Jack Russells are energetic dogs and require regular exercise and mental stimulation to keep them busy and physically fit. The best toys for Jack Russells can help them use the excess energy, keep them occupied and sharpen their intelligence level through mental stimulation.
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My Top Jack Russell Toys Recommendations
The best toys for Jack Russell are constructed with food-grade materials that pose no health risks to the dog. The following toys are high-quality and sturdy enough to withstand the dog’s chewing, tearing, and rough play.
Best Jack Russell Toy Overall: Spot Ethical Product
The Spot Ethical Product is designed from thermoplastic rubber, making it durable and tough for your JRT to damage. Like the Chuckit Ultra Ball, the good buoyancy makes it suitable for water and land play, thanks to the thermoplastic material that enables the toy to float on water.
The thermoplastic rubber merges rubber and plastic elements, enhancing flexibility and chewability. The unique rubber used in its construction makes it strong to withstand wear and tear under outdoor and indoor use.
Unlike the others on my list, it features a hollow center that allows you to secretly place peanut butter or hidden treats in the toy, helping to sharpen the dog’s instinctive intelligence for searching for prey or food.
Adding treats to your Jack Russell Terrier’s chew toy helps motivate the dog to continue playing while the joy of finding the treats retains the dog’s interest in the toy. However, the hollow center used for stuffing treats is too deep for JRTs to consume everything without leaving other treats behind.
Pros
- Its build quality makes it durable and strong for JRTs to destroy.
- The hollow center makes it ideal for sharpening Jack Russell Terrier’s instinctive intelligence.
Cons
- Like the Pet Qwerks Interactive Dog Toy, it does not come in a wide range of sizes, making the toy ideal for both young and older JRTs.
- The hollow center is too deep for JRTs to consume all the treats without leaving others behind.
Best JRT Toy for Physical Stimulation: Chuckit Ultra Ball
If you are looking for a toy that will keep your JRT busy and occupied, you can’t go wrong with the Chuckit Ultra Ball.
Unlike the Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone, the ball features an orange and bright blue color pattern which enhances visibility and prevents the ball from getting lost when playing fetch.
Since the fetch game involves you and your dog, it helps to strengthen the bond and improve friendship and loyalty. The surface is sturdy and durable and can withstand biting and scratching even from the most aggressive JRT.
The smooth rubber surface is dirt and debris-resistant, ensuring ease of cleaning. The bouncing stimulates the JRTs prey drive, making it jump as it tries to catch the ball.
Also, the bouncing encourages JRT to jump to exciting heights, improving their overall balance and coordination. Like the Spot Ethical Product, the ball is designed with good buoyancy, making it suitable for land and water play.
This toy comes in five sizes, from small to XX-Large, enhancing versatility. However, the balls are sealed with one plug, which poses the danger of the tongue sticking in the hole.
Pros
- The toy helps strengthen the friendship between you and the JRT.
- The surface is resistant to dirt and debris, ensuring ease of cleaning.
Cons
- The balls feature a one-pug sealing, which risks the tongue sticking in the hole.
- Unlike the Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone, it lacks the pleasant savory flavor that makes the JRT feel more attached to the toy.
Best Chew Toy for JRTs: Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone
The Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone is a chew toy that comes with a unique X shape that makes it easy for JRTs to hold and chew.
Since JRTs are curious, the four chewing ends in this toy catch the attention of JRTs, triggering them to explore. Unlike the Chuckit Ultra Ball, it has a multi-textured surface which helps minimize tartar and plaque buildup when the dog chews.
During the teething stage, the toy also comes in handy by relieving your JRT from teething pain. This toy uses durable nylon in its construction, making it strong enough to withstand the aggressive chewing of JRTs.
Unlike the Spot Ethical Product, this toy has a delicious savory beef flavor, ensuring that your dog remains busy and happy even when left home alone for long hours. Typically, chewing gives the dog the much-needed exercise for expending excessive energy.
The pleasant flavor makes JRTs attached to this toy, preventing the destructive behaviors of chewing items such as shoes and furniture. However, the JRT may ingest small pieces during the chewing process.
Pros
- The multi-textured surface minimizes tartar and plaque buildup when the dog is chewing the toy.
- The durable nylon construction makes the toy strong to withstand aggressive chewing.
Cons
- The JRT might ingest some parts of the chew toy during the chewing process.
- Unlike the Chuckit Ultra Ball, it lacks bright color patterns making it quite challenging to find it if it gets lost.
Best Sturdy Toy for JRTs: Pet Qwerks Interactive Dog Toy
The Pet Qwerks Interactive Dog Toy is a premium toy that aims at keeping your JRT occupied. Usually, this helps prevent destructive behaviors associated with separation anxiety, such as barking or inappropriate chewing.
Unlike the Spot Ethical Product, it comes with more than 20 varying sounds such as Sweet Puppy, Rock’ n Roll Big Doggy, and Hey, what are you doing, which helps to keep the playtime unique and interesting.
The toy uses high-impact ABS in its construction, making it strong enough to withstand aggressive chewing. Unlike the Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone, the dog’s motion triggers this toy.
Usually, the toy interacts with the dog by growling and talking, making it a great choice for blind dogs or those with poor vision. Additionally, the toy can be activated and deactivated by your dog’s breath, allowing it to automatically switch off when the dog stops playing, saving on your batteries.
However, the plastic material might be too hard for your JRT to chew. Also, the batteries might require frequent replacement, especially if the dog plays with the toy for prolonged periods.
Pros
- It features a wide range of sounds, ensuring that playtime remains fresh and unique.
- Since this toy doesn’t involve sight, it’s suitable for blind dogs or those with poor vision.
Cons
- The batteries may require frequent replacement, particularly if the JRTs play for an extended time.
- The plastic material might be too hard for young JRT to chew.
Features to Consider in the Best Toys for Jack Russells
There are different types of Jack Russell toys with varying build qualities, materials, design, and how they interact with the dog. Checking for the following features in a Jack Russell toy will help you choose a toy that meets your dog’s exercise and stimulation requirements.
Additionally, the table below provides a breakdown of the key features.
| Toy | Material | Toy Type | Size (Inches) |
| Spot Ethical Product | Thermoplastic rubber | Chew/Treat Toy | 14.25 x 1.88 x 4.25 |
| Chuckit Ultra Ball | Rubber | Exercise/Fetch Toy | 2.5 x 2.5 x 2.5 |
| Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone | Nylon | Chew Toy | 6.5 x 5.5 x 0.75 |
| Pet Qwerks Interactive Dog Toy | Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene | Ball | 3.13 x 3.13 x 3.13 |
Size
Different Jack Russells have different sizes depending on their age. In the same way, different toys have different sizes, so you will need to choose a toy size that matches the size of your dog. For instance, an adult Jack Russell will require a bigger toy than an 8-month-old puppy.
Providing your dog with a toy that is too big can make it challenging for the dog to interact with it, and eventually, the dog will stop playing with it. Aggressive dogs might even see a big toy as a threat or provocation, become aggressive and tear it apart.
On the other hand, a too-small toy can present a choking hazard to your dog as it can get stuck in the dog’s throat or mouth. Therefore, it is advisable to go for a toy such as the Chuckit Ultra Ball as it comes in different sizes, allowing you to choose the best size for your dog depending on the age.
Material
Different dog toys are constructed using different materials depending on the intended use. For instance, many chew toys are constructed using chewable materials. However, Jack Russells can be allergic to certain materials such as plastics, and chewing such toys leads to allergic reactions.
Since you might not know whether your dog is allergic to certain materials, it is advisable to go for toys constructed using food-grade materials such as nylon as they rarely cause allergic reactions.
For instance, the Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone is a chew toy constructed of nylon, posing no allergy or health risks to your dog.
Type of Toy
When choosing a toy for your Jack Russell, it is advisable to consider its age, personality traits, and temperament. Depending on its behavior and activity level, you can choose one of the following types:
Edible Toys
In most cases, edible toys are the best choice for puppies as puppies like to chew and gnaw at any item that fits in their mouth, especially when teething. Such toys can help keep the puppies occupied, especially during weaning after they are separated from their parents.
Edible toys also help keep the dog’s teeth clean, preventing possible dental issues. For instance, the multi-textured surface in Nylabone Power Chew X-Shaped Dog Bone helps minimize the buildup of tartar and plaque.
However, chew toys should feature sturdy materials that can withstand aggressive chewing. For instance, the Spot Ethical Product features a thermoplastic rubber construction that can withstand the chewing of aggressive or excited dogs.
Exercise Toys
Jack Russells are energetic and hyperactive, especially from the age of 18 months to 10 years. If your dog is not engaging in intense exercises that can help burn calories, it’s advisable to get toys that can help them with physical and mental stimulation.
Usually, these toys keep the dog busy, helping to prevent the destructive behaviors associated with boredom. Additionally, exercise toys can help relieve loneliness and separation anxiety when you leave Jack Russell alone for long.
For instance, the Chuckit Ultra Ball can help the dog burn calories trying to jump for the ball. The rolling of the ball also helps to stimulate the dog’s hunting instincts as it chases and catches the ball.
Squeaky Toys
Squeaky toys come with in-built speakers that help produce sounds similar to the sounds of natural prey. Like the exercise toys, these sounds trigger the strong prey drive of Jack Russells, making them excited and engaged.
However, Jack Russells are intelligent dogs and can detect sound repetitions and get bored with a squeaky toy. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a toy with varying sounds, such as the Pet Qwerks Interactive Dog Toy.
Keeping in mind that the toy can produce sound when the dog walks past it or breathes on it, squeaky toys can be suitable for dogs suffering from eye problems, poor vision, or blindness. However, you should note that squeaky toys require batteries to operate and produce sound.
Treat Toys
In most cases, treat toys can either be exercise toys or chew toys. Usually, treat toys are like puzzles, and the dog needs to use its brain to solve the puzzle for the toy to release the treats. Typically, the challenge helps stimulate the dog mentally, sharpening its intelligence.
Additionally, the challenge of solving the puzzle and getting the treats out of the toy takes time, helping pass time when you have left the dog alone. Typically, when the toy releases a treat, the hunting instinct makes the dog feel like an achievement, making it more excited and attached to the toy.
In most cases, the dog won’t know when the treats are over and will continue playing with an empty toy until you return home. For instance, the Spot Ethical Product has a hollow center where you can put treats and let the dog get them out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Toy Make My Jack Russell Calm Down?
A toy can help reduce the hyperactivity of a Jack Russell and make it calm down. In most cases, Jack Russell Terriers are aggressive and develop destructive behaviors due to excess energy and boredom.
Toys help them exercise and use this energy, making them calm and take a nap after playing.
When Should I Dispose of a Jack Russell Chew Toy?
It’s advisable to dispose of a Jack Russell’s chew toy immediately if you notice signs of damage, such as the squeaker starting to come out or the seam ripping. Typically, a damaged toy poses safety and health risks, such as the sharp edges of an excessively chewed rubber injuring the dog’s mouth.
Can Jack Russells Get Bored of Toys?
Yes, Jack Russells can get bored of toys. Usually, Jack Russells are intelligent dogs and can recognize and remember the same old toys.
They get bored and stop playing with the toy or act aggressively and tear it. It’s therefore advisable to limit the dog’s access to the toy.
Final Thoughts
Whether you want to calm down your hyper Jack Russell or to reduce boredom and separation anxiety when you leave it alone, the best toys for Jack Russells can help to stimulate the dog physically and mentally. The above toys are constructed of quality materials and don’t pose health risks.
