First Take: Interactive Dog Toys
Interactive toy companies are emphasizing the importance of providing pets, especially dogs, with engaging and challenging interactive toys that go beyond basic entertainment. Current designs address the gaps that were present in earlier toy designs by aiming to prevent boredom and destructive behavior by fine-tuning pets’ natural skills like problem-solving, scent work and foraging. Today’s interactive toys ensure pets are mentally and physically challenged in ways that truly meet their natural needs.
Retailers are diligently pulling consumers’ focus towards their selection of toys, highlighting relatable attributes such as interactive or intended to challenge dogs’ mental enrichment.
“Choosing toys for dogs or cats is kind of like going to a department store and sorting through styles and seeing what catches the eye,” explained Zach Grey, Owner and CEO of The Urban Pet. “Yes, the market is saturated, however, we treat it like fashion. The industry is always changing; however, we always stock the basics like the Kongs and such, and then venture out to the fun. A good rule is to offer a wide variety in every category, from tough chew toys made of rubber to plush toys for dogs of all sizes. Puzzle toys are very popular. Also, re-merchandising your toy section is important. I’ve had my stores for 20 years and it’s always amazing how just mixing up the toy section will move products. A relatively new trend are the toys that are inspired by popular brands such as Chewy Vuitton and White Paws. We’ve found that toys specific to our demographic are very popular. We are fortunate to have a lot of tourists visit our stores, so anything with Los Angeles, California, or Hollywood designs is a huge hit.”
“The challenge with choosing dog toys is trying to find something that is unique and stands out,” said Andy Arnold, Owner of Andy’s Pet Shop. “Brands like Kong and Nylabone are showing up everywhere like at Target and grocery stores. So we need something that looks fun, strong, and somehow also reasonably priced. Strong and durable toys seem to perform better in the category. The last thing any customer wants is to buy a toy and have stuffing all over the floor in under 10 minutes. In the next five to 10 years, I think we will see a focus on strong toys with ropes or pulls for the dog and human to play tug of war and fetch with. The best way to keep the toy from being destroyed is to not let the dog lie down and chew on it by themselves. Human and pet interaction with the toy will keep the toy around a lot longer.”
Pet parents have proven they won’t scrimp on spending money on their pets even while they are tightening their belts and creatively stretching their household budget. That said, interactive toy manufacturers realize even the most doting pet owners expect price point and quality to correlate and for their purchases to withstand chewing and playtime.
“As economic resources for consumers may continue to be strained, longer-lasting toys that offer value through durability and functionality could be in higher demand,” said Emily Benson, Marketing Director for Starmark Pet Products. “These toys can also benefit retailers if they offer repeat sales through consumables.”
The Starmark Pet Products team is preparing to debut an ongoing project that will have been nearly a year in the works when it’s launched at this year’s Global Pet Expo. “We undertook a large project in mid-2025 that will finally be unveiled at Global Pet Expo 2026, and we are particularly excited about the launch as we feel it will have a positive impact for our retailers,” Benson said.
Rest assured, pups will always want and need interactive toys. This style of dog toy is necessary to satisfy and fulfill a dog’s inherent need to play and for them to be challenged mentally in order to prevent boredom and improve pups’ cognitive function.
“Trends may be fluid, but there are essentials that dogs will always need. In the toy space, those essentials are safety, durability, and functionality,” Benson said. “Producing all three is difficult, but it also creates toys that maintain relevancy through the trends.”
“As retailers are setting upper retail limits in their spaces, innovation this year may be focused on unique, but functional items that have a relatively low retail price,” Benson added.
Starmark Pet Products has been keeping dogs mentally and physically sharp and at peak performance for 30 years. What started as a training company which specialized in training high-drive working and sport dogs has transformed into a thriving campus for training working dogs. “But our primary clients were pet owners needing obedience training and help with behavior issues,” Benson explained. “The common thread between working dogs and pet dogs was that they all needed a job or they were going to find entertainment that wasn’t compatible with their owners. Most of the few interactive toys available then were simple designs, and we wanted to create something that was durable and could keep both working dogs and pets occupied and challenged for a long period of time. That idea turned into a toy that paired with a proprietary refillable treat, which had not been done before. We launched our patented Everlasting Treat Ball system and it was the first of our interactive toys that featured refillable treats. We have since seen these types of toys grow and evolve in the dog category.”
Brightkins came about when the founders recognized that flexing pets’ cognitive health was equally important as physical exercise. Backed with 40 years of experience in developing educational children’s toys, Brightkins sought to improve pets’ quality of life with toys that sparked their minds, disrupted anxiety and boredom and addressed ingrained behaviors and skills, such as scent work, which other toy companies neglected to help pets sharpen. “Brightkins was born from a simple idea: our pets deserve more than just physical activity—they need mental enrichment, too,” Brand Manager Rachel Markowitz previously said. “As a brand created by Learning Resources, a leader in educational toys for children, we’ve always believed in the power of play to support cognitive health. That same belief drives our approach to mental enrichment for pets. At the time, the interactive pet toy market lacked options that were both truly engaging and thoughtfully designed—products that not only entertained but also supported pets’ emotional well-being and cognitive growth. We saw an opportunity to bring our nearly 40 years of expertise in educational children’s toys to the world of pet play, designing toys that tap into instinctive behaviors like foraging and scent work, which were areas often overlooked by other brands. Our goal was to enrich pets’ lives in a deeper way: stimulating their minds, curbing anxiety and destructive habits, and ultimately helping them lead happier, healthier lives.”
Nearly 20 years ago, West Paw got its start with interactive dog toys in 2007 with the launch of Tux. This line blended West Paw’s Zogoflex material with treats for enrichment. “At the time, companies weren’t thinking that deeply about combining food or treats with simple toys,” CEO and Owner Spencer Williams previously pointed out. “Zogoflex brought safety as it’s FDA-compliant, as well as incredible durability and dishwasher-safe cleaning. Tux was followed by our famous Toppl, which changed the industry with its shape, making it wobbly and allowing it to hold a variety of treats and toppings like freeze-dried bites, kibble, blueberries, yogurt, broth and more. Then came Qwizl, which is the safest way to hold bully sticks and dental sticks because it’s gentle on teeth and gums. And our most recent innovation has been Rumbl, offering a rolling, slow-dispensing treat experience.”
At its core, Starmark Pet Products works to keep pets in their homes and to prevent pets from being hastily surrendered due to unwanted behavior. The company has spent decades educating pet owners on the necessity of training their dogs to learn appropriate behaviors, in addition to the vital role interactive toys play in keeping pets’ minds sharp and physically taxed to prevent boredom and anxiety. “Keeping pets happy in their homes is our philosophy, and we commit to that in all our endeavors,” Benson elaborated. “Our products are an evolution of our decades of continued experience working with thousands of dogs, pet parents, and students at our Animal Behavior Center and School for Professional Dog Trainers. We create interactive toys that are safe and durable, as well as provide a mental challenge for dogs to alleviate their boredom. They are designed so that dogs must chew or manipulate the toy in specific ways to release the food from inside. Several of the toys also offer adjustability, so pet parents can make the toy more difficult as their dog becomes more proficient. Having proprietary treats that pair with our toys also makes it easy for retailers and pet parents to select what to use inside our toys.”
Brightkins has continuously pushed to go above and beyond what is currently available to pet owners. To put it simply: “We go beyond basic toys,” Markowitz said. “Every Brightkins product is designed to engage pets and their people—turning mealtime or playtime into bonding time. Whether it’s a brain-boosting treat puzzle, like our Kanoodle Dog Edition puzzle, or our tumbling treat dispensers—both of which can double as a slow feeder—we deliver enrichment that’s engaging, dual purpose, effective, and just plain fun. What sets us apart is our commitment to quality and safety. We use durable, BPA-free, food-safe materials that are built to last and safe for dogs of all breeds and sizes. Our mission is to unlock your pet’s curiosity and make every moment together more meaningful, with enrichment solutions families can feel good about.”
West Paw’s portfolio address pets’ needs while also touching on pet parents’ search for peace of mind. “The combination of safe materials and the design of our dog toys brings a level of comfort to pet owners,” Williams said. “Our toys are made at our factory in Montana, out of FDA-compliant materials that are free of latex, phthalates, silicone and heavy metals. And our designs are functional and aesthetically pleasing for people and pets—we frequently get feedback from pet owners that they love seeing our toys in their home.”
