All dogs love to chew. Rather than letting them gnaw on your household items, chew toys for dogs help entertain, stave off boredom, and improve mouth hygiene – and can even be used to reinforce positive behaviour.
But different dogs have individual requirements. First of all, do you want your dog to consume the chew, or for it to be a long-lasting toy? Some are designed to be eaten, whether fast or slow, while other chew toys are meant for playtime. You might want to focus on the best dental chews to ensure that your dog’s teeth stay in tip-top condition (although the simple act of chewing is good for dogs’ teeth in reducing tartar and plaque). Or you might need a long-lasting chew or one of the toughest dog chew toys for a dog that chomps very enthusiastically, while the best teething toys for puppies are designed to meet their different needs, too. Happily for dogs and their owners, there’s plenty of choice out there when you’re looking for the best chew toys for dogs.
Dogs should always be supervised with their chew toy.
Best chew toys for dogs – all types and designs covered
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Apasiri Chew Toy: Best toy for aggressive chewers
Flavours: Bacon, mint, peanut butter or beef | Sizes: Small or medium/large | RRP: From £10.85 for small |
Apasiri’s chew toy is specifically designed for extreme chewers. This toy, which is shaped like a bone with pimples on the straight part, is made of food-grade nylon and natural rubber. This means it should not splinter or break. The pimples are designed to help clean the teeth, reducing plaque and tartar.
This chew bone has passed more than 1,000 bite-resistance tests of professional equipment and is feted as “almost indestructible”.
It’s not only fun for your pet to gnaw on, but is also an ideal interactive toy for games of fetch or retrieve. And – in four tempting flavours – dogs will agree, it tastes great!
Sizes: XS–XL | RRP: From £10.98 for a pack of three |
A long-lasting dog chew designed to keep your dog busy for a while, based on a traditional Himalayan yak chew recipe. They are very hard, so suitable for strong chewers. These are a great natural option, without additives or junk, as they are made from cow’s milk which is transformed into cheese and then pressed and air-dried for three months. This makes them appropriate for those dogs on a gluten-free or grain-free diet. There are many versions of these available and some have the lactose removed in the curing process, so if your dog is lactose-intolerant, look out for these.
Nylabone Puppy Teething Chew Toy Freezer Bone: Best puppy teething toy
Size: Small, for puppies up to 11kg | RRP: £7.99 |
This soft, rubbery dog toy is designed specifically for teething puppies, to help soothe sore gums. The textured dog bone features soft bristles to relieve teething pain, and satisfy a puppy’s natural urge to chew.
Soak and freeze the whole bone and cloth of this interactive toy for a cool texture with added pain relief. It is flavoured with allergen-free peanut butter throughout, which lasts forever. Not designed for puppies with adult teeth or aggressive chewers.
Nylabone Dental Chew Toy: Best chew toy for teeth health
Sizes: Petite, regular, wolf or giant | RRP: From £5.14 |
This bone-shaped toy is made from a flexible material, and you can choose different styles according to whether you have a light or extreme chewer. It features rounded nubs that gently remove plaque and tartar, while massaging dogs’ gums as they chew. Chicken-flavoured, this long-lasting toy will occupy and entertain as well as improving your dog’s dental health.
Kong Treat Toys for Puppies: Best chew toy to keep pups busy
Colours: Pink or blue | Size: XS–L | RRP: From £3.65 |
Made of soft rubber formula customised for a growing puppy’s teeth and gums. This toy helps to satisfy instinctual needs and provides mental stimulation. It is also a fun toy for interactive play, with an unpredictable bounce that keeps your puppy guessing.
The Kong is hollow and can be stuffed with puppy kibble, dog peanut butter or other appropriate treats for your puppy to try to extract. And you can freeze the Kong for a few hours to help provide relief to sore gums.
Petlab Co. Prebiotic Dental Sticks: Best chew treat for teeth and tummies
Sizes: One size | RRP: From £29.60 for a pack of 24 |
These support a healthy gut alongside targeting plaque and tartar build-up and bad breath. A ridged tasty treat designed to support your dog’s oral health, packed full of powerful ingredients that are effective at maintaining oral hygiene. They contain chicory root, ground flaxseed, peppermint oil and organic coconut oil which work together to support dental health and benefit the digestive and immune system. Safe for everyday use.
These sticks come in one size and the guide suggests feeding small dogs half a stick a day, and large dogs two sticks a day.
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
