There are oodles of dog toys available to buy. They vary greatly in price, the way they are made, what they are made of and the type of dog they are suitable for. So, if you've just acquired a new furry member of the family for the first time - Congratulations! - we've compiled a guide to help you select toys that will keep your new friend amused and hopefully save you a few pennies!

Before you even consider which type of toy to buy - think about what type of dog you have - their personality, breed, age and whether you have just the one or more dogs in your family. If you have an only dog consider a toy that you can both enjoy as playing with your dog encourages and deepens the bond between you - not to mention it's great fun and excercise.

Personality: is your dog boisterous, quite or timid, a hoarder, possessive or playful? Toys can play an important part in your dogs education - so if he is timid, a soft plush comforter toy can help give him some security and make him feel at home in strange places or while you are away from home. A more interactive toy, such as a tug toy can help to bring him out of his shell and encourage him to play with you. Some dogs hoard everything and even bury their toys, so something that withstands a bit of a scrub such as a rubber dog toy is a better idea. If you have a boisterous dog, retrieval games and obedience games can help calm and focus your dog when he is given a task to do, rather than becoming even more over excited than usual.

Breed: some breeds have specific traits. They have all been bred with a type in mind and many for a particular purpose or job. Retrieval and hunting dogs love exactly what their name implies - fetching things. A great type for self excercising as any throw toy makes a run in the park a breeze. Even if you're not an olympic shot putter, there are toys that mean anybody can throw a ball far enough to give any dog a good run.

The Launch A Ball	and even the Humunga Tongue

will allow you throw a fair way without picking up a slobbery ball. Other breeds such as Terriers and Staffies are confirmed chewers. The ability to chew through a fairly solid object is not dictated by size - some of the most destructive breeds are fairly small - Staffies have extremely powerful jaws and most enjoy chewing almost to prove a point.

Some breeds such as Lurchers who generally have a very placid nature and that don't require that much exercise may prefer a more sedate toy or something to think about such as an I-Qube that they can mull over whilst lying in front of the fire, just before tea is ready.

Age: Some toys are designed specifically for puppies - not only are they generally smaller but many are designed to help when your puppy is teething, with massaging pimples or ridges to soothe sore gums. Puppies have very sharp needle teeth, so toys need to be quite robust and checked regularly for wear.

Types of toy available: dog toys come in a bewildering variety of colours, sizes, shapes and materials. Plush toys are soft, generally filled with polyester padding and quite often contain a squeaker. These are the toys we all love, but they aren't suitable for chewers and some puppies - dogs are particularly keen to sound and the squeakers quite often set off their 'hunting' instinct - so plush toys may not stay plush for long! A lot of dogs like to carry toys - as many Spaniels do - so plush toys can help soak up slobber as well as being washable!

Vinyl dog toys are your general hollow rubber squeakers such as Lost Soles - some cheaper makes are very thin and many dogs will make a determined effort to get the squeaker. They are cheaper but of all the toys they have the shortest play life.

Interactive toys such as the Intellibone are designed to engage your dogs brain while he plays. Dogs, as well as people, learn the most if the situation is enjoyable, so play time equals education!	A great excuse not to work and have some fun with your dog so the Dog Agility Starter Kit is a fantastic way to have some fun and improve your dogs obedience and flex his grey matter.

Heavy duty dog toys are designed for chewers and dogs that really know how to play. Either rubber, plastic or solid nylon they are designed to take some stick. However, no dog toy is indestructible, some dogs are such voracious chewers even a ball made of solid concrete won't last.

So, if you have a dog with jaws of steel invest in a Boomer Ball	or a Kong and be sure to check it regularly for wear and tear. Black Kongs

are the hardest and be sure to choose a size that your dog can't fit readily into his mouth.

The best judge of what type of toy is suitable for your dog is you, know his likes and dislikes and his play habits and choose a toy accordingly. Most of all, the most beneficial thing you can do, is play with him! Playing with your dog reduces stress, improves your fitness as well and is the most fun part of owning a dog. Enjoy!