How to Pick the Best Chew Toy for Your Puppy

Chewing is a natural instinct for all dogs.

Combine that with the teething that happens in the first six months of your puppy’s life, and you need to find the perfect chew toy ASAP!

Dogs explore the world by putting it into their mouths, so be prepared for your new puppy to chew on everything.

Your goal should be to provide safe and satisfying chew toys that will keep your pup happy while also keeping them away from items in your home that should not be chewed (your shoes!).

Each dog is different, but there are some things to keep in mind when choosing a chew toy for a puppy.

Here is a helpful guide to get you started.

8 weeks to 4 months – The teeth are all “baby” teeth. (1)

Your puppy needs softer toys that are gentler on the teeth and gums.
4 months to 6 months- This is the time of maximum chewing as your puppy is teething.

Gum discomfort and pain are common, and your puppy may crave more substantial chew toys.

This is also a great time for cooling chew toys that will bring relief to sore gums.

6 months to 1 year – At 6 months all the adult teeth have erupted, and this is the time to make sure you have a chew toy that is an appropriate strength and size for your dog’s new adult teeth. (2)

Chewing behavior may slow down some at this point.

It is imperative that good oral hygiene and dental care is instituted by this time to keep your puppy's teeth healthy.

This is a great age to introduce dental treats. (3)

To make sure the treat you are buying is cleaning your pet’s teeth, choose products that carry the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal of approval.

Small dogs under 10 lbs – These dogs tend to be lighter chewers and due to their smaller size, have more delicate teeth.

Aim for smaller rubber bones, small woven rope toys, and dental chews.
Medium dogs – In this category we find many of our working breeds that are highly intelligent and high energy. (4)

We also find many of the pups that tend to ingest their toys as opposed to simply chewing on them.

This is a great group for puzzle toys. These toys require your pup to think and can keep them busy for hours.

Be wary of plush toys and rope toys if your pet likes to swallow instead of just chewing.
Large dogs – These are our “super chewers”.

This group of dogs can be difficult to satisfy as they often destroy their toys in an afternoon.

Toys need to be selected for durability, but also for safety.

Many items sold as chew toys can be dangerous, including cow hooves, bones, and deer antlers.

These products are too hard and often fracture the dog’s teeth, which leads to the tooth having to be removed.

For reference, if you cannot easily sink your thumbnail into the toy, it is too hard to give to your pet to chew.

Cuddlers – These pups look to their chew toys as companions.

They often enjoy plush type toys and will carry them around the house with them.

Always supervise your puppy with their toys, but true cuddlers are responsible with their toys and rarely rip them apart or eat them.

These dogs can be trusted with all types of chew toys, but often prefer plush toys.
Destroyers – In contrast to the cuddlers, these spirited pups like to pull apart their toys and inflict as much damage as possible.

A destroyer likes to annihilate the toy, often to get to the squeaker inside, or just to see it in shreds, but does not eat it.

These pups will make short work of plush toys, so these are often not a great choice.

With supervision, rope toys can be fun as the unwinding process can be very entertaining for this group.

These dogs also do well with the harder to destroy toys made of rubber and puzzle toys.
Eaters – As the name implies, these dogs are less about chewing and more about eating their toys.

These puppies need to always be supervised with a new toy as many gastrointestinal foreign body obstructions happen in these pets.

They tend to do well with large rubber toys and soft nylon bones.

Well-constructed puzzle toys are also a good option but be wary of small pieces or thin plastic that can be ingested.

Be patient - You and your puppy are just getting to know each other.

Figuring out what type of chewer they are and what type of chew toys they prefer may take time and some trial and error.
Things change- As your puppy ages, their needs and preferences will too.

Your puppy is growing very quickly and teething can be hard on them.
Variety is good! – They say it is the spice of life, and your puppy likely agrees.

Try a few different types of chew toys and see which ones your puppy spends the most time chewing.