★★★★★ 5
Great for Excessive Chewers and Eaters
Size: Large (Pack of 1), Product Packaging: Standard Packaging
I decided to get the Kong Extreme toy for my then 9-year-old dog in Sept. 2010, after her older sister passed away a few days before. I figured we both could have used the distraction.
I learned ages ago that most toys couldn't hold up against my two Australian Cattle Dogs, since they didn't just happily gnaw on things, they'd try to eat it. In fact, they tried to eat a number of things, from fabrics to meticulously eating the lining off tennis balls and soft balls. Nothing was safe, especially against the youngest, who has some OCD issues. I'd be lucky to see a tough toy last a day, much less a month.
Like the rest, I didn't think this toy would stand a chance, but it's still holding up well almost a year later. My dog isn't a strong chewer, like a doberman or pit, but very meticulous. She and her sister would go at something for hours if you let them, until nothing was left. Because of this, I also need to choose soft toys, rather than something hard, because she'll wear her teeth down if you let her. Fortunately, this manages to stand up to her obsessive chewing, but it also doesn't wear the teeth down, which I love.
I'm thinking of getting a new one, even though the current could probably last another few months. I'm just now seeing some wear along the seams, despite her every effort to conquer and destroy it. I'm mainly getting it just to be on the safe side, so that I don't risk it falling apart while I'm not watching her, and just for the sake of cleanliness.
These are extremely durable and easy to clean. They do have a strong odor when you first open them up, but it fades relatively quickly. I let ours soak it in hot/vinegar water for a while, then rinsed it well and left it out in the sun for a few hours. Seemed to help a little. They can also be loud when dogs chew on them, which can be annoying if you're trying to watch TV, but I find it well worth it, even if my partner doesn't agree during football time.
I love the fact that these toys bounce unpredictably, although I would be careful around furniture if you plan to bounce it off the floor or toss it. I got into the habit of using it down our long hallway, referring to it as Dog Bowling, which she loves. She also didn't need food as incentive to get into it (just me playing with it and making it out to be a big deal), which is great, since that just means less cleaning and less weight gain in my book, although I do put treats in it now and then, if my partner and I are leaving the house and plan to be gone awhile.
My dog's around around 30 lbs. and is medium sized, but has had no trouble tackling the larger-sized version, which was the only size available through Amazon at the time. I may get the medium-sized toy soon, just because she's reaching 10 and she'll go at it for ages.
This is a great toy for obsessive chewers in particular, and I highly recommend it to dog lovers. I just wish we'd found out about them sooner! I'm also happy to report that she has stopped chewing on random things), like blankets and clothing, as much as she used to. If she does start up, it's because she can't find her Kong. I may also get the bone version and will review on that if I do.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2011
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