Product Review: West Paw Zogoflex Air Wox

The nice people at the West Paw Design booth gave me this Zogoflex Air Wox toy at SuperZoo. It's got a unique texture that is clearly irresistible.  The shape is obviously fun to bite, given how much biting goes on around here. It's also fun to shake and tug. There are two other toys in the Zogoflex Air line, a disc and a ball. All are backed by West Paw's one-time replacement guarantee, and you can get a sturdier toy as a replacement. These are recyclable, dishwasher safe, they float, and they are made in the USA.

Photo by Erin Koski

It don't know what it is about this thing, but Sisci Godzilla feels compelled to hoard it in her crate. She's not gnawing on it in there, she just...likes to take it with her.

I'm pleased with the Wox because it combines several qualities that I don't normally find in the same toy. It floats, and it floats high in the water so that dogs can spot it while they're swimming. It's soft, so if I accidentally bean my dog with it, she'll be ok. We can play tug with it. It's durable and doesn't scream "SHRED ME!!!" like toys with fabric covers or ropes seem to.

Photo by Erin Koski

The shape of this thing is particularly fun. The legs wobble all over the place, and when the dogs bite or shake it, those legs thwap them in the face. For some reason they LOVE this. Face thwapping seems to be a major perk.

Pros: Durable enough to handle quite a bit of chomping. Guaranteed for a one-time replacement if your dog manages to shred it. As a tug toy, it's easy on both my hands and my dog. Floats high enough for dogs to see even if they are swimming with their eyeballs barely above the waterline. Does not absorb water. No parts to rip or shred. If I set it on its feet on a hard floor and nudge it, I can kinda make it walk.

Cons: Not as durable as some of the original Zogoflex toys, it's an interactive toy and not a let-your-dog-reach-chewing-nirvana toy.

Bottom Line: It's a weird toy made out of a weird material and my dogs LOVE IT.