Chew Test Are Cheap Dog Toys Worth It?
We’ve all seen their ads, and some of us may have even bought a few cheap dog toys ourselves. The internet hosts many anecdotes about how inexpensive dog toys can sometimes be worth the risk or that they perform just as well as their more expensive counterparts. Every day we see more and more bulk dog toys from China listed on every major eCommerce marketplace. Their impressive marketing materials and small price tags are more difficult to resist than ever. So let us break the spell and give it to you straight; they are NOT worth it.
Dog toy regulations of the world generally follow standards set by already existing consumer protection regulations. The United States, for example, uses laws that apply to baby products for their dog toy manufacturing industry. To sell in the EU, you must have your dog toy tested and approved by various labs and agencies before you can even begin the export process. Now try to let that sink in; the leaders in safe dog toy production like the US and EU, still do not have dog toy-specific regulations concerning toxicity, materials, processes, etc. Southeast Asian countries have even looser laws on the same topic and they are responsible for manufacturing almost all of the budget dog toys we see online today.
Buying low-cost bulk dog toys to save money will net you with hefty Vet bills from surgeries and medications, making the most expensive dog toy price tags feel like chump change. While we can’t speak for every cheaper dog toys of the world, it is safe to say that they are equivalent to rolling the dice with your dog’s health and your hard-earned money on the line.
The Many Ways Cheap Dog Toys Can Harm Your Pooch
The primary concern is toxicity. Inexpensive dog toys are made with one thing in mind; corporate profit. Most non-toxic, human-safe materials took considerable high-skill labor and financial investments to even get started on the research phase. Low-cost dog toys don’t have enough profit margins to pay for that initial capital. Forget trials and Quality Assurance; low-priced dog toys are meant to be sold in bulk and distributed to as many retailers as possible. This is why toxic materials are used as part of the material compound used to make inexpensive dog toys, they minimize cost and maximize profit.
The second concern is durability and strength. It is simple if you think about it; put two of the same products side by side, and the more durable one would command a higher price. Why would anyone buy the less durable ones if they cost the same? Now combine that with the fact that it CAN’T be toxic; that kind of material or product would take a large sum of cash to make.
Case in point; windshields are more expensive than your regular glass panels because they would kill or severely damage anyone behind them upon impact if made from standard glass. It takes a lot of time, labor, and money to make better and safer glass for your windshields, which is why they’re not cheap compared to plain regular glass panels. From the same logic, dog toys that do not easily chip or splinter into small sharp pieces and are non-toxic would be more expensive than the mass-produced cheaper versions.
The third is responsibility and accountability. Dog toys that have a picture stapled onto a small plastic bag for labels is a red flag telling you that no one wants to be responsible when your dog gets hurt because of it—all but the store owner that puts that on their store shelf. There are cheaper dog toys with proper labeling, but we’re trying to keep it simple by targeting the obvious ones. Expensive dog toys tend to have accurate and detailed label information on accreditation, manufacturers, customer contacts, etc. The higher price tag usually comes with better after-sales service as well.
Alternatives to Cheap Dog Toys
If you want to save money on dog toys, you should explore a few alternatives: dog box subscription service and discounted dog toys are great places to start. A dog toy subscription service works by making sure they get money from you every month, which makes it possible for them to buy bulk dog toys and other dog products at a lower price and send you random selections to keep things interesting. If you feel you are not getting your money’s worth, cancel and move on. Other subscription providers could have better quality in their selections.
Discounted dog toys are widespread on eCommerce platforms as each competes for your business. Whether seasonal, monthly or for any other reasons, dog toys go on sale all the time. Not all discounted dog toys are the same though; some could be old stock taking up valuable warehouse space. Others could be discontinued products which could prove challenging to get information on exactly why it is no longer made. This is where newsletters and alerts are actually helpful. Subscribe to your favorite dog product platforms, and you could save money on their next discounted dog toys!
