No toy is indestructible. Anything sold as indestructible is either lying or so hard it will break teeth.
What you are actually looking for is a toy that fails safely and slowly rather than one that never fails. That is a different thing and it is achievable.
Work out what kind of player you have
Most of the money wasted on dog toys goes on buying the wrong category rather than the wrong brand.
Chewers apply steady pressure with the back teeth. They are not trying to destroy the toy, they are chewing because chewing feels good. These dogs need solid rubber with give in it.
Shredders are trying to get inside. Squeakers, stuffing, anything that suggests there is something in there. They will open a plush toy in four minutes and the fun was the opening. These dogs are best served by toys designed to be dismantled safely, or by not buying plush at all.
Carriers want something soft to hold and take places. Often gentle with toys for years. Plush is fine for these dogs and the expensive rubber is wasted on them.
Tuggers want the toy to fight back and want you on the other end. Rope and rubber rings, and the toy matters less than you being available.
Plenty of dogs are two of these. Few are all four.
Why toys fail
Wrong size. The commonest fault. A toy too small can be swallowed or lodge in the throat. A toy too big is ignored. If your dog can fit the whole toy behind their back teeth, it is too small.
Wrong hardness. Very hard nylon and antler can fracture teeth, usually the upper fourth premolar, and that is an extraction. The rule of thumb is the thumbnail test. Press your nail into the toy. If it does not leave a mark, it is too hard for sustained chewing.
Unsupervised chewing. Most serious toy incidents happen when nobody is watching. Chew toys are a supervised activity, not a way to occupy a dog while you are out. Enrichment feeders and lick mats are the ones for leaving a dog with.
Kept too long. More on that below.
Matching size properly
Go by mouth, not by breed. A small Labrador and a large spaniel need the same toy, and the guide on the packet is a starting point rather than an answer.
The test is whether the toy can pass behind the back teeth. If it can, size up. When you are between sizes, size up. An over-large toy is a boring toy. An under-sized one is a hazard.
Puppies need puppy-specific rubber. Their jaws are weaker and their teeth are still coming through, and adult-hardness rubber is uncomfortable rather than dangerous.
When to bin a toy
Sooner than you think, and this is the part people skip.
Bin it when:
- Any piece has come off, however small
- Rubber has split or a chunk is missing
- Rope has frayed into loose strands. Swallowed rope fibres can cause a linear foreign body, which is surgery
- A plush toy has been opened, unless you have removed all the stuffing and the squeaker
- The squeaker is exposed
- A hard toy has visible cracks
A toy in the bin costs a few euro. An obstruction costs an emergency operation and a very bad week.
Rotating
Dogs get bored of toys sitting in a permanent pile. Keep two thirds of them away and swap the sets every week or so. The toys come back interesting.
It costs nothing and it works better than buying more.
What we stock
Kong is the bulk of our range and there is a reason. The classic rubber has give, comes in genuine size steps and the stuffable ones turn a chew toy into an enrichment toy. Puppy Kong in the softer rubber for young dogs, the standard red for most adults, black extreme for the serious chewers.
We also carry rope, plush, tug and slow-feeder style toys, and Bamboodles for chewers who have got through everything else.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best dog toys for aggressive chewers?
Solid natural rubber sized up rather than down. Kong Extreme in black rubber is the usual answer for dogs who destroy everything else. Avoid hard nylon and antler, which can fracture teeth. No toy is indestructible, so check it before every session and bin it once it splits.
How do I know what size dog toy to buy?
Go by the dog's mouth rather than their breed. If the whole toy fits behind the back teeth it is too small and is a choking risk. When you are between two sizes, take the larger one.
Are rope toys safe for dogs?
They are fine while they are intact and supervised. Once the rope frays into loose strands, bin it. Swallowed rope fibres can cause a linear foreign body, which usually means surgery.
How often should I replace my dog's toys?
There is no schedule. Replace on condition. Any missing piece, any split in the rubber, any fraying, any exposed squeaker, and it goes in the bin.
Can I leave my dog alone with a chew toy?
Chew toys are for supervised chewing. For leaving a dog alone, use an enrichment feeder or a lick mat, which are designed for it.
Why does my dog destroy every toy?
Usually the toy category is wrong rather than the dog. A shredder is trying to get inside the toy, and a plush toy gives them what they want in four minutes. Match the toy to how the dog actually plays and things last longer.
Bring the wreckage of the last one into either shop and we will tell you what kind of chewer you have. Enniscorthy, Duffry Hill. Wicklow, 5 Church Street.
