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Dog Days of Summer: Hygienic Dog Toys for Play

Dog Days of Summer: Hygienic Dog Toys for Play

Now we’re making the most of summer, there is a lure to get outside with our canine companions and enjoy the sunshine. Days are longer and temperatures are hotter, meaning we have more time and incentive to spend playing in the park with our furry friends.

Unfortunately, summer fun comes with one particular caveat: while we are outside enjoying the sunny weather, microbes are similarly thriving in these warm conditions. Much like humans, a wide variety of bacteria also prefer warm environments, and for many strains their optimum temperature is around 37-40 degrees Celsius. This means that while your pooch is out playing, microbes such as bacteria, mould and fungi are rapidly colonising on their toy’s surface.

We don’t often think about the cleanliness of our pet toys until we pick them up and notice bad odours, unsightly staining or signs of material degradation. The longer the length of time that the microbes are left to fester, the higher the likelihood for permanent damage to the toy and for cross-contamination. And by the time these physical signs of microbial damage have taken form, the toys’ expected life cycle has already been depleted.

Cleaning Your Dog Toys 

In order to avoid the negative and sometimes irreversible effects of microbial contamination, your first port of call should be to manually clean your dog’s toys. Many rubber or silicone toys can be put on the top shelf of a dish washer, for example, or washed with a vinegar and warm water solution to remove physical grime from their surface. However, to allow for permanent and around the clock protection, BioCote® partner Rosewood Pets have added a series of antimicrobial toys to their already impressive, pup-approved range.

Clever Antimicrobial Technology 

Rosewood’s BioSafeTM toys are integrated with BioCote® antimicrobial technology, and offer continuous protection against bacteria, mould, fungi and even some viruses. Once integrated during manufacture, the antimicrobial effects will not wear off or wash away, and remain effective for the entire expected life cycle of the toy. The silver ion technology has also been approved by globally respected HACCP International as being food contact safe, meaning your canine can chomp away on the toys all day without any of the silver ion technology migrating from the product. Rosewood’s BioSafe TM toys are helping to tackle contamination from within, with the silver ion technology effectively removing up to 99.99% percent of microbes from the toy’s surface.

By preventing the build-up of bacteria on the toy’s surface while your pooch is out playing, you can also reduce the likelihood of bringing these microbes back home with you. A study from NSF found that pet toys are one of the top 10 contaminated spots in our homes, and when paired with warmer weather throughout June-September, the reproduction rate of microbes becomes even more of a concern. Using a Rosewood BioSafe TM toy can therefore act as a second line of defence against cross-contamination, protecting against the spread of bacteria, mould and fungi from within the toy’s material.

Lower levels of bacteria means that it will be easier to keep the toys hygienically clean, protecting against odours, staining and premature degradation of materials. BioCote® technology will therefore keep toys fresher for longer, and extend their usable lifetime. The tough yet soft plastics are combined with antimicrobial technology to protect the durability of the toys, helping to not break the bank and giving Fido more time to play with their favourite toy.

Choosing a Dog Toy 

When it comes to dog toys, there is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’; dogs have their own personalities and preferences, which is why Rosewood have a huge range of toys available to customise for every taste and size. For puppies, why not try Rosewood’s BioSafe TM Pink Puppy Ring, treated with a mint scent? Or for our larger companions, how about their Watermelon BioSafe TM Toy, with cavities that can be filled with water and placed in the freezer for added play value? What’s more, the toys even float in water, so you’re covered if your pooch decides to take a dip in a lake to cool off. Rosewood have an entire range of squeaky, bouncy or plush goodies, meaning a game of summer fetch with (wo)man’s best friend is definitely on the cards.

To treat your dog to a new toy today, explore Rosewood’s complete BioSafe TM range here. Go fetch!

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