Why Does My Dog Feel the Need to Destroy All Soft Toys?

our mandie is a cockapoo and she rips every soft toy to shreds there is no way to stop her it appears to be her favorite past time activity I have been told by the vet that the resistance of the cloth tearing is a presented challenge and satisfaction is gained through complete destruction of the given item as she has annihilated some hard toys as well eg kong toys

1. How do I clean this type of toy?

Cleaning Stuffed Animals My husband and I are expecting our first child in December (we are very excited). Friends and coworkers have been giving us things for the baby and that is great! We've also received toys (for later of course). The plastic ones are no problem to clean but the stuffed animals have me concerned. How do you clean a stuffed animal? Can they go through the washer? Or will they become matted? If I just sponge them off, are they really clean? Surely, all the frugal garage sale shoppers have the answer to this one! Diane and Ed Use the Washer I always wash my children's stuffed animals. Put the toy in a pillow case and close with a large safety pin or tie the end in a knot. Wash as you normally would, and dry in the dryer. Elizabeth C For 'Finer' Animals Cleaning stuffed animals is very easy. The more expensive ones Dakin etc. can be washed in the washer inside a tied up pillowcase. The cheaper ones can be washed according grandma in a paper sack with some baking soda. Just shake. I have never had any complaints and I have two boys with very severe allergies. Laura Drying Animals To dry the animals, place them near a dehumidifier. After 2-3 days, all the water is removed from the toys and drying this way reduces the damage to fine hair or fur. (Dehumidifiers are also great for drying shoes and sneakers) If any area of the toy weakens when it becomes wet (like the neck), reduce the stress of this area by laying area flat during the drying process. Some toys are stuffed with natural fiber/material. These should not be immersed in water, but the fur can be wiped off with a soapy cloth and a clean wet cloth. Lynne The 'Brush Off' I have found that soft toys will wash generally in the washing machine and then I just brush them out with an old clean hairbrush (this helps get the matts out). It's worth a try. If you buy the toys at garage sales (and soft toys are easy to find because nobody wants to buy them--therefore you should get them VERY cheaply-- bargain for them especially at the end of the day) it's worth the risk for spending only a small amount of money. Sheila O'C Pretreat Spots I have always cleaned my son's stuffed animals in the washing machine. I put them into pillow cases and wash them using a gentle cycle with only a little detergent. If there are any really bad spots I will pretreat with a bit of detergent and either taking a rag to rub or a soft scrub brush. I have washed his animals like this for over 6 years and have never had a problem. You must remember not to overstuff the cases or the washing machine. I check the animals for any loose seams and put them back into the cases and put them into the dryer until dry. Some may need a slight brushing but most will come out almost like new. Janine Spray and Sponge I am a rep for a toy company (as well as the mother of two of the world formost stuffed animal collectors.) If you are looking to get them clean for appeance sake, use a mild all-purpose cleanser like Simple Green. Just spray it on and sponge it clean (with a little water.) Then, jsut to make sure that any invisable cooties are dead, I either leave it in the sun to dry or put it in the dryer for five or ten minutes if it looks like there are no parts that can melt. No animals have been harmed in this cleaning process. Kathi H Scheduled for Surgery It's a bit of a pain, but you can carefully slit a seam (or create one), making the hole large enough to fit your entire hand inside...about 5 to 6 inches should be enough. Carefully remove all the stuffing, set it aside, and wash the animal's "skin" in the washing machine (it helps to put it inside one of those net "delicate care" bags...this will prevent any stray bits of leftover stuffing from getting into all the other clothes that you are washing at the same time). Air dry, or put in the dryer for just a few minutes to fluff and finish with air drying - do not walk away while it's in the dryer and forget it! Re-install the stuffing (tear into small bits if it's matted), re-sew the seam, and you are done - really sanitary! This takes just a few minutes of time, but you get great results. If the original item was a bit limp, and you need more stuffing, you can use leftover batting, the insides of a pillow that you are retiring, small, cut-up portions of old, clean pantyhose, etc. Another advantage...now you know it can be washed and end up looking great, which is a big help in the future, as it will, no doubt, get dirty and need a wash again. Congratulations on the new baby - enjoy him/her! Anne in Maryland Polyester Problems I've got five kids, and we've cleaned many stuffed animals. The average teddy bear washes beautifully. I've totally ruined one, though. It was a stuffed dog, with kind of polyester stiff fur, and it was a mess! If the animal is really stiff, it may not wash, but most normal stuffed animals come out fluffier and softer, and really nice if yo

2. How are we supposed to have confidence in toy makers now?

It makes me wonder about old toys- I get a lot of hand-me-downs from my sisters and their toys are from awhile ago... I went through and pulled all our elmo, dora, and diego toys, but then they said the recall was from March 2007 on, but what about the toys from 2005 which is what mine are. But especially with babies, they have soft toys anyway and most of the toys I believe were hard plastic (painted with lead paint). Fuzzy toys and rattles would be very safe, they are much more cautious with toys made for age 1 and under or 6months and under. And it was a precaution I dont think any child got lead poisening from it. Plus age 3 and up do not tend to stick toys in their mouths, which I think were the ages on those toys.

3. how to wash clean old soft toys?

If the fabric is color safe, they can go in the washing machine on gentle or be washed by hand with a little detergent. Some tags even give washing instructions for the machine. I have put stuffed animals in the machine with success. Otherwise you could spray them with a solution of essential oils (like Thieves) diluted with water. This has antimicrobial properties and is natural. If the fabric is not color safe, I have heard you can put toys in the dryer to at least kill dust mites. I have not tried this though and it would not take out dirt or stains