Category Analysis: Interactive Dog Toys

The continued push for employees to return to the office has 2026 off to an anxious start, especially for pets. According to a recent January 2026 survey commissioned by Hill’s Pet Nutrition and conducted by Talker Research, there has been a rise in destructive behavior issues caused by separation anxiety. Shelter animal count data also showed that increased anxiety-driven behavioral issues have resulted in higher shelter intake. Dog interactive toys are ready to combat boredom and loneliness by focusing on smart tech, enrichment and multi-sensory engagement.

For West Paw, the challenge is to continually educate pet parents about interactive dog toys. Spencer Williams, CEO, explained, “Products like slow feeders, encouraging owners that feeders and puzzle toys can fit within their day-to-day lives and provide solutions that lead to a more joyful and healthy experience with their dogs. It’s a matter of making sure we’re reaching the right consumers with the right messaging, so they understand how they and their dogs can benefit from these products.”

West Paw is focused on growth this year. Williams shared, “We’re going to expand Rowdies this year. We also had such good success with pairing our dental stick with our Qwizl. Dental health will be a focus for us this year. We’ll also be coming out with a new treat ball as well.” 

Adam Baker, President of Sodapup, shared how the return-to-work phenomenon is also spurring the “enrichment as necessity” trend. “Food-based enrichment puzzles for dogs are no longer a niche luxury. They have become a standard requirement. Enrichment products are quickly moving into the mainstream. The challenge is to create enrichment products that dogs can be left with unsupervised, while home alone. Sodapup is addressing this durability requirement in novel ways. For example, we have developed two product lines of nylon enrichment products that we call eChews (enrichment chews) and eCoins (enrichment coins). Made from the same material as durable nylon dog bones, these products are designed to incorporate food. Whereas traditional lick mats can be easily chewed up if not supervised, our eChew and eCoins are built to take a licking and keep on ticking!”

Beyond enrichment, another obstacle that many companies brought up was the current economic climate. “Balancing innovation and economics is always a challenge, but it has been at the forefront over the last year as consumers are spending less on toys and retailers want lower prices. As a manufacturer, reaching that balance without sacrificing quality initiates a different kind of creative problem-solving than concocting new dog toys. Pet owners still want to provide indulgences for their pets, though, and interactive toys are growing as more pet owners see them as an essential item,” reported Emily Benson, Marketing Director of StarMark Pet Products. 

Pet interaction is playing out in a number of ways, from tech-enabled toys to classic treat-dispensing puzzles. One way pet parents can stay connected to their pets was recently unveiled at the technology-focused tradeshow CES 2026. A smart ball that lets owners play with their dogs remotely via an app. For the non-techy lovers, mental enrichment puzzles and treat-dispensing toys remain popular for mental challenges. Multi-sensory toys that offer a variety of elements to keep pups at play are great boredom busters. And for those dogs who take their anxiety out by chewing, tough, durable toys are still going strong. 

Benson of StarMark Pet Products has noticed the uptick in electronic toys. She stated, “There are some very interesting electronic interactive toys that I’ve seen over the last few years. These can be great fun for dogs to play with, and some even have training or learning features. Playing with your dog can be such a special bonding experience, though, that I feel that I generally prefer personal interaction and connection with my dog.”

Starmark will be focusing on that special bond this year by helping more customers connect to their dog toys. Benson reported, “We commenced a brand refresh project in mid-2025 that is being unveiled at Global Pet Expo, and the first batch of our new packaging will be shipping this spring. This refresh is a modernization of our overall brand appearance, as well as a call-out of our unique heritage in pet behavior and streamlining product identity. It also aims to bring clarity of product functionality to consumers to aid in finding the right toy for their pet.”

Dean Hirschberg, Vice President of Multipet, said, “We are focused on strategic growth through innovation and stronger retail partnerships. That means investing in trend-setting products such as Rubik’s Cube, as well as expanding our Lamb Chop collection.” 

Another trend in the interactive dog toy category focuses on natural, sustainable materials for dog toys. Eco-conscious pet parents seek out planet-friendly options that are non-toxic but durable. According to online media sources, more than 65 percent of new product lines are designed with enhanced durability and non-toxic, materials to withstand high-impact play.

Baker of Sodapup reported, “Another challenge facing the industry is a growing concern for the planet. This ‘green’ challenge is forcing fresh thinking in materials. Consumers are increasingly rejecting cheap plastics in favor of eco materials. Sodapup is actively evaluating earth-friendly alternatives while also balancing performance and price.”

West Paw has been built on a legacy of planet-first initiatives. 

“Deciding to create a company that manufactured sustainable products in Montana, in the United States, was very pivotal in 1996,” commented Williams of West Paw. “In 2004, when we launched Zogoflex material, which we had invented for our toys. We invented that so that it was ultimately durable, FDA compliant, free of phthalates, BPA and latex, and could be fully recycled in our Join the Loop program. That set the course for the business from there forward. In those years, we also started integrating recycled fiber into our toys, our plush products and bedding. We don’t make bedding anymore, but nonetheless, it was a milestone being the first in the industry who could incorporate recycled materials. And that’s core to what we do even today with our Rowdies product line of toys that we still make.” 

 According to online media sources, interactive dog toy purchasing is rapidly increasing, driven by pet humanization and a focus on mental stimulation, with a 7.8 percent CAGR projected through 2030. From online retailers like Chewy to pet specialty stores to local boutiques, there are a lot of places to buy dog toys. How can dog toy companies keep up? Baker detailed Sodapup’s approach. 

“Where and how consumers shop is evolving rapidly, giving rise to more ‘channels’ than ever before,” he said. “Sodapup wants to meet consumers where they are, so our ‘omnichannel’ selling strategy is evolving alongside the consumer’s shopping behavior. The most important thing we can do is to ensure that no channel has a price advantage over another channel. This gives all channels the opportunity to thrive.” 

In addition to adhering to strict pricing across all channels, Sodapup has a variety of tactics to support all sizes and types of retailers. Sodapup’s broad product offering allows retailers to differentiate their assortment. So, if there are multiple retailers in a geographic area, they most likely do not carry exactly the same products. They offer free shipping on orders of $75. 

Baker explained, “This eats into our margins, but our No. 1 priority is to have retailers carry us in their stores. We do everything we can to remove obstacles that prevent that from happening.”

He continued, “We provide ‘shelf talkers’ which are 5×7″ postcards that describe our different product types. Many retailers display these next to products to educate consumers on how to use our products. We introduce more new products than our competitors and make them available to Indie retailers in ‘real time.’ We don’t wait for tradeshows to launch. Because indie retailers are more nimble than large retailers, they often get a ‘first mover’ advantage with our products—carrying new items that other, larger retailers won’t consider until their next annual buying cycle.”

“We’re excited about working with our retail partners to make sure we have a great plan for the year and that we bring them products that help them to refresh and evolve their product sets,” Williams of West Paw reported. “We want to see the pet industry continue to evolve in many different channels that are part of pet, so that pet parents can get great products wherever they are shopping. So we’re continuing to lean into those long-term relationships with our retailers, and asking them questions around the product, what they’re looking for from West Paw, what they need, what their pain points are.” 

“Our distribution and retail partners know their customers best,” reflected Benson of StarMark Pet Products. “So, we are focusing on individualized promotions and advertising with our partners to reach these customers at a more local level.”

Hirschberg of Multipet commented, “We have become key and trusted partners to our retailers; this is due to our strong sales team, which even visits local pet shops and offers personal assistance to all customers. We customize and develop exclusive products to keep assortments fresh and differentiated for each individual account.” 

Looking ahead to where the category is going, Benson of StarMark Pet Products answered, “There is still a lot of room for developing more complex interactive toys to challenge dogs and build their innate problem-solving skills. We glean what we observe of how dogs interact with toys (and how they eventually master them) and direct that knowledge toward new products. This sometimes means that a concept evolves in a different direction from where it started, but it results in an overall better toy.” 

“We are continuing to work with our factories to combine and fuse new fabrics,” replied Hirschberg of Multipet. “We want to be the trendsetter by always delivering fresh, playful products to the market.”

Williams of West Paw acknowledged, “Innovation in the category will be at the intersection of physical interaction, mental activity and stimulation, and health and wellness. Simply said, a dog figuring out how to work with interactive toys that create a healthy balance between mind, body and nutrition. We see a future in which pet parents don’t think of these toys as simply providing one solution but creating balance in the life experience of their dog, unlocking joy and health.”

With tighter budgets and rising job expectations, interactive dog toys are evolving into essential tools for enrichment, wellness, and connection. Whether powered by tech or by the power of connection, the next generation of toys is built to deepen the owner-pet bond.