they have food inside of them, like the popular KONG toys (see below in the “Puzzle Toys” section).
Livestock guardian dogs generally are less interested in chasing balls than many other breeds because of their low prey drive. However, many of them will still like to chew on balls and carry them around, and some dogs like for you to chase them and try to get the ball away. And of course, there are those exceptions out there where fetch and other chase games are their very favorites!
The balls below come highly recommended by many Great Pyrenees owners:
Good Ball Toy: KONG Rubber Ball Extreme
This ball was recommended by Great Pyr owners whose dogs loved the bounce! One mama told me her dog had figured out how to bounce it herself and would try to make it bounce higher and higher. It kept her entertained for as much as an hour at a time (which can be quite a feat with a Great Pyr!).
Please be aware that, unlike with many KONG toys, the open center is NOT meant to be filled with food. The KONG company says the hole is put there for a safety measure so that a dog could breathe in the unlikely event she swallows the large ball.
Get it at Chewy
Get it at Amazon
Puppy Option: Yes, use the same or smaller size!
Better Ball Toy: KONG Jumbler
Another ball winner from KONG! The KONG Jumbler is a favorite of many livestock guardian dog breeds. This oddly shaped ball squeaks and has a tennis ball inside it. A couple of Great Pyrenees owners told me their pups loved to carry it around.
Get it at Chewy
Get it at Amazon
Puppy Option: Yes, use the same or smaller size!
Best Ball Toy: Tug-n-Toss Jolly Ball
Jolly Balls are a HUGE favorite among livestock guardian dog breeds! Interestingly, most Great Pyr owners favor the Jolly Ball made for horses rather than for dogs. Actually, if you look at reviews of the horse Jolly Ball online, it seems like the majority of animals enjoying this thing are dogs, including the one in the video below!
This thing is super durable, and it’s air-free so even if the ball gets punctured, it still works perfectly as a toy.
Giant breed dogs love to carry around this massive ball by the handle! You can also tie a rope around it so they can drag it around.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Puppy Option: One of the most popular toys for Great Pyr puppies is another version of the Jolly Ball – the Romp-n-Roll Jolly Ball. This model has a rope through it so that puppies can easily carry it around.
Get it at Chewy
Get it at Amazon
Best LGD Tennis Ball: KONG SqueakAir Ball
And of course, no dog toy list can be complete without tennis balls! The KONG tennis balls are awesome for livestock guardian dogs for three main reasons:
Made to be super durable and last a lot longer than regular tennis balls
They have an ‘erratic’ bounce which curious dogs like LGDs seem to love
They squeak! While regular tennis balls might not be of much interest to many LGDs, these softer, squeaky balls are a favorite amongst Great Pyrenees owners!
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
4. Rope Toys for Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds
Ropes are an absolute favorite for many livestock guardian dogs. However, you will definitely want to supervise your dog with one of these toys. If they are able to tear off some of the rope and swallow it, they can get an intestinal blockage.
You’ll want to buy a rope that’s designed to be extra durable and to also essentially floss your dog’s teeth.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
5. (Non-Edible) Bone Toys for Livestock Guardian Dog Breeds
The best non-edible bones out there are ones that:
Taste delicious
Keep your dog occupied for a long time
Clean their teeth and gums.
Best Bone Toy: Nylabone DuraChews
More Great Pyrenees owners than I can count swear by these bones. So many Great Pyrs love them and are kept busy by them for hours! Many say these things seem to last forever. One mama told me her girl likes to hide them all over the house.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Puppy option: Nylabones come in a ton of different sizes and flavors, including puppy options.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Best Bone Toy for Puppies: Puppy Dental Care Brushing Stick by First Rate Paws
This is a bone that came highly recommended for Great Pyrenees puppies. Apparently, they love the way the bristles feel when they chew on it. You can put toothpaste through a hole, and as the dogs chew on the bristles, their teeth get brushed! One Great Pyr mama told me her puppy would only play with this toy and she chewed it nonstop whether it had toothpaste in it or not.
See it at Amazon
6. Super Chewer BarkBox
This is a super fun option for livestock guardian dogs, particularly puppies. Several Great Pyr mamas said their younger dogs (1-2 years) go ape over their BarkBox subscription. This monthly subscription box is similar to the original BarkBox, but the toys are much more durable, suitable for “super chewer” dogs who are very strong and love to tear things apart. You will want to select the subscription for “large dogs.”
When you subscribe, you and your dog will get a Super Chewer BarkBox once a month that contains 2 super durable toys, 2 bags of treats, and 2 all-natural meaty chews. Each box has a new theme, like “Vikings” or “Safari.” The BarkBox company has designed this service so you and your dog can feel the kind of joy and excitement your child feels on Christmas or birthdays. Okay, so maybe you won’t feel quite that excited, but your dog will.
One Great Pyr BarkBox Super Chewer subscriber told me her dog actually recognizes the packaging for BarkBox and gets super excited when it comes every month.
One of the best things about BarkBox Super Chewer is their 100% satisfaction guarantee. This guarantee says that if any of your toys gets destroyed, BarkBox will ship you a new one free of charge. They don’t ask for proof and ask you no questions. The guarantee is also indefinite - no time limits!
7. Interactive and Puzzle Toys for Livestock Guardian Dogs
I highly recommend interactive and puzzle toys for livestock guardian dog breeds! This is because these dogs are SMART! They were bred to have a job to do, to work independently, and to solve problems (for more on why this is important, see my LGDs as Pets article). Puzzle toys are one of the best outlets LGD breeds have to follow their working dog instincts.
Puzzle toys and interactive toys are made so your dogs have to solve a “puzzle” in order to get a treat. Great Pyrenees owners love these. These are likely the most common toys for Great Pyrenees. Below are some of the best puzzle toys out there:
Good Puzzle Toys: KONG Feeder Toys
KONG makes several varieties of toys that hold treats for your dog. These toys are on the lower end of “puzzle” toys because they don’t require much ingenuity to figure out. However, these toys are absolutely amazing because they are durable, versatile (hold a variety of treats), and can keep your dog occupied for a long period of time.
KONG toys are meant to be filled with treats, and then your dog chews on them and plays with them to get the treats out. The most commonly used treats to fill KONGs are:
Peanut butter
KONG snacks (see them at Chewy and Amazon) - these are best used in the KONG Extreme Dog Toy (see below)
KONG Ziggies (see them at Chewy and Amazon) – also best used in the KONG Extreme Dog Toy (see below)
KONG Easy Treat Peanut Butter Recipe (see them at Chewy and Amazon) – a spray that works in all KONG food dispenser toys
Kibble – works well in the KONG Wobbler Dog Toy (see below)
Just a side note here – please be careful how many treats you are feeding your dogs. Although livestock guardian dog breeds do require a lot of calories due to their large sizes, they are also very prone to obesity and obesity-related health problems. Make sure you are keeping an eye on your dog’s nutrition and caloric intake.
Below are the best food dispenser KONG toys on the market – these are from the “Extreme” line, meant for large dogs and to be extra durable. All have been recommended by Great Pyrenees owners.
1. KONG Extreme XL Dog Toy - this is the classic KONG toy, but much more durable. The dog in the video below plays with the toy without any treats inside of it, but you can see how peanut butter and KONG snacks could easily fill it.
See it on Chewy
See it on Amazon
Puppy option: See the smaller variety on Chewy here and Amazon here.
2. KONG Tires Extreme Dog Toy
See It on Chewy
See it on Amazon
Puppy option: See the smaller variety on Chewy here and Amazon here.
3. KONG - Extreme Goodie Bone
See it on Chewy
See it on Amazon
Puppy option: See the smaller variety on Chewy here and Amazon here.
4. The KONG Wobbler
The KONG Wobbler is not actually featured in the Extreme series, but it’s still an excellent product. The Wobbler has a little weight at the bottom that keeps it standing upright. Your dog has to push, roll, or move the Wobbler around to dispense kibble through a small hole. Whenever I get new puppies, I often will feed them their meals in the Wobbler. This keeps them busy for awhile and keeps their minds active.
My most recent puppy liked to knock the Wobbler over with her paw to get the food out. She was a pro at knocking it just right.
See the video below where the dog is only using his nose.
See it on Chewy
See it on Amazon
Puppy option: See the smaller variety on Chewy here and Amazon here.
Better Puzzle Feeder: Snuffle Mat
I love the Snuffle Mat! And so does pretty much every dog for that matter! The snuffle mat is a feeding mat (made of safe materials) where you drop kibble in and your dog has to find it. It’s designed to imitate grasses and to stimulate your dog’s instincts to hunt and forage in the field. Dogs love sniffing around trying to find the kibble, and livestock guardian dogs, with their excellent senses of smell, love it that much more.
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Best Puzzle Feeders: Sliding Kibble Feeders
Sliding kibble feeders are the absolute best puzzle toys for livestock guardian dogs. They are more complicated than other types of feeders and take more brain power. Smart dogs, like LGDs, have a blast figuring them out. The Nina Ottoson varieties are the best I’ve seen.
Best Beginner Puzzle Feeder: Dog Brick Interactive Dog Toy by Nina Ottoson and Outward Hound
See it at Chewy
See it at Amazon
Best Advanced Puzzle Feeders
Most advanced puzzle feeders require your dog to complete more than one action to get each piece food. A couple Great Pyrenees owners told me their pups mastered the easier puzzles fairly quickly and had to move on to more advanced types.
My favorite advanced puzzle feeders (perfect for LGDs) are:
1. Dog Casino Advanced Puzzle Toy by Nina Ottoson and Outward Hound
This puzzle requires the dog to turn the plastic bone on top of the toy a certain way before pulling out a drawer containing food or a treat. The dog in the video below is clearly having a hard time understanding the concept. He’s no livestock guardian dog. Okay, not fair, I know, but I couldn’t help myself.
See it on Chewy
See it on Amazon
Going for Gold – The Top 3 BEST Great Pyr and LGD Toys Out There!
Great Pyrenees and other livestock guardian dogs are incredibly social animals. They were bred to work in packs with other LGDs, to work with livestock, and to work with humans. These dogs truly need a lot of social interaction and it’s not good for them to be alone. So the best entertainment for LGDs isn’t toys, but social interaction.
Bronze Medal: PetChatz and PawCall
PetChatz is a bit of a splurge, but if you work out of the house during the day and you leave your Great Pyrenees at home, this is a must if you can swing it. PetChatz is a way to call your dog during the day, see him, ask him to do tricks, and then dispense treats for him. Yes, you can do that from your office!
PetChatz comes with a video/audio device that also holds and dispenses treats. You put this on the wall where your dog can easily see it. You can call your dog through your computer, tablet, or smartphone. You train him to approach the video when he hears the call. Then you can see and hear each other. You can do a training session, and when he follows your commands, click a button that has the device expel a treat!
Here’s a video showing how it works and a second video showing how to train your dog to the device.
And it gets better. Your pet can also call you if you get the PawCall accessory device. If you have the PawCall device in “Call Mode,” you can set times when you are available to take a call. The PawCall device will flash during these times and your pet will push on it if she wants to call you.
Alternatively, you can put the PawCall device in “Game Mode.” The device will flash periodically and if your dog touches it while it flashes, she’ll get a treat.
Here’s a video featuring PawCall – the first 20 seconds are about PetChatz and then it switches to PawCall.
See PetChatz at Amazon
See PetChatz and PawCall combo at Amazon
Silver Medal: Other Animals
Great Pyrenees and most livestock guardian dogs love having other animals in their family (remember, they’re bred to live with livestock and an LGD pack). Although toys are fun, other animals are much more entertaining! They love the company and they love being able to watch out for family.
Gold Medal: YOU!
The number one BEST toy for your LGD is you! These dogs love their families unconditionally and crave their companionship and attention.
As a way to work on keeping your dog mentally stimulated with you, I highly recommend doing “Brain Training” with your dogs. World renowned positive methods dog trainer, Adrienne Farricelli, offers an amazing program for training smart dogs like Great Pyrenees and other LGD breeds. It’s called Brain Training for Dogs. See my review of her program here.
And just for fun - here’s an adorable video of a girl playing in a leaf pile with her Great Pyrenees - the leaves weren’t fun for the dog by themselves, but once a family member joined in…
Bottom line: whether you use toys to play with your dogs, practice fun training sessions with them, give them tummy rubs, or just sit by their sides, you are what these dogs want most in life!
You May Also Be Interested in:
Brain Training for Dogs: The Best Online Obedience Training Program for Livestock Guardian Dogs
The Ultimate Obedience Training Program for Pet Sarplaninacs: Brain Training for Dogs
Livestock Guardian Dogs and Food: What to Feed, When, and Problems to Avoid
