15 Best Chew Toys for Puppies – Perfect for Teething Dogs!

When you become a new pup parent, it’s hard to know what the best chew toys for puppies are when there are so many options available. Where do you start?

We’ve been through many, many toys between our dog, Toby, and the other pups in our family. Too many to count.

After years of being around puppies and trying what seems to be every toy on the market, we’ve narrowed it down to our 15 favorites.

Buyer’s Guide: Best Toys for Puppies

Our guide to the best toys for puppies is determined by dog owners who have found the best toys to keep their small furry friend occupied and engaged.

Puppies have loads of energy they need to burn off, not to mention they are teething and need something to constructive to chew. This means it’s important they have plenty of options for chew toys.

Bonus: BarkBox Subscription

Before we begin our list of the best toys for puppies, let’s talk about BarkBox.

You’ve probably heard of BarkBox before. If not, here’s the lowdown: It’s a subscription service where every month a box full of cool dog treats and toys is delivered to your doorstep. The box includes 4-6 items curated from their current collection.

What we love about this is that it’s a fun surprise for dogs and pup parents alike. Getting a delivery every month is exciting! It’s also a convenient way to try out new treats and toys that you probably never would have heard of.

Why we like it:

• You get a special delivery every month with new toys and treats
• It’s a great way to find out which toys your dog likes best
• The subscription is backed by industry-leading customer service

Check it out

1. Classic KONG for Puppies

When it comes to the best toys for puppies, the classic KONG toy is something every new dog owner should buy, in our opinion. I’ve mentioned it before, but we STILL have the original KONG we got Toby when he was a puppy. He has completely demolished just about every toy he has ever received except the classic KONG.

How it works is that you slip in a treat, a bit of peanut butter or both into the cylinder and your dog has to really work to get a taste. The outside is made of durable rubber, so it holds up to sharp puppy teeth.

There are so many benefits to giving this to your puppy. For starters, it keeps them physically and mentally stimulated for long periods of time. (Which gives new puppy parents a much-deserved break!)

Also, the puppy version of this product is especially good for soothing their sore gums and giving them an outlet for their aching chompers.

2. Rope Toys

A rope toy is a basic but essential toy for young dogs. A list of best toys for puppies just wouldn’t be complete without this.

Dogs love to chew to the knotted rope and relieve some pressure on their teeth. As a pup parent, you can jump in and use the rope for a game of fetch or engage in tug of war.

Also worth noting, a rope toy also has great benefits for their teeth. Chewing on the rope cleans their teeth, reduces plaque build-up and massages the gums

3. Chuckit! Small Ultra Ball

This is another toy that has stood the test of time for us. Toby goes through tennis balls in 30 seconds or less. No joke. He shreds it like he’s taking a bite out of an apple and spitting it out.

But with the Chuckit! ball, he still hasn’t made a dent, which might be one of the most miraculous things I’ve ever seen in my life. We’re going on four years and it’s still going.

In addition to being highly during, the Chuckit! ball bounces more than other balls and also floats.

Puppies love to chew and have lots of energy, and this toy takes care of both problems.

4. KONG Puppy Teething Stick

Does it seem like your puppy is chewing EVERYTHING? Shoes, socks, furniture, your hand, pretty much anything they can get their paws on?

The KONG puppy teething stick is a good distraction. Designed exclusively for a puppy’s mouth, the stick is highly durable and features grooves where you can add peanut butter or one of the KONG Stuff’N Easy Treat flavors to entice your pup.

This toy retails for under $5, making it a much more affordable chew toy than your new pair of shoes.

5. OurPets Smarter Toys Interactive IQ Treat Ball

We love the OurPets Smarter Toys Interactive IQ toys. In fact, we own both the ball and the cube.

For puppies, however, we highly recommend the ball. Why? It’s smaller and more manageable for puppies and moves more quickly.

All you have to do is remove the top, add a small handful of dog food and put the top back on. Dogs push the ball around and slowly but surely, kernels of food pop out as their reward.

Toby was a hyperactive, extra large puppy, and this toy kept him occupied for ages, so without a doubt, it’s one of the best toys for puppies.

6. Nylabone Durable Dental Dinosaur Chew Toy

Nylabone products are awesome because they mimic the tough exterior of a bone or rawhide but they’re much harder to destroy. In fact, Toby just finished chewing through his Nylabone after nearly four years.

For the best toys for puppies, you can’t skip Nylabone. We love the adorable dinosaur-shaped chews. They’re so fun and youthful, just like a puppy.

The long-lasting toy helps alleviate some of the tooth pain your pup is experiencing. And you see those ridges on the dino? They’re actually ridges to clean teeth and control tartar and plaque.

7. KONG Puppy Flyer

Playing fetch with a frisbee is something many new pup parents envision when they are raising their puppy. The KONG flyer gives you an early start.

This toy differs from other frisbees in the fact that it’s smaller and more fitting for a puppy. Made out of a specialized rubber formula, the flyer provides a soft catch that won’t hurt a dog’s teeth. It’s also highly durable and stands up to a puppy’s chewing.

If you have a young dog, this is one of the best toys for puppies you’ll find.

8. Tough By Nature Hol-ee Roller

This is a fantastic, versatile toy for young pups. The open design allows you to stuff treats, fabric, socks, whatever you want. It’ll be so close yet so far away, protected by the durable rubber casing.

Some of the best toys for puppies challenge dogs both phsyically and mentally, and this toy definitely does both. We also love that it gives you the flexiblity to mix things up so your dog will never get bored.

9. Benebone Bacon Stick

Toby had one of these as a puppy, and it was so interesting to see him chew this in comparison to rawhide bones. The rawhide bones would be gone within 10 minutes. Give him 10 minutes with the Chew Stick and he’d barely leave a scratch.

Another great feature is that it looks like a stick – something dogs love to play with. This version is much better for them, though. No slivers or choking hazards.

10. Best Bully Sticks

Here’s an option that functions a bit as a toy, but also as a treat. Basically a treat that lasts longer than most & will keep your dog chewing for awhile!

We’ve been giving these to our dog Toby for a long time now, and continue to give them to him as full grown lab. He totally loves these things and they’re a lifesaver when we need to occupy him for a little while.

11. Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Dog Toy

The Outward Hound borough toys are some of the cutest, most adorable options for dogs ever. We bought one of these for my brother’s dog, Theo, and he absolutely adores it.

The squirrel seems to be their most popular design, which isn’t surprising considering how gosh-darn cute it is. (The version we got Theo is a banana with baby monkeys.)

How it works is that you hide the stuffed animals in the “borough,” in this case a stuffed tree stump, and encourage your dog to seek them out.

This is definitely not a great option for the most vigorous chewers, but for sweet, young puppies who need constant stimulation, it’s perfect.

12. Toy Ball for Dogs

This Toy Ball isn’t just a regular ball. It allows you to slip in a few treats into the claw-like teeth, giving your pup an incentive to keep chewing. This will definitely keep an active puppy occupied for an extended period of time.

Another reason this is one of the best toys for puppies is that it helps promote good oral hygiene. The shape massages the gums and cleans teeth. Pretty genius if you ask me.

13. KONG Puppy Goodie Bone

This is a fun twist on a traditional bone. It uses the extra strong rubber material KONG is known far, so your puppy will have a hard time breaking the surface.

To add to the entertainment, the KONG Puppy Goodie Bone features slots on the sides that are designed to fit the corresponding treats (sold separately). Or, you can simply add in a dab of peanut butter to keep their interest.

14. Nylabone Small Puppy Teethe and Tug Toy

If this looks like a baby teething toy, it’s no coincidence. Puppies deal with aching gums just like babies. This toy is a simple way to help your poor puppy relieve some of the pain. And with the oblong shape, you can grab the other end and gently tug while your dog chews.

15. Spot Lil Spots Plush Blanket Toys for Puppies

The toughest part about giving a puppy a stuffed toy is that there’s a good chance they’ll rip the stuffing right out. For whatever reason, once those little furballs get a tiny bit of stuffing, they can’t stop until the whole toy is shredded.

But fortunately for new pup parents, the Spot Lil Spots Plush Blanket Toy has no stuffing (except for a little bit in the head). Pups love to chew on the fabric – which is highly durable – and listen to the crinkling noise, without the temptation of ripping the toy to shreds.

This means as a puppy parent, you can rest easy that your dog won’t make a giant mess.

Best Toys for Puppies – Which One is Right For Your Pup?

Having a tough time figuring out which toy is right your puppy? If you’ve got a pup who loves to chew, the Nylabone products are a good fit. They help relief pressure and last for a very long time. For smaller or gentler pups, the stuffed toys are good options. And for those pups that seem too smart for their own good, the puzzle toys help keep them mentally stimulated.

With puppies, it’s always a little bit of trial and error. You’ll never know which ones they prefer until you try them out, so we recommend buying a couple to see what’s best.

Jessi Larson

Jessi is a marketing strategist for Fortune 50 companies who loves to research and write about all things dog. She is the proud mom to Toby, a giant Labrador Retriever who thinks he’s a lapdog. He inspires her to be a better pet parent and to share advice with other dog owners.