Vanguard Awards: Plush Toys

Plush dog toys have long featured squeakers and soft textures, but the category is evolving toward more interactive designs tailored to specific play styles like chewing, fetching, and cuddling.

“Pet owners love that ZippyPaws is family-owned and operated, and we have a fun team of pet lovers who truly care about our customers’ pets,” reported Jen Glaser, Co-Founder of ZippyPaws. “We’ve also recently begun sharing more of our personality on TikTok and our customers love it. Pet owners don’t just want to buy toys, they want to be a part of a brand story and a community, which we’ve worked hard to build.” 

ZippyPaws is loved around the world. 

“We’ve topped our international coverage by partnering with distributors in 58 countries (and climbing!),” Glaser added. The company also supports retail partners through strong visual merchandising, seasonal collections, and licensed collaborations to keep shoppers engaged year-round.

“Beyond the tools, we invest in real relationships—taking the time to understand each partner’s customer and making sure their assortment reflects that,” Glaser said. “In 2026, our sales team added more travel days to better serve our retailers, whether that’s attending store openings or events, scheduling in-person line reviews, or simply spending more face time with our customers. We’re actively adding boots on the ground to bring more awareness to our retail partners.” 

Glaser discussed how she thought plush toys would evolve: “Enrichment, sensory engagement, and mental stimulation are going to be as important as squeakiness. Pet owners are thinking more intentionally about their pets’ wellbeing, and toys are going to have to meet that bar. Owners will expect the same level of thoughtfulness in a dog toy that they’d expect in a children’s toy. Of course, great design will always be at the forefront of our products—we want customers to stop in store or browse the website more often to see what newness ZippyPaws has to offer.” 

It was easy for Vice President of Multipet International Dean Hirschberg to talk about what pets love most about the company: “Lamb Chop!” The iconic sock puppet is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and is one of the company’s best-selling products. 

Take a look on TikTok and Instagram, and countless photos of dogs with their collections of different Lamb Chops are displayed across these platforms. 

Hirschberg commented on the viral sensation: “Everyone likes to collect as many Lamb Chop toys as they can—from seasonal to customized Lamb Chops to different sizes and colors. But my favorite photos are the ones that show dogs (and cats) that treat Lamb Chop as if it’s their own pet.” 

But like most dog toy companies, this year has brought a few challenges. 

“I’m really proud that we did not let tariffs get in our way this year. We still came up with fun and exciting products. I’m thankful we have a strong creative leadership team and how our different areas of expertise really mesh together well,” said Hirschberg. 

As Hirschberg looks to the future, he revealed that exciting adventures lie ahead. That’s because Multipet recently acquired Happy Tails, a Texas-based pet bed and toy company. 

“After years of tail wags and toy tosses, it hit us—every playful pup needs a proper nap!” said President Mark Hirschberg in a company statement. “Together, we’re creating a brand where pets can play hard and relax comfortably.” 

PetShop by Fringe Studio was established based on a love for art and intentional design. “We approach innovation through design,” reported Scott Kingsland, President of Fringe Pet Studio. “Our team thoughtfully creates products that look and feel original with lots of personality. From detailed accents to the names they’re given, every toy tells its own story.”

He continued, “The future of plush toys is going to become more intentional for pets and their parents. There’s growing demand for products that combine fun with innovation such as toys made with more durable construction, sustainable materials, or designs that support mental stimulation. Our pets are part of our family and pet owners want products they can feel good about giving to their ‘kids.’ Our goal is to continue to make toys that are fun, loveable, engaging, and thoughtfully designed.”