Chewing is a normal part of puppy development. Unlike humans, who have hands, curious puppies explore their surroundings with their mouths. They also begin teething around 3 months of age, where they lose their baby teeth and adult teeth begin to emerge, causing sore gums and a strong urge to chew. Providing appropriate toys for chewing and mental stimulation is essential for puppies to help soothe discomfort and prevent destructive chewing on household items like furniture legs, electrical cords, and shoes.
What Is a Good Teething Toy for Puppies?
A good teething toy should be safe, durable, and appropriately sized for your puppy’s breed and age. Soft but resilient materials, such as rubber, nylon, or silicon, are ideal for massaging sore gums without damaging new teeth. Textured surfaces such as small nubs and ridges can help maintain interest in the chews and allow the puppy to exhibit different chewing behaviors such as pulling and cobbing. Toys that can be chilled in the refrigerator are helpful for soothing gum inflammation and puzzle toys can help keep puppies stimulated and out of trouble.
Fortunately for this review, and unfortunately for my sanity, I had not one, but two puppies to test the following teething and puzzle toys out on! I have two young smooth-coated Collies: Merlin, who is now 1 year old, and Flick, who is 6 months old. These toys have been tested out for several months, and the verdict is in. We tested out six types of teething toys and three enrichment toys to help you pick the best option for your pups!
Overall Best Puppy Toy and Best Puppy Teething Toy:
Playology Young & Active Teething Bone
$19.99
Made in China
Scents: Beef, Chicken, Peanut Butter
This was a total puppy favorite. This toy is scented, a soft rubber, durable, and textured just right. The solid-cast nubs help sooth sore gums, and the texture and scent help keeps pups engaged. This toy touts a seven-times longer playtime due to the added scent, which I was skeptical about at first, but now I am sold on its benefits. This toy is easy to rinse off and clean, perfect for moderate to heavy chewers, and only shows some minor wear after four months!
This is the puppy’s favorite teething toy, and it is still their primary go-to months later! I will not bring a puppy home in the future without one of these in the house.
Best Puppy Tug Toy:
Nylabone Puppy Teeth ‘n Tug Toy
$13.19
Made in China
This toy was great for the puppies to play together with, and this is a toy they pick up to play with often. I do like it and would buy it again, however I wish I had sized up, as I got the toy for the size they were when they were much younger, and this is still a toy they like as much bigger dogs. This toy does not show any sign of wear, even after multiple vigorous tug and chew sessions.
Best Freezable Puppy Teething Toy:
$4.99
Made in China
This toy is designed to be wet and frozen for icy-relief! This is a great option for small dogs who are light chewers, but it is too small for larger breed puppies. This is a very soft toy, when it is not frozen, but my puppies did like all the little fabric tassles and were interested in chewing it.
Best Puppy Teething Stick:
$13.99
Made in USA
This soft rubber toy has ridges that can be filled with treats, wet food, peanut butter, pumpkin, or yogurt for extra, and sometimes messy, fun! I liked freezing some sort of wet treat in the grooves to make it last longer and help sooth their sore mouths. My biggest complaint is that it can be challenging to clean. This was not the puppy’s first pick for chewing, unless it had food involved, but it is one they grab from time-to-time.
Best Puppy Toy for Power Chewer:
Benebone Tough Puppy Chew Multipack
$24.95 (4-pack)
Made in USA
We have lots of Benebones lying about the house and they have been a great, reliable chew for all my dogs, not just the puppies. However, they are very hard, and they can pose a risk for fractured teeth. They are also incredibly painful to step-on in the night—be warned. These toys are the only ones that I think would stand up against a power-chewer and the flavor in the chew keeps my dogs coming back for more!
Best Puppy Teething Toy for Enrichment:
$12.69
Made in China
This toy is stuffable and freezable to keep your pup entertained. I do find this toy much easier to clean compared to the KONG Teething Stick. Similar to the KONG, this was not a toy that I found the puppies grabbing often to chew on without added food for incentive, but it is one that is nice to have on hand for treat enrichment!
Best Puppy Snuffle Mat:
Nina Ottosson Snuffle Palz Bird
$15.99
Made in Cambodia
This snuffle mat is nice because it can be made more challenging by closing the Velcro arms. I love snuffle mats for puppies as it helps tire out their brains by making them problem-solve and use their noses to find the hidden food. This snuffle mat can be machine-washed, however, I do wish it was bigger. Be sure to supervise your puppy as chewing or ripping up the snuffle mat may be an attractive option, especially for frustrated pups!
Best Puppy Puzzle Toy:
Outward Hound Puppy Lickin’ Layers Puzzle Feeder
$15.99
Made in Vietnam
This is a 3-in-1 lick mat, slow feeder, and puzzle feeder that features three layers of fun! Puppies have to spin, lick, and sniff through this slow-feeding puzzle. This toy is dishwasher safe and BPA free. While I absolutely love this toy/feeder combo, I would recommend sizing up to the normal size Lickin’ Layers bowl (for adult dogs) for larger breeds as the puppy version is quite small and can only hold about a half cup of food.
Best Slow-Feeding Puppy Toy:
$10.99
Made in China
This toy is fantastic for enrichment and slow feeding. There is a bit of a learning curve, but the ball can be adjusted to increase or decrease the flow of treats to make it more or less challenging. A word of warning, this is a LOUD toy, especially on hard floors and with kibble. If noise is an issue, I would recommend using it on a carpet and opting for a softer treat to fill it.
The right toys can make the many stages of puppyhood far more fun and comfortable for both puppies and their owners. Look for safe, appropriately sized options to encourage healthy chewing and structured play. Be sure to match the toy with your puppy’s chewing strength, check toys frequently for damage, and replace toys when worn. The expense of a replacement toy is always going to be less than a trip to the emergency vet! Hopefully, this review helps you find the perfect match for your puppy at home.
