Toys for Power Chewers: What Lasts, and What to Avoid

Some dogs can turn a new plush toy into confetti before you've thrown the packaging away. Chewing is natural and healthy, so the trick is giving it the right outlet.

Choose by material

• Natural rubber (like the KONG Classic) flexes, so teeth bounce off rather than biting through. Great for most dogs, and you can stuff it with food.
• Hard nylon (like Nylabone Power Chew) is for the most determined chewers. It wears down slowly rather than breaking into chunks.
• Thick rubber balls survive fetch far better than tennis balls, whose fuzz can also wear down teeth.
• Plush is for gentle players and supervised games only.

Make chewing a brain game

A stuffed, frozen KONG can keep a dog busy for a long stretch, which is ideal before you leave the house. Mix kibble with a little wet food or plain yoghurt, pack it in, and freeze it overnight.

Fetch without the fallout

Safety rules for every chewer

1. Size up. A toy should be too big to fit fully in your dog's mouth.
2. Inspect often. Bin anything cracked, sharp or small enough to swallow.
3. Avoid very hard items such as antlers, real bones and hooves, which vets often blame for broken teeth.
4. Supervise new toys until you know how your dog treats them.

Gentle players: try a puzzle instead

If your dog loves to sniff more than chew, a hide-and-seek plush is a great rainy-day game. Just put it away when play ends.

At a glance