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Before getting my first puppy I never bothered to ask: “What are the best chew toys for a puppy?” I just went to the nearest pet store, grabbed the cutest, squeakiest, squirrel toy and brought it home to Linus.
Two years later, before bringing home my first guide dog puppy, our group leader suggested I bring a plush toy to rub all over Stetson’s litter mates. Getting the scent of litter mates on a plush toy would make our puppy’s first night home more comfortable.
Fast forward 10 years and we finally found our favorite plush toy for puppies. The Snuggle Puppy w/ Heartbeat & Heat Pack is by far our favorite puppy toy during the first week with a new pup.
Not only do we get the scent of the litter mates on our Snuggle Puppy, we have the added bonus of a heartbeat and heat pack to comfort our puppy during those first few nights.
However, over the years we learned that plush toys are great for young puppies, but as they get older our little Goldens and Labs tend to shred the basic stuffed squirrel (they love extracting the squeaker).
So, if you’re like me then you’re always on the look out for the best chew toys for your puppy.
Something durable, entertaining, fun, and…DURABLE!
Best Chew Toys For A Puppy
We recently received this email from one of our readers:
Wanted to find out any additional puppy toy suggestions you have? We have a stuffed duck. A rope. A Kong. Any other references for best toys? Thanks and have a good. We have an 8 week old golden retriever pup.
—K.G.
Over the years I feel like we’ve purchased every puppy chew toy under the sun.
The good news is every year companies come up with new, innovative chew toys for puppies.
Here’s our quick list of Best Chew Toys For A Puppy.
Our Top Picks
- BEST OVERALL CHEW TOY: KONG Classic Dog Toy
“Dublin loved his Classic KONG. We love it’s versatility.” - BEST CHEW TOY FOR PUPPIES UNDER 3 MONTHS: Snuggle Puppy
“We gave Charlie a Snuggle Puppy during his first night…not a peep!” - BEST NATURAL CHEW TOY: Best Bully Sticks
“Our pups love them! We love the pups chew on the sticks vs our hands.” - BEST INTERACTIVE CHEW TOY: Hide-A-Squirrel Puzzle Dog Toy
“Cute, adorable, and practical. Adelle loved pulling out the squirrels.” - BEST DURABLE CHEW TOY: Goughnut – Indestructible Chew Toy
“Possibly the most durable chew toy on the market.” - BEST BUDGET CHEW TOY: Leather Fox Dog Toy
“We love the leather texture and at just over $1 it fits the budget.” - BEST CUTE CHEW TOY: Mr. Bill Dog Toy
“I may be dating myself, but I love Mr. Bill and his patented “Oh No!”
What We Look For When Picking Chew Toys For Our Puppies
Okay guys and gals you may not like my answers because you’re going to have to pull out your check book (does anyone truly still have a check book) if you want to follow my advice.
For openers you should have lots of puppy toys…lots of them!
When it comes to the best chew toys for a teething puppy you need variety.
That’s right! There’s not a one size fits all when it comes to the best puppy toys.
Here’s our list of what we look for when we pick the best chew toys for our pup:
- Durable – What good is a puppy chew toy if it only lasts 5 minutes before it’s destroyed?
- Texture – Puppies get bored with the same type of toy so we always keep our eye out for different textures like fluffy, extra furry, rubbery, leathery…you get the picture.
- Interactive/Puzzles – We are always harping on our readers to not just exercise your puppies body, but the mind as well. Interactive dog toys are a great way to tire out your puppy’s mind.
- Variety – If all your puppy toys are plush stuffed toys with squeakers your puppy will get bored in a hurry.
- Price – We have puppies throughout the year and in fact this past summer we had a litter of 10 puppies. The little ones and small breed dogs don’t need the higher priced durable products. A budget toy will do just fine with our smaller pups.
- Cuteness – Yep, it’s a factor when we choose our puppy toys…especially if my wife is with me 🙂
- DURABLE! – Did I already say durable? When you have a mouthy lab puppy you need something that is close to indestructible.
After reading the above list you probably guessed that we have a lot of puppy toys. Yup, our house is a puppy playground, but we have one more thing we need to mention:
Don’t let your puppy play with all their toys all the time.
We only allow our puppies to play with one or two toys at a time. If they get bored with those toys then we pick them up and give them new toy.
That’s why it’s important to have variety and different textures. You can keep your puppy entertained and interested for long periods of time.
7 Best Chew Toys For A Puppy
Drumroll please…
Actually you probably already saw the TL;DR section above so no drumroll necessary.
We broke our list up into 7 “Best of” categories and also listed a couple of Honorable Mentions just in case you don’t like our picks or you want other puppies to be jealous of your pup’s toy box.
Without further adieu:
Best Overall Chew Toy: KONG Classic Dog Toy
I guess you could say our best all around chew toy for puppies is the KING! Get it? KING KONG? Yeah, I know I’m dumb.
Seriously, we love our KONG. It’s versatile, durable, and fun.
The KONG was Dublin’s favorite toy when he was training to be a guide dog. You could give it to him and he’d sit their and gnaw on it for a good thirty minutes.
DESCRIPTION
Offering enrichment by helping satisfy dogs’ instinctual needs, the KONG Classic’s unique all-natural red rubber formula is ultra-durable, with an erratic bounce that is ideal for dogs that like to chew, while also fulfilling a dog’s need to play. Want to extend play time? And to add some extra fun into the mix, this toy can be stuffed with KONG’s Stuff’N Easy Treat, Snacks or Ziggies (sold separately) or any of her favorite rewards like peanut butter, yogurt or kibble! – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
One of our favorite uses for the KONG is during crate training. If your puppy is having issues in the crate, try stuffing your KONG with a treat and freezing. The next time you have to crate your pup give him his frozen KONG to gnaw on.
The shape of a KONG reminds me of a football. When you play fetch with it bounces erratically keeping your puppy on his toes.
PROS
- Dublin’s favorite toy and it lasted him throughout puppyhood.
- You can freeze and stuff your KONG which makes for a great treat.
- Add a few treats through the bottom and your pup will be mentally stimulated trying to remove the treats.
CONS
- Some of our pup’s didn’t care to play with it.
- While durable we have seen some dogs destroy their KONG.
- Has a rubber smell that some people dislike.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST OVERALL
- Nylabone Double Action Dog Chew – This was Adelle’s favorite chew toy (and a favorite of many of our other service dog pups). Be careful when your puppy walks around with this in her mouth. After a few days/weeks the plastic ends get jagged. Adelle dropped this bone on my bare foot more then once…OUCH!
- Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy – Raven is testing a Benebone Wishbone right now. It’s her early Thanksgiving/Christmas present. So far so good!
Best Chew Toy For Puppies Under 3 Months: Snuggle Puppy with Heart Beat & Heat Pack
The Snuggle Puppy is literally the first item on our new puppy checklist.
Before we pick up a new puppy we always make sure we have a Snuggle Puppy. Why? Because we take this plush toy and rub it all over our pup’s litter mates.
Getting the scent of the litter mates helps your puppy feel more comfortable when moving to his new home. This can be especially helpful when you start crate training your puppy.
DESCRIPTION
Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Aid Dog Toy is designed to help your dog cope with everyday stressors. This comforting toy recreates the intimacy and physical warmth that your nervous pup craves in times of stress due to loneliness, fear and separation anxieties. This stuffed animal behavioral aid also features a real-feel, pulsing heartbeat and heat source that works to calm your pup and reduce negative behaviors such as barking and whining. – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
We use our Snuggle Puppy as substitute litter mate during crate training. It’s an adorable plush toy with a heart beat and heat pack. We put a Snuggle Puppy in the crate with Charlie on his first night home and not a peep until 7am the next day!
Today we get a Snuggle Puppy every time we bring home a new service dog puppy. So far (we’re 3 for 3) we haven’t had a fussy puppy at night thanks to our Snuggle Puppies!
If you’re having problems getting your puppy to sleep through the night then I highly recommend trying a Snuggle Puppy.
PROS
- Great to help with crate training during your puppies first nights home.
- Innovative heart beat and heat pack simulates a litter mate.
- It’s soft, snuggly, and cute.
CONS
- You only get 3 heat packs with your Snuggle Puppy.
- It’s not durable.
- Some pups are afraid of the ticking heart beat.
Snuggle Puppy FYI – There is an older model of the Snuggle Puppy that has an issue. It had a large stitched on nose that Charlie thought was great fun to play with and pulled off within the first few days. He could have very easily swallowed the nose. I’d advise against purchasing the older model.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST CHEW TOYS FOR PUPPIES UNDER 3 MONTHS
- Nylabone Puppy Starter Pack – We bought one of these for Linus many, many moons ago. One of the bones in the pack is edible. The others are not. Your puppy will most likely outgrow these starter Nylabones. When our pup’s are teething we keep one of these in our pocket and when our puppy grabs our hand with his mouth we slowly pull out our hand and replace with a Nylabone.
- N-Bone Puppy Teething Ring – We have a package of these waiting at home to test with our next puppy. It comes highly rated, but at this time we have not used it with one of our pups. Stay tuned…
Best Natural Chew Toy: Best Bully Sticks
Our puppies love Bully Sticks! However, if you don’t already know…
Q: What is a Bully Stick?
A: Bully Stick = Beef Pizzle = Bull Penis
DESCRIPTION
Made with only 100% beef pizzle, this bully stick is high in protein, low in fat and is a safe alternative to rawhide treats! Not only will your pup enjoy chomping down on this protein-rich treat, but it will also naturally help remove tartar and build-up, promoting healthy gums, teeth and overall dental health. Watch your pal chew to his heart’s content on a treat you both can feel good about! – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
This is our favorite natural chew toy for puppies. We discovered bully sticks way back when we got our first puppy, Linus.
We usually get 6 or 12 inch Bully Sticks which can last quite a while with the smaller puppies. As your pup reach adulthood they will consume these chews much more quickly.
The biggest drawback we’ve found is the smell. I won’t lie. These things stink! However, you can find some that aren’t as stinky.
We’ve found that the Best Bully Sticks advertised as “odorless” are the best (least stinky). However, they too have a strong odor once your puppy starts chomping away.
PROS
- Can entertain your puppy for long periods.
- Relieves your puppy’s need to teeth/chew.
- Natural product made from real beef pizzle.
CONS
- Can be a choking hazard when it gets too small.
- Even though Best Bully Sticks advertise odor free they do have an odor. However, not nearly as bad as some others we’ve tried.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST NATURAL
- Himalayan Dog Chews – I usually order a pack of Bully Sticks and Himalayan Dog Chews at the same time. Again, it’s important to get different textures when getting chews for your dog.
- Deer Antlers – Somewhat controversial as a chew toy as some of our readers have had some difficulties with deer antlers as chew toys. Some aggressive chewers ended up with cracked teeth. Know your puppy and proceed with caution.
Best Interactive Chew Toy: Hide-A-Squirrel
Cute, adorable, interactive, and fun! What more could you ask for? Maybe more durable!
DESCRIPTION
Treat your pup to hide-and-seek fun with Hide A Squirrel! Just stuff the squeaky squirrels in the plush tree trunk, and watch as your dog sniffs them out. To keep the game going, just stuff them in again and again! – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
We love our hide-a-squirrel. One of our favorite parts is it simulates the de-stuffing of a regular plush toy.
However, it’s still not a super durable dog toy. Just like any plush toy the hide-squirrell will eventually meet it’s demise even with a moderate chewer.
PROS
- It’s a cute and fun for your pup.
- We like how it simulates the de-stuffing of a regular plush toy.
- It’s like 4 toys in one. 3 Squirrels plus the plush wood log.
CONS
- Just like most plush toys it’s not very durable.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST INTERACTIVE
- Jolly Ball – Dublin’s all time favorite chew toy. We’d buy him a new one every year and bring it to him in Arizona. The good news his old one would survive the year. The bad news it was usually in terrible shape with holes and a shredded rope. FYI – we like the Jolly Ball with the rope vs the one with the handle.
- KONG Wobbler – One of our favorites. Technically not a chew toy and if you’re puppy does use it as a chew toy (like Stetson did) then he’s using it wrong. Stetson did a full review of the KONG Wobbler way back when.
Best Durable Chew Toy: Goughnut – Indestructible Chew Toy
Looks and smells like a rubber tire. Heavy and durable as heck!
DESCRIPTION
The GoughNuts Ring Dog Toy was designed to give pups a safer, tougher chew toy. This natural rubber ring is made in the USA using engineered carbon reinforcement. Each GoughNuts toy has two layers — the outer color indicates the strength, and the inner core is always red to serve as a safety indicator. Red means stop, so when a dog chews down to this red layer, you know it’s time to order a new GoughNuts Ring. This GoughNuts Ring bounces, rolls and even floats, so it can stand up to extreme games of fetch and all types of outdoor play. – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
Our dogs originally played with Goughnuts at friend’s house many years ago. Recently we bought Raven a Goughnut of her own. She’s not the heaviest of chewers so not a good test subject. However, one of our most destructive puppies, Dublin was never able to destroy a Goughnut.
We’re going to get one of these for our friends aggressive chewer, Higbee to see if he can destroy the much vaunted, Goughnut.
PROS
- Durable. This is one tough chew toy!
- Floats in water.
- Made in the USA.
CONS
- They have a strong smell like a tire.
- Power chewers have been known to destroy the Goughnut.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST DURABLE
- KONG Extreme Dog Toy – Dublin was the aggressive chewer in our pack. He barely left a mark on the KONG Extreme. Although he also didn’t like the Extreme as much as the Classic KONG Toy.
- West Paw Zogoflex Hurley Durable Dog Bone Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers – That’s a mouthful! We first met with the folks at West Paw Design back in 2016. We love their products and they have a good reputation for being durable. Raven is the first to test out our new Zogoflex Dog Bone.
Best Budget Chew Toy: Leather Fox Dog Toy
We got a few of these leather toys when Archer was a puppy. We love the leather texture, but it’s lifespan left a lot to be desired.
DESCRIPTION
The Dura-Fused Leather Fox Dog Toy is strong enough to withstand regular playtimes while soft enough for your pup to curl up with in his downtime. This durable toy fuses real leather and jute together to create two layers for added strength. The seams are then double stitched with a heavy duty thread for extra protection against tough chewers. – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
We like this toy because it’s a different texture for our puppies. It works well with the young ones (under 10 weeks old).
Okay folks. At the time of this writing the leather fox is only $1.22. Lower your expectations. This is not a durable toy. If you have a light chewer or a young puppy then this might be a good toy for your pup.
UPDATE 11/15/2020: When updating this post for 2021 we noticed that this product was out of stock. We’ve seen this often on Chewy site and will check back. If our budget toy is still out of stock we’ll make an update to our list. Thanks!
PROS
- Good for young puppies and smaller pups.
- It’s inexpensive ($1.22 at the time of this writing)
- We like the leather texture to add to our chew toy mix.
CONS
- It’s not durable.
- Stitching unravels rather quickly even with our small pups.
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST BUDGET CHEW TOY
- Stuffing Free Monkey Dog Toy – For a couple bucks you can have you’re own “Monkey Dog”. Just kidding it’s a Monkey Toy for Dogs. Get it? Yeah that’s not funny. Sorry…
- KONG Squeezz Ball Dog Toy – There was this company called DuraDoggie. We loved their toys. The KONG Squeezz is the closest thing we could find to the DuraDoggie Chew Toys.
Best Cute Chew Toy: Mr. Bill Dog Toy
Mr. Bill: “Oh No!”
DESCRIPTION
Enjoy playtime fun as much as your furry pal with the Multipet Mr. Bill Plush Dog Toy. Inspired by the hit vintage skit from Saturday Night Live, it has a built-in voice box that yells Mr. Bill’s hilarious catchphrase when squeezed. Made for dogs of all ages, it’s great for playing fetch as it’s easily tossed, and it makes a soft cuddle buddy that’s always ready for nap time. Reinforced stitching and no plastic parts make this a toy to be loved. – Chewy.com
OUR EXPERIENCE
The Mr. Bill Dog Toy was a hit at our Christmas party a couple years ago and why not? Who can resist the adorable “Oh No” when you squeeze Mr. Bill?
Just like the leather fox this toy is not too durable. We kept a close eye on our pup’s when they played with Mr. Bill.
We were able to preserve him and his little sound box for a few months, but eventually Apache cracked the plastic sound maker and soon after removed his stuffing. 🙁
PROS
- Nostalgic, cute, funny. If you’re a Mr Bill fan you’ll like this toy.
- Relatively inexpensive.
CONS
- It’s not durable.
- The plastic noise maker can be a choking hazard
HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST CUTE CHEW TOY
- Hedge Hog Hide & Seek Plush Dog Toy – Baby Hedgehogs are just plain cute. Nuff said.
- Gumby Dog Toy – Okay reaching back to my childhood again. This one has a regular squeaker so not nearly as cool as Mr. Bill. FYI – there is also a rubber Gumby which we have not yet tested
Are Puppy Chew Toys Safe?
It’s a simple question:
Q: Are Puppy Chew Toys Safe?
A: YES, but know you’re puppy. Monitor your puppy when he’s playing with a toy. It’s your responsibility to keep your puppy safe.
Dublin was my most aggressive chewer and at one point we removed all of his plush toys from the house because he would not only destroy them, but swallow pieces which made for choking or even blockage hazards.
Plush toys were off limits for Dublin, but we were able to give him other toys like KONG toys, Nylabone, Jolly Ball, Bully Sticks, etc.
Dublin could be left alone with a KONG Extreme and he wouldn’t destroy or consume any parts.
However, some puppies can destroy a KONG Extreme or even a Goughnut and swallow the rubber parts. If this is your puppy then please do not leave your pup alone with any kind of chew toy.
Some of the chew toys we’ve recommended are very hard and some aggressive chewers can crack their teeth.
Again, if this is your puppy then stay away from the hard chew toys like the Benebone, Deer Antlers, Nylabone Durachew, and the many other hard chew toys on the market.
Know your puppy. Monitor your puppy when he has a chew toy.
Final Thoughts
It amazes me that I tried almost every toy on this list before I even started writing this review (the few I did not Raven is playing with as we speak).
It goes to show you 13+ years of raising service dog puppies equals lots of puppy chew toys.
One thing that has been pounded into my head by our guide dog group leaders. Get a variety of chew toys with different textures so your puppy won’t get bored.
That’s a total of 21 different chew toys on our list! So lots of different textures to keep your puppies entertained.
What about you guys?
Does your puppy have a favorite chew toy?
What do you think are the best chew toys for a puppy?
Tell us about you experiences in the comment section below.
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Top Picks For Our Puppies
- BEST PUPPY TOY
We Like: Snuggle Puppy w/ Heart Beat & Heat Pack – Perfect for new puppies. We get all of our Service Dog pups a Snuggle Puppy. - BEST DOG CHEW
We Like: Best Bully Sticks – All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors. - BEST DOG TREATS
We Like: Wellness Soft Puppy Bites – One of our favorite treats for training our service dog puppies.
Check out more of our favorites on our New Puppy Checklist.
