Dogs need something to play with otherwise they will choose items for themselves from your house or yard. Good toys provide mental and physical stimulation. Some commercial toys that are available are not made with endurance in mind. Make sure that you pick a tough toy for your German Shepherd to play with on his own.

A less sturdy toy might work, but only under supervision. The best toys mimic reality. Balls, Frisbees and kongs are all chase toys and our "Old Style German Shepherds" enjoy a chase - in the wild their survival depends on it. The most realistic toys to chase are kongs as they bounce in an unpredictable manner, thus mimicking an escaping animal. Squeaky toys are great fun too. Most dogs like to pounce on these and "kill" them as they would a mouse. These toys are best under supervision and can be great reward toys when training.

Hard toys are good for chewing - just as a large sturdy raw bone is. Nylon rings and Rawhide wraps are great for German Shepherds. They not only keep your German Shepherd puppy busy but chew toys help keep teeth clean and also teach physical dexterity - as they learn to hold things with their paws. Another good toy every dog should have for their German Shepherd puppy is a tug toy. These are great but need to be used carefully. Most dogs see this as a way of proving their strength and determination over the opposition - you! Play it by all means but when you have finished, claim the toy as your trophy and put it away.

Puzzle toys are terrific as well. It will keep them amused for hours as they roll it around and try and get their tasty treats out. There are always new and exciting toys coming onto the market every week so next time you spoil yourself a little don't forget to spoil your mate as well.

A great idea for summer is to take an ice cream container and make a tasty mush and place it in the middle of the ice cream container and fill most of the container with water and place in the freezer overnight. Your dog will enjoy spending hours licking through the ice to get to his treat in the middle. A mush can be made up of some mince with cheese , cabonossi, kransky, devon chunks, sardines basically anything that is very tasty.