Dog Toy Warning.....

Been buying this toy for over 15 years, but never again!

I all ways buy 2-3 at a time so there is a spare around. Having my 2 muts it never takes long before the rope gets pulled out and then they have 2 toys in a way. Couple days ago my muts are playing tug of war with each other with the separated rope to hear Rascal "yelp" in pain and it was clear his mouth is hurt. Small cut on the gums but nothing that needed a vet visit. We couldn't figure out WTF happened and shortly after the dogs were playing again. Deb was throwing a ball for Griffin and Rascal came to me with the rope........ the double knotted rope has a METAL washer on it!

Rite away I go and get the 2 other ropes laying in the yard and no metal washer, I go inside and get our other still in the package new one and it's got a metal washer in it!!!! Yesterday I visited the 2 local pet shops and showed my findings and both store managers were shocked to say the least. All there Aqwa Kongs on the rack had metal washers. Both stores removed them from sale, even the elderly lady manager said "who in there F'n rite mind would put a piece of metal in a god chew toy?"

After discussion at both stores, both managers said they have experienced people returning a well chewed and used toy for a exchange because the customer has complained the rope came out....... well DUH, it's not going to last forever! We were all thinking some corporate after receiving complaints came up with the rocket science idea that maybe a metal washer will stop the rope from coming out?.....in a dog chew toy

It's pretty dam clear the knot could be made a heck of a lot larger "if" that metal washer was the stupid thinking behind the idea, there is clearly enough room on the large end of the toy to do that. Or maybe I should just tie a old alternator bracket to a rope and toss it for my dogs, at least then I know there wouldn't be any surprises as to why my dogs mouth is beading!


Wonder why there IMPORTANT disclaimer does not mention 'this dog friendly toy contains a metal washer that may be harmful to your pet" How much more supervised can you get when you are playing with your dogs, the rope pulls out, and a minute later............

I have emailed "KONG" with these pics and very blunt WTF were you thinking letter.



I see lots of room on the bottom for a HUGE knot that would not need a metal washer!

 

Tedy hopefully your warnings will save other dogs from serious injury.
I agree, just a larger knot would do.

 

Those things are made in China, anyway. The manufacturer might claim those are counterfeit.
Looks like you once lost a nail due to an infection or through hammering. That fingerprint also looks familiar, Sir

 

Hans, the package clearly says "Made in US" on the bottom in Tedy's first post picture??

Tedy, message me with what store you contacted with the problem, I'm curious as I used to be connected with pet retailing.

 

Thanks for this post. I have sent it on to warn others. You really got to try and watch what your dogs are playing with. The manufacturers NEED to think more though!

 

Yup, the package I cut open and tossed said "Made in USA" , I never asked where the few pet stores purchased the product, but one did say "we buy directly from Kong, I will be phoning them"


Moto, I sent my email directly to.......

Copy/paste...

The KONG Company

16191 Table Mountain Parkway
Golden, CO 80403-1670Tel: 303.216.2626

When I phoned, all I was referred to was voice mail so I sent email with the pictures above via, from there site....

http://www.kongcompany.com/the-world-of-kong/contact-us/


Says 5 business days before response.......

I've sent my findings to the local pound, SPCA, and others. I got emails back ASAP, all who I have mentioned this to replied in shocked disbelief that this is what is in the toy!

I went and purchased a brand new one today, still in package (wall mart) to hang onto so nobody can say that I tampered with the product!



If this saves one dog from broken teeth, it's worth it to me!

 

We've got one of those for Lucy (small dog), sans rope (AFAIK, it never had a rope attached at all...) We stuff peanut butter in it, stick it in the freezer, then give it to each night for her treat......

 

A lot do not have a rope attacked, KK. But they do sell the same with rope for smaller dogs. We "used" to buy them because the rope gave a good throw ....... until the rope popped out, and we would buy another...........................

but then metal inside..... I have enough dog safe ropes from the common sense old toy that I could tie a rock, broken bottle, spare car parts too, that would be about as safe.............

 

The package with bi-lingual printed wrapper might be made in US. But, who's to say for certain that the contents are also made there? My ex-brother in law once showed me a supposed FIAT oil filter which was actually made in Tunesia. But, said "Made in Italy" to get around European Union customs stipulations and likely to get around Italian wage scales. My Polish ex-brother in law was a sales representative for FIAT in Poland where they built those 2 copies under license

 

It's common for humongous companies to state/claim this and that to then print "made in _____" when it's not really true, been happening for years. Where it is made is not the real problem here, what is being sold with there name on it is in question and the ethics and blunt lack of common sense behind it is................Sir.

 

As an aside, the original Kongs on the market had a Volkswagen part number on them. They were CV joint boots from the original VW Rabbit, and an employee took a defective one home and discovered his dog loved the thing! To this day, if you are desperate for a cv joint boot, a Kong will work as a temporary fix, because most places have a pet store, and they all carry these things.

 

Although, yes it was a VW part, but from a VW Bus. "Fitz" the German Shepard apparently loved to chew rocks and other harmful things......

http://www.kongcompany.com/the-world-of-kong/the-kong-story/

Kong Home Pages.....
http://www.kongcompany.com/the-world-of-kong/the-kong-story/
Quote.....
We’ve been making KONGs from our own proprietary, pet-safe, built-to-chew rubber ever since
( I believe the rubber is pet safe)

http://www.kongcompany.com/the-world-of-kong/rubber/
Quote.....
Safety is always at the top of our list. We would never make a bad decision for your best friend, period.

So, for the million dollar question..... if the danger of a dog chewing rocks witch are bad for any dog started this, how is a metal washer safe inside a dogs toy get combined with safety....out of site, out of mind thinking???:confused:


My rant is not about they toy coming apart, etc. It's a dogs toy, it's gona get trashed weather it be a big or small doge eventually, put 2 dogs in the mix and they toys life will be shorter. I had (as in past tense now) been buying these for years, Our old Kirby literally would chew them in half after a few weeks but there was never anything inside the toy that could possibly injure......

 

I have to agree that it is beyond insane and illogical that ANY pet product company would do such a thing! It screams "We don't know what we're doing" and I hope that there will be much learned from this both by Kong and by other companies. They're supposed to understand pets and what they mean to us pet parents! Tedy, I'm glad to hear that both Rascal and Griffin weren't badly hurt. Rascal shouldn't even have been hurt what little he was! Additionally, I was really glad to read that the stores took them off the shelves without hassle. Also, that washer is rusty! Outside of the very simple fact that is should not have been there in the first place, I would never knowingly let any of my pets have played with anything rusty, and if I found out that something they were playing with had rust or a rusty part I would be furious and made to wonder about the quality of the product in the first place. For me this washer represents 2 major issues. You wouldn't let your kids play with rusty things, why the hell would it be "okay" for pets?! I say "Screw that company!" and "I hope that they get sued!"

 

I have a little problem with Effie, and wondered if anyone has any ideas. She thinks she is a goat in a beagle body. Pop cans are a favorite treat for her. She eats them! I try to keep them away from her, but she really is part mountain goat. HOW do I convince her that metal is not normally part of a dog's diet?

 

They are built similar to goats. My niece just got a 3 month old half Collee (the small variety used for sheep-herding) and half Labrador. When we meet on weekends, she brings her dog and it seems it was bigger this week than last week. I play with it a little rough, since her parents want the dog to get used to not biting people when playing. It's teeth are indeed sharp. But, since it started eating biscuit-hard dog food, its teeth, this time around, were a little duller. They're enrolling it into dog school, so that it'll be reliably housebroken, no matter which home they visit (he created a puddle on the mother-in-law's Persian rug ), despite having been taken for a half hour stroll, minutes before. He likes to lay on his back to get pet (sometimes, I get the impression, he's waiting for other stimulation) and I teased him, yesterday, by pinching his thigh muscle, asking him if this is a goat leg or a sheep one, since the leg resembles a small version of both edible animals (well, I guess the dog is also edible in certain Asian countries) of whose legs get put over potatoes and spiced with rosemary, before getting into the oven