Dogs love wool toys more than plastic toys because wool balls feel good and are gentle in their mouths. Wool is a natural, non-toxic material that is safer than plastic toys.
Are wool toys safe for dogs? Generally, wool toys are safe for dogs. However, the type of wool used to create the toy will impact the safety of the toy.
Looking for a complete guide on woolen toys for your dog? You’ve found it! We’ll explore why wool toys are safe for dogs and when they are not. We’ll review the different types of wool that manufacturers make dog toys from. We will also recommend our favorite safe woolen toys for your dog.
Are Wool Toys Safe for Dogs?
Some dogs prefer wool toys over plastic toys. This is because wool toys can be natural in terms of their smell and texture. You’ll find woolen toys made from organic and durable wool.
You will find dog toys made with wool that have been treated with chemicals and unnatural dyes. These types of dog toys are an unsafe choice for your dog. 100% pure and all-natural wool is best for dog toys.
Felted wool is the safest wool for a dog toy.
You do need to keep washing the toy from time to time to remove dirt and germs from it.
My research on “are wool toys safe for dogs” revealed that dogs can eat the wool, provided it’s chemical-free. I personally disagree. Just like rope toys, wool toys can break off in threads and strands which a dog could swallow. So my recommendation is wool toys are safe as part of supervised playtime.
Wool dog toys offer your dog several benefits. They’re soft on teeth and don’t cause toothaches and bleeding if aggressively chewed. There are no chemical or artificial ingredients used, and they keep your dog’s teeth clean.
Which Dog Toys Are Made From Wool?
There is a wide range of woolen dog toys.
You can buy colorful round wool balls, funny wool animals and ring-shaped dog toys. Use the ball and ring-shaped toy for dog training as well as interactive playtime.
Wool toys made from Eco-friendly wool and free of dyes, chemicals, and toxins are best. 100% natural wool is antimicrobial and antibacterial.
Are There Specific Types of Wool That Are Safe for Dogs?
Are specific types of wool suitable, or are all types of wools safe for dogs?
Felted wool
Felted wool is more commonly used in dog toys.
One of the primary benefits of buying your dog a felted wool toy is that it’s 100% digestible.
If your dog accidentally eats a felted wool dog toy, you can panic less about it.
Your dog can tear apart a felted wool toy. Wool has a strong bond. This means 2 things:
- It’s soft and gentle on your dog’s teeth, gums and mouth; and
- It’s strong enough to stay intact for a long time, depending on how often your dog plays with it. However, if your dog is an aggressive chewer, only let them have a wool toy during supervised playtime.
Felted wool is better than other types of dog wool toys because it’s durable and washable. You can let your dog play with it and later wash it to make it new again.
Since felted wool is natural wool, it has an odor that attracts your dog to it. If you want to buy a wool toy that’s safe for your dog to play with, go with a felted wool dog toy.
Boiled wool
You’ll come across dog toys made from boiled wool. To create boiled wool, you weave the fibers together.
Felted wool is created in layers. The fibers mesh together due to repeated washing and rolling. Felted wool is better than boiled wool because it’s thicker, softer, and fluffier.
What’s the Best Wool to Find in Toys?
Felted wool is the best type of wool to find in dog toys.
- Doesn’t fray or come apart like other types of wool.
- Can be cut into any size, thickness, or shape.
- Is durable and is an excellent option for hyperactive or aggressive dogs.
- It can be shaped into just about anything, whether it’s a ring, snake, or ball.
The video below demonstrates the making of felted wool.
What’s Our Favorite Wool Toy?
Our favorite wool toy is an outdoor ball that you throw for your dog to fetch. The RRR Natural Farm Wool Pet Balls come in a set of three.
They are made from 100% natural wool. The wool used to create the handmade wool balls originates from New Zealand.
Natural wool is a non-toxic material and is free of chemicals. This wool toy is safe and environmentally friendly. It’ll clean your dog’s teeth to prevent future oral health problems.
These balls are affordable, durable, and difficult to break.
They come in three different colors – orange, blue, and gray. Your dog can play with these wool balls indoors and outdoors, including in the water.
You can wash the wool toy to clean it and renew it.
You don’t have to separately wash it either, but just throw it in the washing machine with the rest of your clothes.
The RRR Wool Pet Ball is excellent for dogs of all ages. Since they’re very soft to the touch, you can get them for senior dogs with sensitive teeth and gums.
Wool toy balls are soft and offer a little bounce, so it’s unlikely that it’ll break anything in the house. This makes it ideal for indoor use.
You can get these wool toy balls for your cat as well.
Related Questions
Are wool dryer balls safe for dogs?
Yes, wool dryer balls are safe for dogs. You use wool dryer balls to dry your clothes and reduce static in the winter, but they are also great toys for dogs. They make no noise, will not break anything, and, most importantly, they’re safe for dogs.
When you’re searching for a wool dryer ball for your dog, look for ones made from organic wool or Eco-wool.
Ensure the wool dryer ball doesn’t contain any traces of chemical dyes, as it can harm your dog.
Can I use wool dryer balls as dogs’ toys?
Yes, you can use wool dryer balls as dog toys. As mentioned already, use wool dryer balls can be made from pure 100% organic wool.
The wool dryer balls won’t crack or fall apart, hence making them an ideal play toy for dogs.
If the wool fibers lift up off the wool dryer ball, use water to dampen it, pat the fibers down, and then put it aside to dry.
When your dog is playing with the wool ball, do observe him. Even though eating a little wool fuzz is okay, you don’t want them to eat the entire wool toy. Regardless of what it’s made from, no toy, if swallowed whole, is good for your dog. You can trim off any fuzz caused by heavy chewing and then wash the wool toy in the washing machine.
Can dogs play with wool balls?
Yes, your dog can play with wool balls, but you need to buy him the correct wool according to his size. A large dog needs a large wool ball, and a small dog needs a small wool ball. If your dog has a big mouth, get a big wool ball. If your dog plays rough, get him a large wool ball, as it’ll last longer.
Wash your dog’s wool ball if he plays with it a lot, so it can be used again. If your dog is aggressive, you need to wash his wool ball several times each week to make it safe to play with.
What About Other Types of Dogs Toys?
We recognize that toys are such a vital part of a dog’s life here at Outdoor Dog Fun. Toys represent fun, play, bonding time with you, exercise as well as mental stimulation.
Here are a few articles on other dog toys and additional related information.
- Prefer non-toxic toys for your dog? Read our comprehensive guide.
- Yes or no to rope toys? Find out what we discovered.
- Toys made with velcro: something different and new.
- Yes or no to toys with squeakers in them?
- Puppies in a crate: what are the best toys for them?
- Adult dogs in a crate: what are the best toys for them?
- Keeping toys with squeakers squeaky clean.
- Does your dog murder and destroy toys. Find out what you can do.
- Humans have their favorite toys, so do dogs. Read about it.