Best Dog Chew Toys for Teething Puppies
Chew toys are essential if you want to live through your puppy’s teething stage. If you get chew toys that are designed specifically for puppies whose permanent teeth are erupting, you’ll help them go through the process painless and save your shoes and furniture from ruin.
Getting a puppy is all kinds of exciting: they are cute, cuddly, playful, and can’t seem to stop making you laugh. Of course, puppies are just babies, so it’s all expected- same as the responsibilities and problems that come with it. From potty training to puppy-proofing your home, there’s plenty of hard work involved in all that adorableness. The hardest part about having a puppy, though, according to most pet pawrents, is going through their teething stage. The process of shedding milk teeth and the eruption of permanent chompers usually happens within the first 3 months of a dog’s life. And, man, it’s ruff–both on the pooch and his owners.
Teething is uncomfortable for puppies and can often be very painful, which they try to solve by gnawing at anything and everything that is within reach. Sadly, in most cases, this means your favorite (or the most expensive) pair of shoes you own, the legs of your family heirloom sofa, or the cables of your newest tech gadget. Well, it’s not always the things that you hold most dear that your pooch will destroy completely, but either way–teething will cause damage to your possessions and can potentially lead your pet to eat something that could injure him. To prevent all this mess in the first place, you need to give them a worthy distraction–chew toys.
Chew toys designed to meet the needs of teething puppies are durable, enticing, and work to alleviate the pain. It might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s actually important to consider all of the important factors before buying. To make sure your new pet is going through his puppyhood pain-free and stress-free, we’ve rounded up the best dog chew toys for teething puppies–backed by hundreds of happy pawrents–as well as a short guide on what benefits chew toys have for puppies and what features should they have.
1. Editor’s Choice: Pet Stages Cool Teething Stick
There’s nothing better for sore, inflamed gums than a frozen chew toy to cool them while the puppy is busy gnawing and chomping. At first glance, this chew toy doesn’t look like much: soft toys are not usually chew proof – but it transforms into a perfect puppy teether with one simple process. Just wet it and leave to freeze before offering to your furry baby. Not only that the pleasant coolness will entice them and help soothe the sore gums, but the toy becomes crunchy when frozen – ideal if you want your puppy to pay attention to it! Although, the colorful fringe would have probably piqued their interest anyway. A clever design that truly helps!
2. Runner Up: KONG Puppy Durable Rubber Chew and Treat Toy
KONG is a name that’s impossible to skip when talking about chew toys for dogs, and their puppy friendly range is as impressive as the adult one. Designed to suit the needs of a teething puppy with sore gums and sharp teeth, this fillable treat chew toy will give your pet hours of fun while encouraging healthy tooth eruption at the same time. It’s also a great choice if you’re unsure that any old toy would keep your puppy enthusiastic, as this one can be filled with their favorite treats, kibble, or peanut butter. After all, if a toy filled with yummies doesn’t keep your puppy occupied, nothing will- not to mention that hiding treats in toys is a great way to reward your pup as well!
3. Budget Choice: rocket & rex Puppy Chew Toy Set
For those indecisive pet pawrents (or puppies!) these sets are heaven sent. Instead of mulling over what type of dog chew toys for teething will work for your pet’s quirks and preferences, why not have them all and let them decide what they like? This chew toy pack contains 6 toys: a dog ring, dog ball, dog rope, 2 different dog bones, and a plush toy cow. Plenty of options to suit all pupper tastes. The sheer variety can keep your pooch occupied throughout all of the teething stages, from first shed milk teeth to last permanent ones to erupt! Most importantly though, the toys are durable and perfectly designed to be endlessly gnawed on: your shoes and furniture will be saved!
4. Best for Picky Puppies: AMZpets 10 Dog Toys for Small Dogs and Puppies
If you’re not sure what kind of toys your puppy prefers yet but don’t want to break the bank finding out, this 10-piece pack of chew toys for teething puppies is the perfect choice for you. Perfect for picky pooches, it contains everything a puppy whose teeth are erupting would love to gnaw on! Included is a rubber bone with plenty of gum-soothing ridges, two squeaky toys (plush chicken and a carrot), 3 braided rope balls for a game of fetch and gnaw, and 4 chewing rope toys in different shapes to accommodate any puppy’s preference: one longer and one shorter rope with knots, a kitty-shaped rope toy, and a narrow carrot-shaped rope toy. The toys are made from pet-safe materials such as natural cotton and nylon blend, and they come in their own carrying backpack for ease of storage.
5. Best Teething Ring: Nylabone Puppy Chew Teething Pacifier Dog Toy
Specially designed to be gnawed at by puppies whose teeth are still erupting, these adorable pacifier chew toys are made from nylon material that’s both soft and durable – it won’t hurt your puppy’s sore gums and yet, it won’t be ripped to shreds after a few days of gentle use. The raised bristles are another bonus feature, as they will massage the puppy’s gums and make the teething process a little easier to bear. These puppy pacifiers are bacon flavored, so if your puppy doesn’t seem to stick with toys for long, these tantalizing teethers will keep him motivated for sure. A smart design that is not only captivating for your pupper, but also helps keep those emerging teeth massaged.
6. Best Bacon Flavored: Benebone Puppy Pack Chew Toys
These chew toys have a bacon flavor and were made with teething puppies in mind – after all, they were such a hit with big pooches, so why not go small and see what the youngsters think about them? Naturally, Benebone impressed puppies, too, with its perfectly dense and firm nylon toys that have the right give for a teething pooch and a real bacon flavor captivate all of their curious senses. After all, there isn’t a pooch in this world that can resist that deep bacon taste. Also, the ergonomic design and ridged hoops are ideal for stimulating teeth eruption and massaging gums, too, so these chew toys will both entertain and soothe. Both affordable and efficient, these chew toys will delight both your wallet and your pet.
7. Best Frozen: PetSafe Chilly Penguin Treat Holding Dog Toy
When you’re a puppy whose teeth are erupting, it doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter: ice treats are always a welcome distraction. This cute and practical penguin shaped chew toy has a snowflake shaped opening in the center, which you can fill with broth, peanut butter, or just water and leave to freeze. When the puppy chews and gnaws at the toy, the iced center will soothe their sore and inflamed gums, while the flavor of the frozen treat will encourage them to keep on playing with the toy. Made from durable rubber, the Chilly Penguin toy can, later on, be used filled with kibble or treats no need to freeze it after your puppy has all of his permanent teeth in. This design makes the chew toy efficient even after the teething process – making it a smart and cost-effective choice for any pet parent. To boot, PetSafe Chilly Penguin Treat Holding Dog Toy comes in two sizes: small and medium/large so both petite and big breed dogs can enjoy this toy.
8. Best for Gums: GUCHO Puppy Chew Toy
The nubs, notches, and ridges on this fun disk chew toy by GUCHO give the perfect amount of massage and pressure to a puppy’s inflamed gums and do wonders for any pooch going through the painful teething stage. A clever design that follows some unusual concepts that help in those key teething moments. From whichever angle your puppy decides to nibble on this toy, he’ll get the full effect of the textured surface.
To boot, the GUCHO chew toy is made from 100 percent natural rubber that is not too hard but still tough enough to withstand abuse from your puppy’s razor-sharp teeth. There are zero harmful chemicals but all the benefits you could imagine. It’s one of those teething toys that usually survive through puppyhood and remain a puppy’s favorite toy for long after his baby days are over. It can be frozen to add an extra layer of comfort to their inflamed gums, and it even is able to float and bounce to add a little more playtime to your pup’s natural chewing instincts. GUCHO Puppy Chew Toy comes in small and large sizes so any pooch can find a perfect match.
9. Best Bones: Nylabone Puppy Starter Packs Puppy Chew Toys
If you’re unsure about what type of chew toys your puppy needs, go for a variety pack. That way you are sure to hit all bases. This starter kit from Nylabone is designed to cater to the youngest canines out there, with 3 different bone shaped toys that will make teething much less painful and irritating. The pink bone with massaging nubs is the soft, chicken flavored Puppy Bone that is ideal for the initial teething stages. It is both irresistible and helpful in those critical stages of puppy life. The white DuraChew bone is aimed for those destructive chewers that need more of a challenge – offer it to your puppy when most of their permanent teeth have erupted. No need to worry about destruction – DuraChew is designed to withstand any pupper’s efforts to annihilate it. And finally, your pooch gets to enjoy an edible chew toy with lamb and apple flavor. This one helps soothe the teeth and reward good behavior. A chewie for any occasion!
10. Honorable Mention: Petstages Orka Dental Links Chew Toy
Here is a chew toy that tries to satisfy every insatiable pupper’s need to gnaw. The multiple different textures and the design that allows for tug of war games are what makes this chew toy so popular with puppies. The two solid rings at the ends of the toy are reinforced with inner ribs and raised diamond textures that attract puppies with their gum massaging effect, and the inner twisted rope link adds more flair and variety to the mix. Your puppy can have hours of fun with this toy, even if you’re not pulling on the other end. And that’s great, as it means no more chewed shoes! What is more, this design is ideal if you have two or more teething puppies to deal with – tug of war will keep them more than occupied!
11. Best for Strong Chewers: oneisall Bone Chew Toy
As your puppy’s teeth erupt, stronger and tougher toys will be needed. This bone shaped hard nylon chew toy is not meant for puppies that have just started teething, but rather for those that are close to having all of their permanent teeth. It’s a perfect chew toy to transition into adulthood, as it will definitely last your pet a long time, even if he’s an aggressive chewer. Even after the bacon flavor fizzles out, the toughness of this toy will keep your pooch keen on gnawing it! A basic and affordable design, it is one of the ideal solutions to keep a teething puppy under control. In addition, oneisall Bone Chew Toy comes in small, medium, or large size to accommodate for different size dog breeds.
How to Know if Your Puppy Is Teething? Tips & Advice
Oh, you’ll know when your puppy’s teething, there’s no doubt about that. If it wasn’t so painfully obvious, there wouldn’t be a problem to speak of! This is a normal occurrence that is a part of every dog’s life – and many other mammals’ as well. And there are tried and tested ways to deal with it efficiently and to even help the situation. But, just to make sure you’re not mistaking your fur baby’s mischief and playfulness for something else, let’s go over puppy teething basics.
Most puppies go to their furever families around the 10 week mark. This is the period when they still have their milk teeth, which are not as cute as it might sound: baby teeth in puppies are razor sharp and will hurt like heck when your pooch uses your hand instead of a chew toy. But, still, at this time, they are not going through the painful teething stages – this comes a few weeks after that.
Around 12 to 16 weeks of age, puppies start losing their milk teeth and you’ll notice some of the permanent ones starting to erupt. Same as it is the case with human babies, this process is very irritating, painful, and uncomfortable – which might reflect on your puppy’s behavior, too. The stages of teething continue from the third to the seventh month of age, when all of the permanent teeth should be in place. Your pupper will need to work these emerging teeth, acquiring a new found taste for everything in the house – those new chompers will have to be put to the test. Luckily, now you can save furniture and shoes from utter destruction, with dog chew toys.
In addition to increased interest in chewing, the most telltale symptoms of puppy teething are drooling and spots of blood in spit. It’s all expected to happen – after all, those new chompers are making a mess in your dog’s mouth and it doesn’t feel nice.
Throughout these first months, your youngster’s curiosity combined with the natural process of teething makes a combo for disaster. A puppy will chew anything to relieve pain, so instead of letting them ruin everything you own, try to entice them with toys designed to tackle the teething discomfort. In combination with just a little extra attention during playtime, you can rest assured that your household items will survive unscathed.
Benefits of Dog Chew Toys for Teething
Dog chew toys for teething puppies are not just a way to protect your property from curious razor-sharp teefers your furry companion seems to be eager to dig into all your valuables. Sure, it’s a great perk, but specially designed chew toys actually benefit your dog, as they help him go through this painful and uncomfortable transition with as little stress as possible. Happy pooch, happy owner!
They promote faster teeth eruption
Some experts believe that the reason why puppies are so eager to chew everything around them is not just because it feels good–but because they instinctively know that chewing can help the teething process altogether. The mechanisms behind the process are not completely clear, but it seems that the chewing pressure encourages eruption of permanent teeth, making the process much faster than it would be if there weren’t any stimulation. And everything that could speed up this painful process is more than welcome!
They relieve tooth pain
The chewing pressure is not only going to signal the permanent teeth to erupt, but it will also make this process of erupting feel less painful. When your puppy is chewing on a toy, it will apply counter-pressure to the erupting teeth which is known to temporarily block pain signals. Also, the fun of the chewing does keep them occupied and gives them less time to focus on the peskiness of teething, which is another win for chew toys.
They soothe inflamed gums
While the puppy is teething, his flames will be inflamed and painful – and chewing helps soothe the soreness. The pressure on gums and massage promote circulation and alleviate some of the irritation. Some chew toy designs cater especially to this – with special textured surfaces, they help to massage the gums all while your pup is immersed in play.
They redirect destructive behaviors to an approved outlet
Once your pooch realizes that chewing is allowed only when it’s toys that are being gnawed, he’ll have no trouble steering clear from your own things. Positive reinforcement and a little patience go a long way, and enticing your pet to focus his bite on toys will definitely pay off in the long run as well. Add some well earned treats into the mix and you can solve a big problem with little effort. Next time your pup has a need to vigorously chew – they will go for the toy and not the table leg!
What To Look for In Chew Toys for Puppies and What to Avoid
If your puppy is starting to shed his milk teeth, it’s already an emergency: you need a reliable chew toy ASAP. Preferably, the toy (or toys–a couple to make sure you’re good throughout the teething phase) would be something that your puppy will instantly like and focus all of his chomping efforts on. Ah, how lovely that would be, just pick up the first rubber toy you lay your eyes on and all of your problems are solved for a few bucks. Well, it won’t work that way.
Dog chew toys for teething puppies have to be super durable, suitable for the puppy’s size (those chompers might be tough, but puppies are babies after all), and interesting enough for a puppy to prefer them over furniture or shoes. It’s not always easy to pick out a chewing toy that has all of the ideal features, but here are some of the best types of teething toys:
Edible chew toys
Let’s face it- the only thing better than giving a puppy a chew toy is giving them one that tastes delicious and can be eaten. There are plenty of chewing treats on the market designed to provide much-needed relief to a teething puppy, but you can make some by yourself– DIY frozen treats are a great choice.
Rubber chew toys
The type of rubber that’s the best for teething puppies is the one that’s dense and tough enough to withstand all the gnawing, but not too hard and stiff as to hurt their sore gums. If you’re unsure what’s the ideal firmness of the rubber- pick that which has some give to it but isn’t to pliable. Those razor-sharp teefers are going to rip through anything that’s too soft!
Rope chew toys
These are only a go if they are REALLY well made and robust, otherwise, the fibers might come apart–and your silly puppy might swallow them and have to get rushed to a vet’s office because of intestinal blockage.
Nylon chew toys
Tough, durable, and often flavored to entice interest, nylon chew toys are a great choice for teething puppies. They’ll keep the pooch interested and occupied and at the same time encourage normal teeth eruption, and massage their sore gums.
How should I determine the sizes of chew toys for my teething puppy?
When it comes to choosing chew toys for puppies, you have to make sure that the size is right- not too big and not too small. If your pooch can easily fit the whole toy inside their mouth, then it’s too small for them to play with and it poses a choking hazard, so avoid those toys as a rule. If the toy is too big, your pooch might find it too challenging to play with so it beats the purpose. The perfect size of chew toys for teething puppies is somewhere in the middle- big enough that they can’t swallow it, but small enough so they can pick it up and carry it around, as well as comfortably gnaw on it.
When can puppies start using teething toys?
The right time to introduce your pet to teething toys is circa 10 to 12 weeks of age, when the teething process is in full swing. The first teeth puppies have are too sharp and tiny and could be damaged or broken off by chewing toys, so it’s not recommended to offer toys for chewing before they reach around 3 months of age. Once they reach around 24 weeks of age or 6 months, their adult teeth should be all there, so you can switch them to chew toys designed for adult dogs- just because they are not teething anymore doesn’t mean that they won’t enjoy nibbling on toys!
How long does the puppy biting stage last?
Puppies bite because they are teething- not only that they are exploring their surroundings but they also have sore gums and seek relief by chewing on things. Usually, for most dogs, a full set of adult teeth comes when they are about 7 months of age, which means that from about 4 weeks up until 28 weeks of age, puppies will bite and chew everything and everyone that comes across their path. It’s a tough period to get through, but if you pick the right chew toys and have a bit of patience, your nerves and your valuables should survive the teething process unscathed.
How can I help my puppy with teething pain?
Teething stage can be rough: the gums are sore and swollen, and the teeth are also very sensitive and painful. Cold helps relieve pain, so you can freeze pieces of fruits or veggies to give as a treat, or fill a Kong with peanut butter or homemade broth and freeze it before offering it to your pooch. Of course, chew toys can be of great help as well, not just as a productive distraction, but as a way to safely get rid of the discomfort by chewing on an appropriate object that won’t be broken off or damage the dog’s teeth.
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A proud mama to seven dogs and ten cats, Angela spends her days writing for her fellow pet parents and pampering her furballs, all of whom are rescues. When she's not gushing over her adorable cats or playing with her dogs, she can be found curled up with a good fantasy book.
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