Dog toys may, at first glance, seem to be an indulgence and not a necessity. However, if you want to keep a puppy from chewing up furniture and cords, you need to find something else for it to chew on. That answer is dog toys. Even if your dog is much older, having a dog toy to chew on will help keep him from getting bored and has the added benefit of helping to keep his teeth clean. It also gives you, as the owner, a chance to interact with your pet by using dog toys with your dog while playing with him. You can also use dog toys as training tools for throw/retrieve exercises.