We’ve had a couple of them for a while now, but wanted to see how our German Shepherds liked the others. So, here are our thoughts on each toy:

Gourdo:

We’ve had the Gourdo for the longest out of all of these dog toys. I bought one a year ago for one of our dogs when she was a puppy.

Within an hour of giving the Gourdo to the dog, she chewed off the rope section of the toy. Aside from this, the toy has held up quite well. For a period of 4-5 months, this was her favorite toy that she’d carry around wherever she went.

In the past year, the dog has managed to chew off quite a few of the rubber bumps on the toy, but it’s still holding up pretty well. I bought a new one recently, but the old one is still quite frequently used. Over all, this was a pretty decent purchase that has held up better than several of the Kong brand toys I’ve bought in the past.

Hydro Plane:

It flies, it floats, it stands up to the jaws of 2 German Shepherds. Is there anything this toy can’t do?

We’ve had a Hydro Plane for about 6 months now. While this isn’t a chew toy, it has held up surprisingly well. We primarily use the Hydro Plane for fetch in the back yard ever since the dogs broke a Wubba after a month of use.

To say the dogs like the Hydro Plane would be a bit of an understatement. I recently had to buy a second one since they would fight over the toy after each throw. It got bad enough that I could only have one dog out at a time if I was going to throw the Hydro Plane.

After 6 months of use the dogs have yet to puncture the toy. The worst they’ve managed to do is cover it in slober and dirt. Thankfully the Hydro Plane washes off pretty easily with a garden hose.

If you happen to take your dog to a lake or pool, the Hydro Plane will actually float. It’s fairly large and easy to spot, so the dogs rarely lose track of the toy.

Lunker:

Think of the lunker as the stick version of the Hydro Plane. It’s made of the same material as the Hydro Plane, but the toy is a bit more substantial. Ruff Wear also makes the Lunker in 3 different sizes so you can pick the appropriate one for your dog.

We haven’t had this toy too long, but the dogs seem to enjoy it. Long term it appears that it will hold up just as well as the Hydro Plane.

SquareBall:

This is another brand new toy to our household. The SquareBall is a six sided rubber die with dog commands on 5 of the sides and a Ruff Wear logo on the 6th.

This is not a toy to throw around the house. It’s heavy and will eventually break a lamp if you do. That said, it’s a fantastic chew toy that our dogs can’t get enough of. This seems to be the most popular new dog toy in the house as the dogs will spend most of the day chewing on it if they can.

The best comparison I can make for the SquareBall is to the big red Kong ball. It’s hefty, the dogs love to play fetch with it, and it’ll last forever. I do like the SquareBall better than the Kong ball though. The dogs don’t lose it under the couch nearly as much as the Kong ball and the SquareBall doesn’t leave a rubber smell on your hands.

Sqwash:

If the SquareBall is the dogs’ favorite new toy, the Sqwash isn’t far behind. One of the dogs tends to hoard the SquareBall and the Sqwash at the same time to try and chew on both.

The Sqwash is quite a bit safer than the SquareBall to throw around the house as it’s much lighter. Thanks to the shape, it will bounce in unpredictable directions that always seem to fake the dogs out.

So far the toy seems to be holding up pretty well with little to no damage. I don’t think we’ve had it long enough to tell exactly how well it will hold up though. That said, I haven’t had any problems with Ruff Wear toys in the past. So, I doubt this will be an exception.

TurnUp:

If there had to be a disappointment in the entire lot of Ruff Wear’s toys, this would be it. Not due to the quality or design, but due to the lack of size choices.

I ordered the dogs toys via the internet, so I didn’t get a chance to check it out ahead of time. Since the company only offers one size, you’re stuck with what you get. Unfortunately, the TurnUp is bordering on a choking hazard for our larger dog. So, this is a toy that the smaller of the two dogs gets to enjoy all to herself.

That said, it’s a high quality toy that our dog likes to play fetch with. If you have a dog under 65lbs, you might want to check out the TurnUp.

Summary:

I have yet to buy a Ruff Wear dog toy that I’ve been disappointed with. The company quite clearly tests their products with actual dogs ahead of time. That’s more than can be said for quite a few of the toys you find at your local pet store. While my dogs ignore a few of the other brands we’ve brought home, they universally enjoy Ruff Wear toys. The only real downside I can see to Ruff Wear toys is that they can be a bit hard to find and they’re a bit more expensive than some of the other toys out there. However, they do last for what seems like an eternity. So, it’s money well spent.

Going on a long hike and bringing your dog with you? Outfit them in Ruff Wear’s Approach Pack and they can carry their own provisions! Read more for our full review.

While you may love having your dog accompany you on hikes, anything more than a few hours requires some extra food. All that kibble can add a significant amount of weight to your own pack. Ruff Wear designed the Approach Pack so that your dog can offset the heavy load for longer trips. The lightweight saddle-bag style construction is functional and designed specifically for optimum comfort for dogs.

Right away, the quality of the construction is quite obvious. Using materials you would see in your own pack, like waterproof zippers, gear loops, and reflective panels, ensures that the pack will hold up well against obstacles your four-legged friend might run into. The pack is easy to put on and features a five-point adjustment system for you to ensure that it fits your dog perfectly. In addition, it features their Web Master harness system, which has a provides stability and even load dispersion.

Attention to detail and care for your dog’s comfort is shown in small touches like the soft, padded strap covers and sturdy chest harness. Ruff Wear has made a point to make sure that there aren’t any seams that would irritate a dog on a long hike. It also features a strong handle, perfect for steering your dog through tough patches you may encounter on the trail. As far as carrying capacity, between the two saddlebags, the Approach Pack can hold quite a big of kibble–depending on sizing, it can hold anywhere from 700-975 cubic inches.

Although the pack is great for serving the purpose of carrying more gear (or food) on longer hikes with your dog, an added bonus is using it for training and exercise. During early tests, the Daily Hiker mascot proudly walked alongside during testing, happy to have a “job” to perform. By starting out light and slowly adding weight to the pack, she has not had a problem getting used to carrying the weight, which spares us a few pounds on the next hike.

The Approach Pack is available in a wide range of sizes and two colors. It retails for $74.95.

Product sample provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.