How do you recommend the right toys to the customer?

August 14 2023
5 min reading time

Teckel met gele Zwig die trekspel speelt

Playing, chewing and puzzling is important for the health of dogs. Advise the right dog toys to your customers and ensure a positive shopping experience in your shop.

Playing is incredibly important for dogs, everyone knows that. Just like people, they need physical and mental challenges to feel good. The right toys can help enormously, but how do you know which toys are suitable for which dog? Together with West Paw, we have collected the best tips & tricks, so that you can perfectly advise your customers in finding the right toys.

The importance of playing, chewing and puzzling for dogs

Playing, chewing and puzzling are important activities for the health and well-being of dogs. They provide the right physical and mental stimulation and can help prevent unwanted behavior.

Play: essential for movement and interaction

Playing helps dogs stay active and strengthens the bond with their owner. It also contributes to a regular routine and offers both physical and mental challenge, which is essential for a healthy and balanced dog.

Chewing: relaxation and stress reduction

Chewing is a natural urge for dogs and helps to reduce stress. Chewing releases the happiness hormone dopamine, which has a calming effect. This makes chew toys an effective way to help dogs relax and prevent them from destroying unwanted objects.

Puzzling: mental stimulation and problem solving skills

Puzzle toys provide mental stimulation and keep dogs occupied, especially if there are rewards hidden in them. They help against boredom, support cognitive skills and can distract dogs in stressful situations.

Toys as a solution for unwanted behavior

The right toys can help reduce problem behaviors such as destructiveness, excessive barking or restlessness. They provide distraction, help to burn off energy and can help with separation anxiety.

Providing dogs with suitable toys for playing, chewing and puzzling promotes their well-being and contributes to a happier, healthier life.

How do you recommend the right toys?

Choosing the right dog toys is essential to meet each dog's needs and play styles. Below is a list of common situations and the most suitable toys.

Biting while playing

Dogs that nip at hands during play benefit from toys that create enough distance between the owner's mouth and hand. Recommended products: Zogoflex Bumi, Seaflex Snorkl, Zogoflex Zwig.

Separation anxiety

For dogs with separation anxiety, puzzle toys are ideal. They provide mental stimulation and help build a positive association with being alone. Recommended products: Zogoflex Toppl, Zogoflex Qwizl, Zogoflex Rumbl.

Changing teeth

Puppies that are teething have an extra need to chew. Soft chew toys help relieve pain and massage the gums. Recommended products: Seaflex Sailz, Zogoflex Echo Skamp, Seaflex Drifty.

Eating too fast

Dogs that eat too fast may benefit from a food dispenser toy like the Zogoflex Toppl. For an extra challenge, customers can combine two sizes: Small + Large or Large + Extra Large.

Need some extra exercise?

For active dogs that need more exercise, fetch toys are a great choice. They are lightweight, ergonomically designed and perfect for throwing. Recommended products: Zogoflex Zisc, Zogoflex Echo Zwig, Zogoflex Echo Skamp.

For powerful chewers

For dogs that chew intensively, extra strong chew toys are a must. Recommended products: Zogoflex Rumpus, Zogoflex Tux, Zogoflex Qwizl. Also read our blog Do you also have toys that can't be broken? for more information.

Why choose West Paw toys?

West Paw designs toys based on different play styles and chewing needs. Use the chart below to help customers choose the right product.

Play Style Chart 5x7-August2024.pdf

What is Zogoflex®?

Zogoflex is an extremely durable, non-toxic and recyclable material used in West Paw dog toys. It is:

✔ Strong, flexible and buoyant
✔ Free from BPA and phthalates
✔ Dishwasher safe
✔ CE certified
✔ Made in the USA with an environmentally friendly manufacturing process

What is Zogoflex Echo®?

Zogoflex Echo has the same durable properties as Zogoflex, but is softer and lighter thanks to the hollow interior. This makes it ideal for puppies and senior dogs with more sensitive teeth.

What is Seaflex®?

Seaflex is an innovative variant of Zogoflex, made from 88% zero-waste Zogoflex and 12% recovered and recycled ocean bound plastic*. This makes it an environmentally friendly choice without compromising on quality and sustainability.

Merchandise Inspiration

Inspire and excite your customers by displaying West Paw toys in an attractive way. Here are three ideas you can implement in your store today:

Combine with snacks – Show your customers which snacks they can use in combination with the puzzle toys. For example, put a chew stick in the Qwizl or fill the Toppl with snacks with peanut butter or wet food.
Floating presentation - Use a glass vase to display the toys. All Zogoflex, Zogoflex Echo and Seaflex toys float!
Strategic Placement - Hang a clip strip near the snacks or food in your store to showcase the puzzle toys, or hang snacks near the toys to catch customers' attention.

Need more inspiration? Then contact one of our specialists. They will be happy to help you with tailored advice.

^{*Ocean bound plastic is plastic that is “on its way” to the ocean. Reusing this plastic is a crucial element in the fight against plastic pollution in the oceans, as an estimated 80% of plastic pollution comes from land.}