Chew Test A Fun Duck Hunt or a Pile of Fluff?
Hartz Tuff Stuff Nose Divers boasts a built-tough design but how rugged is this chew + tug toy combo? Let’s find out!
Fun Factor
It’s tough to rate the fun factor of this toy. The Hartz Nose Divers duck dog toy looks great, is fun to play fetch with and even enjoyable as a tug toy. With a squeaker inside though, it becomes an irresistible target for my Rottweiler Eli to want to tear it apart and get to the squeaker. I have gone through two of these now as a result and on average, my rottie can rip one apart in about 45 minutes. This is actually a fairly long time as far as plush toys go with my dog. Results will vary depending on the type of dog you have and their bite force.
Quality & Durability
This duck dog toy is well built, made with durable ballistic nylon fabrics. As with most plush toys for dogs built with heavy duty fabric, they will usually come apart at the weakest link which is usually the stitching. Once the fabric tears, it shreds, unravels and quickly fall apart.
Safety
This Hartz toy is made of fabrics that are stronger than average, but it is still a type that frays and will eventually shred. Imagine how a sheet of tarp is made with a cross-woven pattern. Once a few tiny strands go missing and the tension holding it all together is gone, it then unravels.
Indoor: Very light and can be tossed around the house without any major concern.
Outdoor: As with any dog plush toy used outside, dirt accumulation will be your main concern. Clean as needed.
Value
After Eli easily destroyed two of these, they left behind nothing but a pile of fluff, shredded fabric and twice the regrets. They were fun while they lasted which was not long enough to give it a high value rating for a large dog or heavy chewer.
Final Thoughts
In the end, the Hartz Tuff Stuff was not tough at all. While it is built better than the average no-name plush toys and claims to be a “tough dog toy” it is by no means heavy duty. Eli was able to dismantle this toy in less than an hour which is long by his standards. The Hartz dog toy can last longer if you keep an eye on it and not let a dog chew on it for too long but eventually it will shred and you’ll have nice piles of fluff everywhere. Not recommended for power chewers or larger dogs.
