The Best Dog Toys that Your Pup Will Appreciate

When it comes to toys for puppies and dogs, the first thing that comes to mind for most are tennis balls and squeaky toys. These squeaker tennis balls are great for getting that playtime energy out with puppies and these are the right size for most breeds to safely handle. 

Available in a three-pack that have multiple colours, they’re made from a non-toxic rubber covered in a soft felt fabric that makes them softer than most regular tennis balls. While these are decently durable, make sure to keep an eye on your puppy (or older dog) as they play – just so that if they do tear through it, they don’t choke or try to eat the squeaker inside. 

This beautifully designed plush toy is perfect for anyone that has a new puppy or an anxious puppy. The heating pack and heart that you place inside for your dog to snuggle with can ease anxiety, stress, and calm down whining. It’s perfect for when you get a new pup, crate training, and travel. 

The heat pack is single use and disposable, but the heart you can use indefinitely. It takes two AAA batteries and will last for two weeks continuously, if left on. Simply insert the heart and heat pack into the plush compartment and let your puppy snuggle and play with it. 

Most reviews confirm that it’s incredibly durable – even against the most prone to chewing and destroying toys. If not for the heart and heat pack, this is also a great plush toy in general to own. 

Editor’s note: I don’t have enough words to describe how useful the snuggle puppy toy was for our family when we got our first puppy about a year ago. It was the only thing that made our 3-month-old pup stop whining in the first few nights with us. It calmed her separation anxiety and helped her to get used to the new home and crate training. It simulated a dog’s heartbeat and body temperature really well. A few days later, she was so confident that she no longer even needed it as a sleeping pal, it became just another one of her toys. We just had to remove the heating pack and the heart to make sure she wouldn’t chew it in case she managed to open the velcro, which she did some weeks later!

This fun pack of seven puppy toys/small breed dogs are a good addition to anyone wanting to get more toys for their pup and learning what preferences they enjoy. The rope toys and cow are the most durable of them, with the meat bone plushie seeing some negative reviews that it can be destroyed quickly – so just keep an eye on your pup during playtime. 

They’re all washable and come in multiple colours, making it eye catching for you and your dog. They’re non-toxic, durable for the most part, and the rope toys don’t shred or tear apart. 

KONG is well known for their products for pets of all sizes and breeds. Their black rubber toys are the best for holding up against aggressive chewers and tough biters. Some reviews have stated that their dogs did still tear these up – so as always, keep an eye on your pup while they’re playing with any toys. 

Available in two sizes, Small and Medium/Large, they should work for most breeds. If you have a very large dog though such as a mastiff they might not be as suited. 

Made from non-toxic durable tough rubber, these tires are a good bet if you have an avid chewer. 

This three-piece set of hard dog toys are made to withstand heavy biters and chewers that love to play rough with their toys. The ball, bone shape, and football are all reviewed very positively for dog owners that have rough playing pups that like to chase and tear up balls and other toys. 

They’re all made from durable non-toxic natural rubber and come in three different textures, such as the softer blue bone shape that’s good for chewing or teething dogs, the football squeaks and is fantastic as a fetch type toy, and lastly the red ball doubles as a treat puzzle dispenser so that your dog can get a mental workout as well as a physical one. 

A cute pineapple design that’s built from non-toxic natural rubber to withstand biting and chewing from larger breeds might be just the ticket to get for your pup. 

The style and size are great for almost all dog breeds and reviews are mostly positive that it’s one of the only toys that has held up against some vivacious chewers. As with all toys, a caution is warranted just in case they do tear apart this toy and accidentally swallow any parts of it. Keep an eye out while playtime is going. 

This intermediate dog treat puzzle is a great way to mentally stimulate your dog and for them to get treats. Just simply hide their treats within the compartments and slide the knobs closed for your dog to nose open or use their paws. 

It’s BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free, made from food-safe plastics in case they chew on it. You can swivel to hide the treats underneath or place them in the blocks at the top for an additional challenge. It has a non-slip base and is made of a plastic/wood composite that ensures its durability. 

Equipped with flip lids controlled by knobs, sliding discs to the side, and lift up cones that must be taken straight off before the treat is revealed – this flip board treats puzzle is a great way to get your pet engaged and challenged. 

You can vary the placement and number of treats you give your pup to increase or decrease the difficulty and switching it up will keep your pet on their toes. The durability, sturdiness, and value for the cost is highly rated and most owners have reviewed this puzzle toy highly. 

This fun dog treat puzzle/slow feeder is a durable, fun design that works especially well for small to large dogs that eat a little too fast or go crazy for treats. It works by your dog having to spin the top-feeder that’s full of treats or food so that it falls down the holes and then the maze-like design underneath will slow them from chowing down too fast. 

It makes them think and mentally gives them a workout as well! It is made from non-toxic plastic and has a non-slip bottom to ensure that it doesn’t topple over or slide while your dog is playing with it. 

Everyone knows KONG toys, especially this classic red ball toy. It still holds up over the years and does well against most breeds of dogs and puppies. Really intense chewers might need to move up to the black version that is an even more durable rubber. 

The best part about the classic KONG toy is that you can put treats or something like peanut butter in the middle hole as a great way for your dog to try to get them out, mentally work their brain, and have a fun time doing it. 

It’s easy to clean as the entire toy is just pure natural rubber, so it’s great to get back to squeaky clean. 

Editor’s note: I have a heavy chewer at home, and this is probably one of the few toys she didn’t get to chew into pieces. All of her KONG toys are super durable and easy to clean. Our experience is that dogs don’t love empty KONG toys as much as they do when they’re filled with treats or wet food, obviously. That’s why we see the KONG Classic as a good ally when you go out or need your dog to have some chill time alone. It will keep them distracted for a while for sure, however, they may not engage with it for too long if you don’t put any yummy stuff inside. 

The KONG cross knots monkey plush is a double feature toy. One as a cute monkey plush with a squeaker for your dog to play with, and a thick knotted rope inside afterwards when they start to wear down the outer plush layer. 

It has minimal stuffing, and one caveat is to keep an eye out if your dog tears this toy apart sooner than later, just to ensure that they don’t eat the squeaker or choke on anything they shouldn’t, such as the stuffing inside. Otherwise, it’s a durable toy that’s great for all breeds as a plush friend and as a rope later on. 

The jumbler disc is highly rated and reviewed as a fantastic KONG toy to play fetch with, to throw, or just as a tug of war toy. It has a tennis ball inside that rattles and shakes as they play, and when the toy breaks or what have you, you can have the ball inside as well to play with on its own. 

It comes in various colours and entices your dog to play with the rattling, shaking, and squeaking sounds it can make. Reviews have all loved the tossing, fetching, and tugging play with this toy and most dogs seem to love it. 

Snuffle mats are great enrichment toys for your dog or puppy, for almost all ages and breeds. You can place treats or food inside and watch them dig and snuffle for them among the leaf shaped tufts of fabric. It’s made of felt cloth and can be easily tossed into the washing machine. 

This particular one can be fully extended out to be a large green shallow bowl, or cinched up into a tight bowl for feeding time even, to slow down a dog that devours their dinner too fast. Sniffing and foraging for treats and food is shown to help ease anxiety and stress for dogs and allows them to get mental and physical exercise. 

A licking mat or pad is an enrichment toy that functions to calm anxiety and allow your dog to focus on the food, but also a great way to keep them distracted while giving your puppy or dog a bath. It can help when getting your dog accustomed to things such as grooming time, baths, or administering medicines. 

It is dishwasher safe and cleans easily with hot soapy water as well if you prefer to handwash it. One half can also be used a slow feeding section if you have a dog that devours everything when it’s feeding time. 

A treat/food dispensing bobber is ideal for rewarding your pet during playtime and keeping themselves busy when you’re too tired to go play with them. This durable rubber bell-shaped toy is large enough to fit three cups worth of food inside, while the weight bottom allows it to bob and weave as your dog pokes and paws at it to get the food. 

Adjustable openings at the top and bottom allow most dog food and treats to come out of the holes and that also allows you to adjust the difficulty level for your dog to play and get the food outside of it. 

This fun light-up petdroid is a cute rechargeable ball that rolls along the floor based on touch and uses its sensors to know when to put itself to sleep, saving some battery life. It also saves you from having to constantly hear or see flashing lights at all hours. 

The rechargeable battery is accessed by opening the ball and plugging it in via USB. Which can be a bit of a hassle instead of simply being able to plug it in without disassembling it, but it only takes a few seconds. It can be loud rolling around on hardwood floors and while it does have a harder time rolling on thick, plush carpets, it does well on regular short pile carpet. 

These fun colourful balls are made from a soft material and rubber that encourage play, and the squeakers inside stimulate that drive even more. They aren’t indestructible and like all toys should be supervised when being played with. 

The fabric underlayer does help against ripping and tearing, but if you have a particularly vivacious chewer and biter, they still might get torn up after some time. The value and price are great and according to most reviews, their dogs loved them and were worth the purchase. 

They’re great for fetch, throwing, and general chewing to keep your dog entertained for hours. 

Editor’s note: Our active chewer was able to tear the covers for this entire set apart in a few hours. However, it really kept her busy and concentrated for a while, and after she was done, she still had the rubber balls around for some weeks. At some point, she started chewing the rubber balls as well, and that was when we knew it was time for her to stop playing, as we like to avoid choking hazards. This provided her with mental stimulation and kept her busy, but it wasn’t super durable and we felt like it was one of those toys that require close supervision. I wouldn’t go out and leave a puppy playing with these balls by itself. 

This squeak duck plush toy has been a favourite for many owners and dogs for years. This cute waterfowl is perfect for tugging and tossing. It’s durable and there are two squeakers in it – one at the head and another at the tail end. 

They’re a ton of fun and puppies to senior dogs love these plush animals. Cuddling and playing, they get used a lot. It’s easy enough to clean and some owners have even washed these in their washing machines without any damage. Just be sure to let it air dry. 

A tough tugging toy is necessary and when you have a big breed of dog, it can be difficult to find one that works well. This large Nerf brand tugging toy is the perfect addition to a dog’s toy chest. 

It’s lightweight, durable, easy to clean, and is constructed from food-grade durable rubber. It can withstand extended chewing sessions as well and is rated highly by a lot of dog owners for how long it lasts, even with rough tug of war sessions and chewing afterwards. 

One caveat is that some of the nubs can be torn off, but otherwise reviews look good that this is a very durable toy for large dogs and worth the try.