
But they certainly don’t hold up to their reputation of being unbreakable. That’s not to say fire hose dog toys are bad. This was a particular problem with the more elaborate animal designs, which had more seams and stitching than the traditional tube-like fire hose toy. This is unfortunate as the edges of the fire hose that are sewn shut are exactly where most of our dogs focused their attention. This was the weak point of all the fire hose toys we tested. Even the powerful jaws of a Labrador were unable to puncture the surface. I can tell you that the tightly woven material that makes up fire hose toys is surprisingly resistant to wear. Want a more appropriate toy for chewers? check out our review of the Instead, you are using the wrong toy for the job. If you leave your dog alone to gnaw to his heart’s content, fire hose won’t provide much of a challenge. While these toys held up just fine to gentle games of tug and fetch, they are not chew toys. Fire hose toys worked best when given under supervision.

As a material, fire hose is considerably more durable than the polyester fabric you find on your standard plush toy.Įven so, that doesn’t mean that fire hose is designed for power chewers. Based on my testing, I would say this is true. You often hear that fire hose dog toys are a Not only will they last longer, but their soft design means you are less likely to break a window if your aim is off. In comparison, a plush toy would be basically unusable.ĭespite being able to fend off the weather, I still recommend fire hose dog toys for inside play. But once I hosed it down and dried it out, it held up just fine for games of fetch. Just another Upstate New York winter! Once the snow melted, I found it in my back yard.ĭon’t get me wrong… It certainly looks worse for wear, faded and dirty. I actually lost one of these toys during a harsh snowstorm. Some go a step further and paint the surface or sew multiple pieces of fire hose together so that it resembles an animal.įire hose is surprisingly outdoor-friendly. While a few brands use recycled fire hose, most use new fire hose dyed in vibrant colors. Given that a fire hose is designed to withstand pressure of higher than 1,600 PSI before it bursts, it should be more than up to the task of your rough dog, right? Yep, it’s the same fire hose that firefighters attach to hydrants when they put out a fire. The result is a soft yet durable toy for your dog.


What is a fire hose dog toy and does your pup need one?Īs if the name didn’t give it away, a fire hose toy is a length of fire hose that has been sewn shut at the ends.
