Best Puppy Teething Toys for New Chewers in 2023

All dogs like to chew things. They do it for all sorts of reasons. For some dogs, chewing is a way to explore.  Others chew as a way to deal with stress and anxiety. They may also chew for other reasons, such as to get your attention.

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Chewing is essential because it helps dogs keep their teeth clean, their minds engaged, and their chewing muscles strong.

The time when dogs chew the most is during their teething process when they are very young. Puppies are particularly eager to explore in that period of rapid development from around two months to 10 months of age. Their teething instinct will lead them to chew on whatever they can.

You can encourage your puppy’s teething instinct during their first year of life by buying chewing toys. If you buy them quality toys that they will like, and that will keep them engaged and stop them from chewing other things in your home.

In this article, we will explore the best puppy teething toys for new chewers in 2023. We’ll also talk about how to choose the best toy for your teething puppy based on their size, personality, and other traits.

Hopefully, after reading this, you will have a good sense of what kind of chewing toy to get for your teething puppy.

What is the Best Puppy Teething Toys for New Chewers

These seven toys are the best puppy teething toys for new chewers in 2023.

  1. Zogoflex Hurley Tough Dog Chew Toy
  2. Nylabone Key Ring Bone
  3. Buck Bone Organics Split Elk Antler Dog Chews
  4. KONG Puppy Binkie
  5. IQ Treat Ball
  6. SCENEREAL Small Dog Rope Chew Toys
  7. Petstages Cool Teething Stick

What to Look for in a Good Puppy Teething Toy for New Chewers

To choose the best puppy teething toys for new chewers, consider two things: the chewing habits of your puppy and the quality of chewing toys.

First, let’s look at the different types of chewers.

There are at least three types of chewers:

  • Inhalers – Inhalers, also known as gulpers, tend to bite off bits of whatever they are chewing and swallow them. For these puppies, you want to get toys that do not break apart. Inhalers love rubber toys, rope toys, stuffed toys, and tennis balls. You do not want to get them toys that break apart easily.
  • Destroyers –  When you give a “destroyer” a toy, they do their best to tear it apart. They are not deliberately destroying the toy, but they are merely aggressive when it comes to chewing. Destroyers do well with edible treats and chews, which they can safely break apart and consume. These pups can also play with rubber toys, which are difficult to break apart.
  • Nibblers – Nibblers take their time with the toy. Their focus is more on using their mouths to explore, rather than breaking apart their toy. Nibblers do well with almost anything, including the more fragile types of toys that wouldn’t fare very well in an inhaler or destroyer’s mouth.

If you know your dog’s chewing type, you can figure out which toys are best.

Quality always matters when choosing teething toys. How can you tell if your choice has the necessary quality?

  • Well-made toys shouldn’t be too hard. Try pressing it with your thumb. It should give at least a little when you apply pressure. If it’s too hard for your puppy, it could potentially break its teeth.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, the toy shouldn’t be too soft. You don’t want something that your dog will be able to tear apart and swallow, especially if you’re buying toys for inhalers and destroyers.
  • Be sure that the toy doesn’t have paint, flavor coating, scents, or other additives that could harm your dog’s health.
  • The size and shape of the toy also matter. It shouldn’t be so small that your dog could potentially choke on it, but it shouldn’t be so large that they need to strain to get ahold of it.
  • The toy should be easily washable. Ideally, it will be dishwasher-safe or able to go into a washing machine.
  • The toy should also be entertaining. Your dog should enjoy playing with it.

One thing you shouldn’t forget is that choosing a chew toy for your teething puppy is a trial and error process. By observing your dog over time, you will get a good sense of how well it interacts with a toy and chew.

Chew toys have more value than you expect. They may help to keep your dog’s teeth clean and provide mental stimulation.

Overall Best Puppy Teething Toys for New Chewers

 

When it comes to usefulness and quality, these seven puppy teething toys for new chewers stand out.

Zogoflex Hurley Tough Dog Chew Toy

Best Overall Teething Toy for New Chewers

This toy by West Paw Designs is highly durable. It is soft, but it is firm enough to accommodate the tender gums of a teething puppy. If you’re looking for a non-toxic option for your young dog, you’ll be happy to know that this toy is a made-in-the-USA toy that complies with FDA requirements. It doesn’t have BPA or latex, and it is entirely non-toxic for dogs. It’s also safe to use in the dishwasher.

My favorite thing about this particular chew toy is the guarantee from West Paw Designs. If your pup destroys his Zogoflex Hurley, then you can send it back. The manufacturer will refund your purchase or give you a replacement.

Nylabone Key Ring Bone

The Key Ring Bone is an excellent toy for nibblers. The different textures and forms of the key will intrigue your puppy. The shapes are also useful for massaging your puppy’s gums during teething and keeping their teeth clean once they grow out.

This toy is best suited for nibblers. The keys are small, and an aggressive chewer could break them. Nibblers, however, will love these keys, and it can help their comfort level during teething.

Buck Bone Organics Split Elk Antler Dog Chews 

These dog chews are a natural product that is safe for your teething puppy. The toy is unique because it comes from naturally-shed elk antlers.

Not only are the antlers soft enough for your puppy to enjoy, but they also contain bone marrow, which has a taste that almost all pups love.

The marrow also provides essential minerals, including zinc, manganese, phosphorus, and calcium. These minerals occur naturally in elk antlers.

KONG Puppy Binkie

KONG has a good reputation as a dog toy company that sells high-quality toys that keep dogs mentally and physically engaged for hours. The KONG Puppy Binkie is made in the USA and is a good pick for small breeds under 35 pounds.

You can also fill it with treats, which could encourage more chewing and get puppies to chew on the toy instead of on other household items.

The Puppy Binkie comes in blue and pink, both of which are very bright. The toy also has a soft and squishy texture that nibblers and less aggressive chewers are likely to enjoy. You should note that this toy is best suited for small dogs and nibblers. Large puppies and aggressive chewers are likely to destroy it very quickly, which might cause choking hazards.

IQ Treat Ball

The IQ Treat Ball is an excellent toy for puppies that love a challenge. It has a design to keep your puppy engaged for hours as they try to dislodge the treats held inside the toy.

The toy is rubber, which is BPA-free, non-toxic, flexible, and durable. The rubber contains spiky grooves on the surface, which treats that your dog will try to dislodge. There is also some space in the center, which you can fill with a dog treat paste or if you wish, some peanut butter.

The IQ Treat Ball is also quite versatile. The ball shape makes it a useful fetch toy and a general toy for encouraging activity. As long as the toy remains intact, you can still find uses for it as your dog grows into an adult.

SCENEREAL Small Dog Rope Chew Toys 

These rope chew toys come in packs, and they resemble six different fruits and vegetables and range in size from 2.5 inches up to 8.5 inches.

Because of their size, these rope toys are best for small puppies and dogs. Larger dogs may find these toys too small. The rope material can help clean your pup’s new teeth while they are chewing.

These rope chew toys use non-toxic cotton materials. Each one has a little squeaker inside, and puppies will find the noise uniquely entertaining.

Petstages Cool Teething Stick 

Many puppies get aching gums as part of the teething process. This toy addresses this discomfort. All you have to do is freeze the Cool Teething Stick. When it gets cold, you take it out and let your puppy chew on it.

The cold temperature will provide fast relief for their aching gums. The stick also gets a hard and crunchy texture when frozen, which will satisfy your dog’s natural urge to hear crunches when they chew.

This toy is good for puppies. However, very aggressive destroyer-style chewers may break the toy if they bite it too hard.

Tips for Playing with Your Puppy Teething Toy for New Chewers

So how do you help your puppy through the teething process? The toys above will be an excellent place to start. They engage your puppy’s instinct to chew healthily, strengthen their jaw, and relieve gum soreness.

However, there are other, more general tips you can apply to ensure that your puppy makes it through the teething process:

  1. First of all, it’s a good idea to closely monitor your dog when they play with a new toy for the first time. If you do this, you can notice any worrisome issues.
  1. You can also check the toy once in a while to look for potential problems. Whenever you suspect a problem, take the toy away and take your puppy or dog to the vet if you have health-related concerns. At the very least, make sure you buy high-quality chew toys with detailed information on the packaging.

Things you should look for include:

  • Is there some space where the dog has been chewing the toy that shouldn’t be there (it might indicate a missing tooth) or blood?
  • Is your dog vomiting or experiencing diarrhea after playing with the toy?
  • Has your dog lost interest in playing after a session with a particular toy? It could be an early sign of a health issue.
  1. Train your dog to chew on the right things. While it is difficult to train a puppy at this stage, it is still possible to cultivate the right chewing habits. Positive reinforcement works wonders here. Encourage your dog to chew the right things by taking the wrong things away and making sure their environment is full of appropriate chew toys.
  1. Encourage your puppy to eat right. Adequate nutrition is something you cannot afford to ignore at any stage of your dog’s life. However, it is especially critical during the first year of life. You might already be giving your puppy a balanced diet to help it grow, but make sure to check with your vet frequently if all of your pup’s nutritional needs get met.
  1. Use baby gates to restrict movement. More adventurous puppies may need containment to prevent them from wandering too far and chewing on chair legs, children’s toys, shoes, or other typical puppy chewing targets.

Baby gates are useful for closing off areas of the house where such chewing accidents are most likely to occur. Alternatively, you may choose to keep your puppy in a kennel when you can’t supervise them.

  1. Get the right teething toys for different situations. Different toys help your puppy through the teething process in different ways.

Rope toys, for example, are great for cleaning new teeth. Frozen toys are ideal for pups with aching gums because they quickly relieve the soreness. Meanwhile, interactive and puzzle toys add a layer of mental stimulation to the dog’s chewing activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you own a puppy, and it is in the teething phase, you are likely to have some questions. Here are some of the most common things that people with teething puppies want to know.

What makes a great chew toy?

Excellent chews toys use safe material, they are durable, and they are large enough so that your dog won’t accidentally swallow them. A good toy doesn’t have small, easily removable parts that your dog might swallow. Finally, these chew toys are easy to wash and sanitize in a washing machine or dishwasher.

Why is it essential to pick the best puppy teething toys for new chewers?

Your puppy will have a natural urge to chew. While the extent of this urge depends on many factors, including dog breed, it will always be there regardless. Combine this urge with a natural curiosity of a puppy, and you will realize that a lot could go wrong when you have a teething puppy.

Your pup may end up chewing on your valuable objects, some of which might pose a danger to their health. Also, you will want high-quality toys so that you do not have to worry about toxic coatings or sharp splinters harming your puppy.

Should I stop my teething puppy from chewing on sticks?

Sticks are not a safe chew toy for puppies. They can shed little fragments that your puppy may consume, and these fragments are often sharp enough to damage your puppy’s intestinal walls. Furthermore, outside sticks may have fertilizer or pesticides on them that can make your dog sick.

Conclusion

As you can hopefully see, getting a chewing toy for your teething puppy is vital. Quality toys are the safest way to ensure your puppy (and your belongings) gets through that phase safely.

The chew toys on this list are among the best available on the market, and, based on your dog’s chewing habits, are the right option.

Whether you choose these toys or different ones, make sure that the chew toy for your teething puppy matches their size, chewing style, and play habits. You may need to make some trial-and-error purchases to find the best toys for your particular pup, but as you will find out as your puppy goes through the teething process, you can never have too many chewing toys.

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