Global Pet Expo Takeaways: Dog Toys

From interactive enrichment to eye-catching designs, the dog toy aisle at Global Pet Expo reflected a category built on play, discovery, and tail-wagging connections.

Starmark Pet Products launched its new Tuff Toaster with Waffle Chews, as well as a new Beef Chew in the New Products showcase. “We received a lot of booth traffic as a result,” said Emily Benson, Marketing Director for Starmark. “Our booth being situated on a main aisle also helped catch people as they migrated through the show.”

“Our booth expanded this year to an impressive 2,400 sq. ft., which gave us plenty of space to connect with our customers—both retailers looking to review new products and partners stopping by to say hello—and, of course, pet the puppies,” said Multipet SVP Rich Koliner. “The added space allowed for a more comfortable, engaging, and productive experience overall.”

This year’s Global was noteworthy for 3T Brands, which manufactures the Tall Tails brand, because for the first time, company reps showed prototypes at the booth. “We had a great Global marked by productive customer meetings, retailer orders, and media/influencer content,” said George Barton, Director of Marketing for 3T Brands. “In our booth, we were able to showcase our current open line assortment, highlight newness, and preview new product development concepts. This was our first show we decided to show prototypes. Even though some retailers were disappointed they couldn’t get it now, we were able to gather amazing feedback from multiple stakeholder groups. We then take that feedback, adjust designs, and have a more effective go-to-market launch.”

“Sodapup launched 20 new SKUs this year at Global, which is pretty typical for us,” said Sodapup Founder Adam Baker. “We had many retailers tell us that they needed to place an order, but were waiting to see us at the show so they could see the new things before placing their order. In particular, our Fourth of July collection—lickmats, nylon chew toys, glitter balls—was well received, as were our new soft bowls and our new Waffle Lick Stick. We’ve found that retailers are always motivated to see new things, so new product intros are an integral part of our business strategy.”

“Huxley & Kent has a bright and vibrant booth featuring our new spring product launch and we highlight our broad assortment of seasonal items,” said SVP of Sales Tim Brightwell. “Filling so many needs of our retail partners with exciting new designs of dog and cat toys and accessories creates a one-stop shop to stock the shelves across multiple categories and holidays.”

The team at Doggijuana, a SmarterPaw brand, noticed how the category was embracing purposeful play and wellness. Mike Bateman, National Sales Director, said, “The category is evolving from simple novelty toys toward toys that promote movement, engagement, emotional well-being, and daily routines, while Doggijuana highlights Juananip—US/Canada-grown catnip—and products crafted to help dogs relax. This gives Doggijuana a clear and straightforward point of difference.”

Last August, Multipet purchased Happy Tails and debuted the line during this year’s Global. The dog toy and bed lines put quality, design, and value front and center. “We continue to see strong participation and innovation across both the toy and bed categories,” Koliner said. “Our approach remains consistent with our core philosophy: delivering the right products at the best value. We don’t aim to be the cheapest in the market, nor the most expensive—we focus on quality, design, and value that resonate with today’s consumer. That same mindset guides both our toy development and the continued growth of the Happy Tails bed line. We believe this balanced approach positions us well for sustained growth in a competitive marketplace.”

Barton pointed out that pet owners still thrive on the treasure hunt experience while shopping for dog toys at brick-and-mortar stores. That experience is a lasting way to connect with pet parents. “We still see ‘newness’ driving excitement in the dog toy category,” he said. “Retailers are constantly looking for new toys to refresh their toy aisle and keep the ‘treasure hunt’ alive.” 

Bateman from Doggijuana noted, “The clearest dog-toy trend shifted from ‘toy as entertainment’ to ‘toy as wellness.’ Dog toys are being redefined by their purpose, quality, and how well they fit into a dog’s daily life.”

“A trend we’re seeing is ‘multi-purpose’ to drive value for the pet parent and diverse play for the pet,” he continued. “Multi-purpose can come in the form of single SKUs that meet multiple play styles—tug/fetch, for example. Tall Tails currently offers toys that meet the needs of multiple experiences and we have some amazing new product development in the pipeline that will advance this trend.”

“My general observation is that there is a move toward functional toys that solve a particular need—things like puzzle games and enrichment toys,” Baker with Sodapup said.

Brightwell, with Huxley & Kent, pointed out nonnegotiable product characteristics that pet owners won’t compromise on when it comes to their dogs’ toys. 

“Dog toys need to be of durable construction and a fair price so consumers easily recognize value in the moment of purchase,” he said. “And, of course, great design elements and eye-catching colors and styles are needed to draw the consumer to the shelf to make their purchase. Combining eye-catching design, durability, and all at a fair price will always be the trend. Huxley & Kent will be impacted favorably as we consider the sales funnel from top to bottom and the customer’s experience after the purchase.”

“We would like attendees to leave our booth with a broader understanding of Starmark’s behavior background and commitment to building strong lifelong bonds between people and their pets through effective communication and enrichment,” Benson said. “We extend this commitment through our continued evolution of interactive toys.”

Newness, fun designs, and value all came into play at the Expo—helping retailers keep shelves fresh while giving pet parents more reasons to come back for the next find.