So, you buy your dog another indestructible toy. Your dog laughs at you and says “challenge accepted” and within an hour that extra-tough toy is in pieces, scattered across your home.
Sound familiar?
It doesn’t matter if you have a large Labrador that can crunch rubber toys in a single bite, a small Dachshund that tears toys by consistently working on a single spot, or a puppy that can shred through material with his razor-sharp teeth…
Just like our Great Dane, your dog is a toy destroyer. And because of this, he needs the toughest, most-durable toys on the market.
To date, we have physically tested over 1,000 different dog toys to find the best dog toys around. From toys for aggressive chewers to heavy duty tennis balls, we know all about durable dog toys.
We rounded up the toughest dog toys available and put them to the test.
Our team of dog testers gnawed, crunched, tore and tried their hardest to destroy these toys. Often succeeding!
All to answer a simple question:
What is the most indestructible dog toy available?
Want the answer? Then read on!
Our Top Choices
Contents
The best indestructible dog toys
What is an indestructible dog toy and does your pooch need one?
The best indestructible dog toys
After testing and reviewing over 1,000 different dog toys, we soon separated the truly indestructible toys from the imitators.
It was a long journey, but after hundreds of games with the most aggressive, rough-playing dogs around, we narrowed down the competition to 7 winners, each great in their own way.
To start with, I share the most indestructible chew toy before making recommendations for those looking for something more specialized, such as fetch toys and tug toys.
For some dogs, the lifespan of a chew toy is measured in minutes. If your dog would win gold at a chewing championship, then you need a rugged chew toy that will go the distance.
It goes without saying that the harder a chew toy is, the longer it will last. This makes things like antlers, hooves, bones, nylon chews and hard plastic toys an obvious choice. These durable products are often given to dogs that tear through other chew toys. There’s just one problem…
Experts agree that these hard toys can be dangerous to your dog. Not only can solid objects splinter, causing damage if swallowed, but they are also hard enough to break a tooth, leading to expensive vet bills. As a rule of thumb, if the toy is too hard to make a temporary dent with your fingernail, then it’s too hard to be used as a chew toy.
With this in mind, all overly hard chew toys were eliminated from contention. This included popular brands such as Nylabone and Benebone, which are famous for their nylon chew toys.
Tooth-friendly chew toy materials include rope, jute, fire hose, silicone and even Kevlar. However, after testing dozens of chew toys, we found that only one material is capable of standing up to destructo-dogs. Rubber.
Now, power chewers come in all shapes and sizes. This made choosing a single winner a difficult task. For example, despite their size, Dachshunds can dish out some serious damage by aggressively chewing on the same spot over and over. However, when it comes to carrying their chew toy around, many hard rubber chew toys are too heavy for them to carry comfortably.
On the flipside, a rubber chew toy that is lightweight enough for a smaller dog simply won’t hold up to the crunching jaws of a large breed, such as a Labrador.
After spending weeks and weeks watching our dogs chew through toy after toy, one brand outclassed the competition in terms of durability. No other chew toy held up to constant hardcore chewing like the Goughnuts range of rubber chew toys.
First, let’s cover sizing. This first pick is appropriate for medium to large-sized dogs – most heavy-duty chewers fall into this category.
However, the Goughnuts MaXX is too heavy for smaller dogs to carry around. Fortunately, Goughnuts also makes a version for breeds 10 – 40 pounds. Based on my testing, this toy is suitable for power chewers up to the size of an adult Corgi.
On the flipside, if you share your home with an extra-large or super-aggressive power chewer, then I highly recommend upgrading to the Goughnuts Buster instead. It’s the same rubber ring but made for giant breeds. At an impressive 2½ inches thick and weighing a whopping 2 pounds, this hefty chew toy is only suitable for the biggest, strongest jaws, such as that of a Cane Corso.
Here you can see Norris, a Miniature Australian Shepherd, demonstrating the size difference between the biggest and smallest Goughnuts ring:
He prefers the small one by far.
Buying the correct size is important. Too big or heavy and your dog won’t be interested in it. Too small and it won’t last as long. But once you identify the right Goughnuts Ring for your pup, you’ll be rewarded with the toughest chew toy ever.
The thick, American-made rubber held strong even when up against the powerful jaws of a Boxer or Doberman. In fact, throughout the first few weeks, our testers were barely able to make a dent in the rubber. As time progressed, scratches began to show, but the ring maintained its integrity – no deep punctures or chunks pulled off.
Now, no chew toy is forever. Eventually, your super-chewer is going to work his way through even this tough rubber. Fortunately, Goughnuts goes the extra mile and offers a lifetime guarantee…
Hidden in the middle of the Goughnuts chew toys is a red indicator. If your pup works his way through to this, send the chew toy back to Goughnuts (with a check for return postage), and they will send you a brand new ring! It’s considerably cheaper than buying the chew toy again.
While Goughnuts also makes a thick, salami-shaped stick from the same rubber, we found that the ring design lasted longer. The stick design gave our dogs a focused area to chew on repeatedly. Because the ring rotates during play, your dog is less likely to consistently chew on the same area, making it last longer.
This ring initially gives off a strong rubber smell, like a car tire. However, with continued use, it soon faded to a point where it was barely noticeable unless I held it right up to my nose.
My biggest complaint with the Goughnuts range isn’t with the product itself but the confusion that can come with buying it online. All their rubber rings look incredibly similar, so make sure you confirm that you are buying the correct size for your pup.
If your iron-jawed pup is an avid chewer, then it doesn’t get any better than this. Highly recommended.
Rough dogs love to play fetch too! After chasing down the tennis ball, our Pit Bull tester spent the next minute or so aggressively shaking and crunching the ball before returning it. I don’t need to tell you that games of fetch with this muscular pup were fairly short-lived – those strong jaws easily ripped through tennis balls.
That’s why for games of fetch with powerful dogs, I can only recommend an all-rubber option. It’s the only material that has enough give to be enjoyable and is easy to carry around.
I’ll be honest. Given that fetch is one of the most popular games you can play with a dog, I was surprised by how few balls were a suitable tennis-ball-size replacement while meeting our “indestructible” requirements.
Most balls we reviewed were either a touch larger than 2.5 to 2.7 inches, the size that fits inside a standard ball thrower, so heavy that they couldn’t be thrown as far, or just didn’t bounce when they landed. I take my games of fetch seriously! So, trust me when I say that these things matter.
The West Paw Jive outclassed the competition by a long shot. It’s easy to see why this ball is a favorite with strong dogs like German Shepherds and Pit Bulls – it is impressively resilient to wear.
The Jive is made from a dense material called Zogoflex – basically rubber. The ball has enough give to keep dogs interested yet is resistant enough to hold up to toy destroyers during a game of fetch. The small size (2.6 inches) fits perfectly in a standard ball thrower.
Then, there is its bounce. On grass, it’s no slouch, but when it lands on hard surfaces, it turns into a rabbit on a pogo stick. If you look closely, you see that the ball isn’t perfectly round. It has small notches cut into it. If the ball lands on these notches, it bounces off in a random direction, providing your dog with a more entertaining chase. Obviously, this one isn’t suitable for indoor play.
Oh, and despite being heavier than a tennis ball, it still floats. If a wayward throw sends this ball bouncing into a pool or lake, you won’t need to swim to the bottom to retrieve it.
Be mindful that the West Paw Jive Ball is also available in x-small and large sizes. While these won’t fit a standard ball thrower, they may be easier for your pooch to carry.
It might be a touch on the pricey side, but you are getting some extras. The West Paw Jive is made in America. In Montana, to be exact. I’ve purchased numerous West Paw products over the years, and I can confidently say that their customer service is second to none. They really stand behind their guarantee.
Basically, if you don’t love this product, then West Paw will offer either a refund or let you choose another product in their range. You can use this guarantee to see whether or not the Jive Ball will hold up to the powerful jaws of your tennis-ball-crunching Labrador.
Check out our review on the Best Dog Tennis Balls to see our other tennis-size ball recommendations.
For many dogs, nothing is more fun than a game of tug-of-war. Grabbing one end of a tug toy and pulling as hard as you can is the ultimate show of strength. Hold on tight – you’ll be surprised by the power your pup has.
While all tug toys have been specifically designed to hold up to being pulled in different directions, we found that rubber was the most resistant from wear caused by sharp teeth clamping down – rope, nylon and sewn fabric were prone to fraying and tearing.
And out of all the rubber tug toys we tested, nothing came close to the Goughnuts Tug MaXX. Made right here in America, it is perfect for playing aggressive games of tug-of-war with large and giant breeds.
The rubber is heavy-duty yet still chewy enough for dogs to get a good grip with their teeth. At 1½ inches thick, it holds up to the bite force of even the strongest dogs.
You grab one end, and your dog grabs the other. The dual ring design makes it easy to keep your hand clear from your dog’s mouth – you will be thankful when your dog readjusts his grip and doesn’t accidentally clamp down on your fingers with all his strength.
Just as importantly, the tug toy is held with a closed fist. During testing, we noticed that this was the best method for gripping tug toys. It allows you to quickly drop the tug toy if playtime turns violent.
I also observed that the Goughnuts MaXX is equally suited to dog-on-dog tug-of-war. A Great Dane that wanted to join the fun was determined to steal this tug toy from our Pit Bull tester. The result was a friendly game of tug-of-war that went on for over 20 minutes while both dogs attempted to out-muscle the other.
Once the game ended, I inspected the tug toy and was pleasantly surprised that besides a few superficial scratches, there was no damage at all. No gouges or stress fractures – and this is from two dogs that could pull me in half if they tried.
I noticed a mild rubber smell, similar to a car tire. This odor is strongest when the Goughnuts Tug MaXX is brand new but fades over time. The rubber smell didn’t put any of our pups off. They pulled with all their might, just like they did with every other tug toy we tested.
Unlike the Goughnuts Chew Ring MaXX, the Goughnuts Tug MaXX does not contain a red core. This is because it’s designed for supervised play rather than continuous chewing.
However, it still is covered by Goughnuts generous return policy. If damaged, send the Goughnuts Tug MaXX back to the manufacturer (plus a check to cover the cost of postage), and they will send you a brand new tug toy.
At 1½ inches thick, it’s likely too big for smaller pups to get their teeth around. But for large and even giant dogs, this is the tug toy you want. Highly recommended.
Check out our review on the Best Dog Tug Toys to see our other tug toy recommendations.
I don’t know what it is about squeaky toys, but they turn many dogs into toy-destroying monsters. They simply won’t rest until the squeaker dies, working the toy over and over until their teeth finally puncture the squeaker.
Annoyingly, the time it takes for a squeaker to finally die is often measured in minutes. And once this happens, your dog just isn’t interested in the toy anymore.
Based on our testing, the material that surrounds the squeaker has the largest impact on just how long it lasts. A squeaker can still break even if your dog’s teeth don’t pierce through and puncture it. Yep, it turns out your dog’s jaw is capable of producing some serious pressure, and this alone can cause the squeaker to pop.
This was a particular problem with squeakers hidden underneath softer materials such as nylon fabric, fire hose and latex. Squeaky plush toys, for example, are no challenge for destructive breeds like Dalmatians or Dachshunds.
As you would expect, squeak toys that were surrounded by a sturdy rubber performed the best. The rubber surround not only softened the amount of pressure placed on the squeaker but was also significantly more difficult for sharp dog teeth to penetrate. The end result is a long-lasting squeak toy.
With that said, squeak toys are far from indestructible. Even a rubber squeak toy will only hold up to a strong dog for so long. Large, brawny dogs like Pit Bulls and German Shepherds can deal out some serious damage. That’s not to say that a well-built squeak toy won’t last longer but don’t expect it to last forever.
And as far as tough toys go, the Orbee-Tuff Squeak was the most durable squeak toy we reviewed. It resisted powerful jaws and tearing teeth longer than any other.
The squeaker is completely encased in a hard-wearing rubber. While it has some give, know that this rubber is harder to compress than a plush squeak toy. While it won’t be a challenge for large breeds that play rough, small dogs that can’t get their jaws around the entire ball will have difficulty making it squeak.
Speaking of the squeaker, I noticed it produced a sound that was a little softer than the usual squeaky toys. In my opinion, this was a good thing. It wasn’t so obnoxious that it drove me crazy – your dog is going to be squeaking this toy for hours at a time. Squeak… Squeak… Squeak… Gets old real fast.
During testing, I observed dogs identifying exactly where the squeaker was located in the toys and work this area over and over until the squeaker popped. However, the entire Orbee-Tuff Squeak is the squeaker. And because the ball constantly rolls around, it’s difficult for a dog to consistently chew the same area. I believe this also contributed to the ball lasting substantially longer than the other squeak toys we reviewed.
In addition to its durability, the Orbee-Tuff Squeak has other things going for it too. It’s mint-scented so that your dog can easily find it even in the long grass. It floats, bounces well, is dishwasher-safe and, best of all, it’s made right here in America. But its main appeal is that it’s as close to indestructible as a squeaker toy can be.
It may be a pricey squeaky toy, but at the time of writing this, Planet Dog will offer a one-time replacement in the event that the toy fails.
At 3 inches wide, it’s slightly larger than a tennis ball – just a little too large for small breeds like a Pomeranian or Chihuahua. You’ll also need a large sized ball thrower for games of fetch.
But for dogs the size of a Jack Russell Terrier or larger, it’s the best squeaky toy on the market. Highly recommended.
Choosing the most indestructible Frisbee was a little difficult. If we were just judging on durability, the Air Dash Frisbee by West Paw would have been the clear winner. It’s thick, weighted design made it considerably more resistant to puncturing teeth than other Frisbees…
But here’s the thing…
Frisbees are designed for maximum air time and long arcing throws. In fact, a Frisbee should stay in the air long enough for your dog to chase it down for a mid-air catch.
The Air Dash might be tough, but it glides about as well as a rock. The substantial weight both reduced the airtime and the distance it could be thrown.
This is an unavoidable drawback if you want a Frisbee that can be thrown a great distance – you are going to have to compromise on durability. If you have a super-strong dog that plays rough, then it might be better to skip Frisbees as a toy altogether.
After reviewing over 24 different dog Frisbees, only one hit the sweet spot between heavy-duty and airtime. The Kong Flyer.
Despite being made from a resilient rubber, the Kong Flyer glides surprisingly well. Out of all the rubber Frisbees we reviewed, we were able to throw this one the farthest, time and time again. Its shape appears to be slightly more aerodynamic than its competitors.
If you have a small power chewer, then you’ll be pleased to know that this Frisbee is also available in a smaller size. For anything larger than a French Bulldog, I suggest choosing the larger of the two.
| Small | 7½ inches |
| Large | 9½ inches |
As you would expect from an indestructible toy, the Kong Flyer is considerably heavier than those made from plastic or fabric. The only downside is that if you toss this Frisbee into water, it will sink like a stone. So, take care when throwing near a pool or lake. Otherwise, you’ll be going for a swim to retrieve it.
Note: We also tested the Kong Extreme Flyer, a black Frisbee that promises to be a toughened version designed for power chewers. Truth be told, we actually found this the worse of the two, showing considerably more wear after the same amount of testing. Reading online user reviews mirrors our findings. Stick to the red model!
Check out our review on the Best Dog Frisbees to see our other Frisbee recommendations.
Treat toys are popular with all types of dogs for a good reason. It combines play and food – a dog’s two favorite things. Simply load the toy with treats, and these will fall out as your dog manipulates the toy with his jaws and teeth – it really extends the amount of entertainment you can get from a single treat.
However, for stronger-jawed dogs, this poses a problem. As your dog chews on the toy, he is rewarded with food. This process encourages your dog to work the toy harder and harder, even if there are no treats left. If unsupervised, powerful dogs like St. Bernards or Alaskan Malamutes can quickly destroy even the most unbreakable treat toy.
It is for this reason that we suggest that a treat toy should only be given to your dog while under your watchful eye. Once your dog has eaten all the treats, the toy should be removed. This will prevent your dog from chewing the toy until it breaks.
During testing, we found toys that held smaller treats to be the most durable. Longer treat toys, such as those designed for bully sticks, were made from thinner material, which didn’t hold up as well.
Now, before I reveal the winner, I want to warn you that you may need to modify this treat toy to hold your pup’s favorite delicacy. You see, dog treats come in such a wide range of shapes and sizes that it’s impossible for every type of treat to fit.
However, this is a drawback that can be found on all treat-dispensing toys. Depending on how large your treats are, you may need to cut them in half or squish some peanut butter inside first – especially if you want to add loose kibble.
We found that the small concave shape was the perfect size for holding two small milk bones. With some creativity, we could get a variety of other treats to stay inside too.
Admittedly, other treat toys were suited to a wider range of treats. However, this came at the trade-off of durability. During testing, we noticed other treat toys showed wear noticeably quicker than our top pick…
So, which indestructible treat toy outclassed the competition? The West Paw Tux. Made from their patented Zogoflex rubber, the surface held strong as enthusiastic dogs ripped and tore into the surface as they attempted to retrieve the treats inside.
Best of all, this long-lasting treat toy is one of the few treat dispensers that is dishwasher-safe. After all, if you are loading the Tux with oily peanut butter and greasy dog treats, you want to clean it after each use. No worries! A quick trip through the dishwasher on the top rack and the toy is as good as new – beats aggressively scrubbing the toy by hand!
Like all other West Paw Products, this one is made right here in the USA and is backed by their guarantee. In the event this product fails to meet your expectations, they offer a refund or give you the option to choose another product from their extensive range of dog toys.
The Tux might not be a perfect treat toy, but it is without a doubt the toughest. For this reason, I confidently recommend it for dogs who play rough.
When training working dogs like military dogs and police K-9 dogs, toys are often the reward of choice. After all, when out on the job, it’s easier for a police officer to carry a toy than a pouch of food.
Because these roles include physical tasks like chasing and restraining suspects, only the strongest dogs are chosen. It’s not unusual to see powerful dogs like German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois and Weimaraners fill these jobs.
Unsurprisingly, these brawny dogs need a tough toy. And for training purposes, the Nero Ball Ultra is one of the best.
Essentially a firm rubber ball on a rope, the Nero Ball Ultra offers a lot of variety with how you can present the toy to your dog. You can dangle it in front of your pup for him to leap and grab it, play a small game of tug-of-war, or use it as fetch ball. You can either throw it as a regular tennis ball or use the rope to launch the ball incredibly high into the air.
The firm rubber doesn’t bounce as well as a tennis ball, but that’s not its appeal. When used exclusively as a training reward, this toy will hold up to powerful jaws. The rubber is dense enough that it won’t be crushed when chomped yet has enough give that it’s still appealing to dogs.
During testing, I noticed that all our pups picked this toy up by the ball. Every time the Nero Ball Ultra was brought back, I simply picked it up by the rope. Slobber-free games of fetch anyone?
While the nylon rope held strong during testing, I don’t believe it will outlast the durable rubber it is attached to. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like this would be difficult to replace, say with a piece of paracord and a knot.
If you are looking for an indestructible reward toy, then this is as good as it gets. Highly recommended.
What is an indestructible dog toy and does your dog need one?
An indestructible toy is as close to unbreakable as a dog toy can be. They are designed to hold up to aggressive dogs that play rough. Now, this isn’t to say that these toys are unbreakable, but they certainly last longer than other toys designed for the same purpose.
Often these durable toys come with a trade-off. You see, to be more resistant to your dog’s powerful jaws and sharp teeth, indestructible toys are often heavier, larger and more difficult to chew.
Now, for a chew toy designed for power chewers, this is less of an issue. But for a toy like a Frisbee, then this heavy weight is less desirable – it won’t fly as far. In fact, the most durable Frisbee we tested barely flew at all.
But since a Frisbee is a fetch toy, not a chew toy, a slightly less heavy-duty Frisbee that flies farther will hold up just fine for retrieving and returning.
Admittedly, this made selecting our list of top indestructible toys considerably more difficult. We also had to take the purpose of the toy into consideration.
Exactly how hard-wearing an indestructible dog toy is can often be determined by the material it is made of.
During our review process, we came across owners who were attempting to track down indestructible rope and fabric plush toys.
Unfortunately, these materials just won’t hold up to rough play. Rope frays and fabric soon tears. It’s just their nature. The same goes for other soft materials.
After reviewing over 1,000 different dog toys, it quickly became apparent that toys made from rubber were significantly more resistant to wear than other materials.
Rubber, in particular, hits the sweet spot between having enough give to keep dogs interested while withstanding chew after chew.
Now, that doesn’t mean you should rush out and buy any rubber dog toy. There is a significant difference in performance between brands.
Interestingly, we noticed that the more we paid for an indestructible toy, the longer it lasted. These more expensive dog toys were often made in the USA and had generous return guarantees – you certainly get what you pay for.
If your pup is gentle, nurturing and snuggling with his toys, then you won’t find much benefit in an indestructible toy.
However, if your pup can destroy a toy in minutes, tearing it to shreds, then it’s time to upgrade to something that will last a little longer.
Not sure which indestructible toy to choose? Check out our top picks…
Do indestructible dog toys actually exist?
When it comes to dog toys, the word “indestructible” has lost all meaning. Marketers are mostly to blame. You can’t walk past the dog toy aisle without seeing words like indestructible, unbreakable or everlasting boldly printed on the front of the packaging.
To me, an indestructible toy should be impossible for your dog to destroy, right?
Unfortunately, this usually isn’t the case. Within hours of presenting a German Shepherd with a new toy, it will be shredded to pieces.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone.
I know many owners who have spent hundreds of dollars buying toy after toy in the hopes that the next toy will be the one to outlast their dog.
I’m here to tell you that you should give up this quest.
After reviewing over a thousand different dog toys, I can tell you right now that most toys that advertise themselves as indestructible are anything but.
With that said, a few dog toys could be classed as indestructible. Typically, these were oversized balls made from solid plastic. Few dogs could get their jaws around them, and those that could were unable to penetrate the rigid plastic exterior.
But these types of toys were among the least favorite of our doggy testers. Those that were interested only played with them for a short while growing bored and wandering off.
Here’s the problem…
Dogs seem to most enjoy toys that have give. Something that they can sink their sharp teeth into. Something that they think, and rightly so, that they can eventually destroy.
Hard plastic is difficult to grip, carry and it sucks to chew on. Sure, it will outlast your destructo-dog, but what good is that if he refuses to play with it?
You see, destroying toys is all part of the game. While some dogs prefer to carry around and nurture their toys, others are more destructive.
These dogs enjoy the challenge of breaking a toy – it’s a show of strength. They will then happily wag their tail at you as if to say, “Look, I broke it. Aren’t you proud of me! What’s my next challenge?”
Exactly how long before a toy breaks entirely depends on its material and purpose. For example, a dog tennis ball is designed for games of fetch. The primary function of these toys is to fly through the air and be caught by your dog’s mouth.
For supervised games of fetch, these toys are as good as indestructible, even to a powerful-jawed dog.
However, if you allow your dog to chew on them, then these toys simply won’t hold up.
Use the correct toy for the game:
- Tug toys for tug-of-war
- Plush toys for gentle indoor play
- Chew toys for chewing
You get the idea…
As a dog owner, you are responsible for ensuring that toys are used correctly.
For example, if your dog refuses to play fetch without trying to destroy the ball, then you need to train your pup to stop this unwanted behavior.
Similarly, if your dog grows bored of fetch and runs off with the ball to chew on it, then it is your responsibility to remove the ball until the next play session.
Unfortunately, I have seen many owners blame their dog for breaking toys that were not designed to be chewed on for hours at a time – don’t be that owner. Buy a more appropriate toy instead.
Conclusion
If you made it this far, congratulations! You now know which indestructible toy is ideal for your dog.
A recap of our results…
The best indestructible dog toys we reviewed:
- Goughnuts MaXX – Best for chewing
- West Paw Jive Ball – Best for fetch
- Goughnuts Tug MaXX – Best for tug-of-war
- Orbee-Tuff Squeak – Best for squeaking
- Kong Flyer – Best Frisbee
- West Paw Tux – Best for treats
- Nero Ball Ultra – Best for rewards
Which indestructible toy do you recommend for tough dogs? Let me know in the comments below!
Do you have an idea of best floating dog toy?my dog chews them when bringing them back and most of our play is water based
Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Diamond Plate, the Kong treat balls for adult dogs have been the only two typea of toys our half Mastiff half Pitt mixed has yet to destroy! All of the ones you’ve anounced have been destroyed in less than an hour to half a day. How about try testing those out with breeds that TRULY like to chew! You’re testing them on breeds that like to play. Ours does both.
What a hoot! I so thoroughly enjoyed this whole post. I really read every word having been a dog owner/lover all my life. Present dog, Solace, was given to me shortly after the death of my husband – after I said no twice! She is part pit and part Am. bulldog, able to demolish every toy except kong and West Paw Tux – within minutes if not seconds. She is 9 yrs old and the Tux is finally cracking; I was unable to name or find it until I came onto this site. I am so glad I did.
You are so right: We must be trained! The purpose of the toy is to entertain our buddy. Aren’t they our best friend? Don’t we buy our friends expensive gifts? And what they like? See? What a hoot! Thanks to you (and I mean it) I am going to purchase the “Long lasting squeak,” and the Paw5 Wooly. I have yet to find the squeak toy she cannot destroy within seconds and I love the idea of her silvery snout searching in the wooly mat which I expect her to love. At discovery, I expect her to do her Happy dance, which s a leap and a turn when the treat is expected!
Thank you!
Hello,
We live in a home with two large Mastiff’s and a female Miniature Schnauzer. You may guess who takes the bones away from the Two hundred pound George and Cotton our Mastiffs and walks off with the bone. It concerns me they will get too upset one day and I do not want that to happen. Have a large seven pound carved, hand painted, wooden dog Summer loves to paw out from under the small table. She will carry to her bed to chew on. I am in need of a large toy the big boys may carry off to enjoy leaving small Bailey lost on what to do. Bailey the ten pound Queen is the barking boss.
Appreciate you saving any future incidents with Bailey, the Miniature Schnauzer. I’m afraid I gave you a difficult one.
Thank You
Hi Michael,
The 2 pound goughnuts chew ring would be my recommendation here. I am not sure you’ll find anything more durable and they have one of the better replacement policies. If you want something larger, you can consider their salami shaped rubber log but our observations were that they wear quicker.
Those will be destroyed by my half Mastiff-half Pitt in a matter of hours. Rubber ball toys have a better chance. Goughnuts is an unworthy toy imho. Large bones gone in 1 days max and is unhealthy for their intestines. Not to mention, our furbaby is allergic (when it comes to treats and food) to grain. Have any of you tested breeds that like to do MORE THAN play? Ours loves to chew more. Something her previous owner taught her. Her prwvious owner before that had her locked in an all steel cage because any kennel she as able to chew out of.
my daughter, a vet surgeon, has banned me from buying any ball for our labrador that is the size of a tennis ball or smaller. She tells me that she has to do numerous urgent operations on dogs that have tennis balls, in particular, jammed at the back of their throats. Some are successful, most are too late, the dog has suffocated.
I am still in the market for an indestructible (!!) bouncy ball that is perhaps about 9cm diameter (a tennis ball is 6.3cm dia).
Would you perhaps know of something that might be ok?
Thankyou for the info on dog toys.
We have a Jack Russell named Charlie. Just a little over 2 yrs.
He is the aggressor, the dog that is up for the challenge. And after reading your article my husband and I do have a better understanding of toys and our Charlie’s demeanor.
This article has prompted me to alter my dog’s shopping list. I have a 30 pound Border Collie mix (with Australian Shepherd as a guess). She is one year old and a VERY aggressive chewer.
I was shopping Kong toys until I read the reviews and looked at user photos. While some of the designs would be greatly appealing to my dog, they did not rank well for durability.
I did buy her a generic “gator head” toy that held up quite well, including the squeaker – but the dog became truly addicted to it and it seemed to make her develop an aggressive personality. She had never before failed to “release” on command or growl or snap ! It took almost two weeks for her to get over withdrawal – She would just sit and stare at its former storage spot.
I had lessons to learn and your excellent article has really helped. Thank you!
What a fantastic site. Not seen anything like it in australia
We can’t thank you enough for researching these toys! Our dog obsessively chews and destroys toys and other things, which has meant no fun squeaky toys even though they make her soooooooo happy!
The squeak ball you recommended is AMAZING! She’s been chewing at it constantly for a week and not even a dent. Perhaps if we had known about it sooner she would have avoided multiple bowel obstructions (even with a basket muzzle our poor baby found a way). Now she carries this toy around for hours (we’re still careful and put it up when not watching).
Thank you again for making our sweet mess of a pup happy!
Hi Erika,
I’m so happy to hear that the Orbee-Tuff Squeak was such a hit with your destructive pup. She sounds like an adorable and very well looked after pup, with you monitoring her use. I really appreciate the feedback, it makes all the time spent picking up broken pieces of toys that didn’t make the cut worth it!
I’ve had good luck with the Jolly Ball in various sizes. Horsemen’s Pride makes a sturdier but pricier ball. They last quite a while, depending on if the dog carries the ball back by the handle or rolls it. If they try to pick up the ball itself with their teeth, you can be waiting a long time for them to return it. Then eventually it will lose it’s shape and have to be thrown out.
As far as tugs go, they have to be longer than arm’s length because one of my German Shepherds doesn’t just pull, he whacks me with his paw so I will let go(cheater!), and I have the marks on my arms to prove it. And no matter what is attached to a rope, he chews on the rope itself after he carries it away and won’t return it. So that is my experience with toys!
I do have concerns about items made in China. Ordering on line, you might have to guess if it doesn’t say U.S.A. made, that it is from China, but as you noted, some wording can be deceptive and you don’t see labels unless you are in a store. I would guess Chinese quality is an issue, but are you aware of any known problems such as was the case with chews and food ingredients?
I also have concerns with balls and would recommend not throwing toward the dog but behind him so that he has to chase it. Also, oversize the ball as much as possible so that it can’t get stuck in his throat as a choking hazard. And tennis balls are known to contain chemicals that wear down teeth, so rubber, as you recommend, would be preferred for frequent use.
Thanks so much for your suggestions. I look forward to trying out new toys..and so do my pups!
Hey Linda,
Thank you for weighing in. We love the Jolly Balls, they were our top pick in our best herding ball review. We don’t recommend them here as they are not appropriate for all dogs and do have safety issues that owners need to be aware of, so we dedicate an entire article to them.
And I completely agree with your concerns regarding tennis balls – especially around sizing up and teeth wear, we cover that in our best dog tennis ball review.
That’s pretty funny that your dog is so determined to win that he will cheat. Clever pup. The problem with long tug toys is that the longer they get, the less durable they often are. We don’t really have a solution here. The Soda Pup Pull Tab is longer again and still made in America from rubber but it doesn’t come close to the being as “indestructible” as the Goughnuts Tug Maxx. Otherwise, you could always use a long piece of knotted rope, and replace it if it wears down. Keep in mind they certainly are not chew toys and rope has it’s own dangers, as outlined in our rope toy review.
On the China concern, it’s a little off topic, but I’ll keep it simple and cover it quickly. I may have to do a separate article on this one day, if there is interest.
There are two types of products.
Generic chinese products, that are made in china and sold under many different brands. You’ll have probably noticed this on amazon where the same product is sold under lots of different brands. These products often don’t come from a single manufacturer but rather multiple that build a product to a template. While some companies may follow good practices, others may not and because you have no idea which company made it or their reputation, it can be difficult to trust these.
Then you have branded products made in China. These are designed to the spec of recognized brands who will specify the material, construction and, ideally, have product safety measures in place to avoid hazardous products (such as testing for heavy metals like lead). These are outsourced to a single factory and because of this, it’s easier to perform quality control. However, issues can still arise here and the amount of input from the brand will determine the quality. Some are hands off, others are quite strict in their manufacturing process. For instance, Kong is considered a trusted company yet outside of it’s rubber line, most products are manufactured in China.
Despite all this, China has different rules and regulations around manufacture to America, alongside different penalties for not following the rules. There is a history of events that have made it difficult to trust products manufactured here, however the same concerns could be applied to any country that doesn’t have strict rules and regulations.
So I guess the correct question to ask is:
Do you trust that the brand is following correct manufacturing processes and testing each batch of products to ensure that nothing is amiss?
We learned some things about our dogs chewing habits. We were looking for a fabric covered bone with a rubber core and a squeaker inside. She has had this bone for 6 months and now she has chewed the outer cover off. We cut the squeaker out which was dumb because now she is tearing up the rubber. We are afraid she will chew pieces off and swallow them. Do you have such a toy? BTW her name is Gia and she is a blue heeler. We so so so love this dog
Hi MaryFrances,
If you are asking if we have come across the toy you are searching for – a squeaky rubber bone covered in material, we have not. However, if your dog is an aggressive chewer, there are plenty of toys that have a plush outer and a durable rubber inside like this one.
Kong flying disc is easy for strong chewers to destroy in one day. Monster k9 Dog Toys has the best flying and it is impossible to destroy.
Hi Jerry,
As we tried to make it clear in the article, the definition of “indestructible” varies according to a toys use. There are certainly tougher frisbees, but these could hardly be called frisbees in the traditional sense. The idea of a frisbee is that it has airtime so a dog can run after it and grab it out of the air – a different experience to a ball, which is typically caught after bouncing or picked up off the ground.
When we reviewed these tougher frisbees in our dog frisbee review they do not glide well and fall fast. The Monster K9 Frisbee is pretty poor in this regard, relative to other frisbees.
Frisbees are not chew toys. A strong chewer will easily break even the toughest frisbee Monster k9 Dog Frisbee – during testing, our pit bull tore it to shreds.
Hi, many thanks for your elaborate reviews! I just cannot imagine how much time you must have spent on preparing them – your dedication is truly impressive (especially with the dreadful squeaky toys ;)…).
You might want to take a look at gnawing toys made of torgas – a type of Portuguese root that is very hard but does not produce splinters when chewed or gnawed. In fact as it gets slightly moist from the dogs’ saliva it starts getting slightly softer and only then are the dogs able to bite away very small soft pieces. I am not saying it is all a perfectly clean play but for certain it is not dangerous for the dog as the material just does not produce splinters. A similar effect is present in coffee tree sticks but they get soft from moisture much faster and get „splintered” much easier as a result. The „splinters” are also soft and (seem) safe but the whole business is much more messy.
From what I heard, torg toys _can_ be destroyed but it is said to take a very long time. I have a very destructive doxie lady and she was only able to barely scratch it. Granted, she does not try to crush it and I understand your point about very hard toys being potentially dangerous for dogs’ teeth. I suppose selecting the right toy size for the particular dog should solve this.
The only problem with torg is its price – it usually falls in the range between 30 and 50-ish USD (depending on the size) which I would think may be quite prohibitive for a chew-toy…
Best wishes and thank you for your great work :)!
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your lovely feedback and for sharing this Torgas. I’ll definitely look into this when the time comes to update our wood dog toys review. We reviewed java wood which starts out hard but is softened by dog saliva – pulping instead of splintering. It sounds somewhat similar although from what you are saying, it’s possible Torgas may provide a different experience that’s worth testing – Although we typically do focus on products that are readily available in USA.
This product is worthless, my dog spent 1 day and it was nothing.
Hi Anthony,
You are going to have to be more specific here. Which product failed to meet your expectations? (we listed 7) Were you using it correctly? What breed is your dog?
This information will help us refine our reviews in the future. However, as I write this, these continue to be the toughest toys on the market. If we find something more heavy-duty, we will update this list.
Thank you for putting so much research and effort into this article! It’s hard to find articles with REAL information that isn’t automatically generated based on “Amazon Best Seller” lists.
I purchased a few toys from this list and both my Dachshund and Shiba Inu love them and haven’t been able to destroy them yet. They’re both very persistent chewers and will not rest until the toy has been destroyed (or they exhaust themselves, in a good way).
GoughNuts ring (My dachshund loves this, she will sit and chew for HOURS but also likes to play fetch with this.)
Kong Flyer (My Shiba loves this, but will not try to catch it. She just likes to grab it after it lands, folding it in half in her mouth so she looks like she has duck bill, and trots back to me looking like a proud goof.)
Orbee Tough Squeak (Both my dogs love this toy, it’s the only squeaking toy that hasn’t been de-squeaked yet!)
Hi Harley,
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback. It really makes me happy to hear that your Dachshund and Shiba Inu love the toys as much as our dogs did. I was new to the world of Dachshund chewing prior to this review. I was surprised that they can keep up with the big dogs when it comes to gnawing!
I’m laughing at the thought of a duck-billed shiba. Just a quick tip on the Kong Flyer, be mindful that your Shiba Inu doesn’t chew the center when it’s folded over, it’s definitely not designed for chewing. But for picking up in the mouth and catching, it should do fine.
Please look at BK dog toys. I am affiliated with the company, but I recently got some of their toys, and they are pretty good!
Hi Julie,
Are you referring to BK Products LLC? In my opinion they appear to be predominantly imported rope products from China and have been very sneaky with how they have worded this:
“These rope toys are hand build, packaged right here in USA”
That doesn’t refer to the rope toys being made in USA, it refers to them being packaged here. Big difference. They clarify this but it’s hidden away in the Amazon questions and answers page – Their products are made in China and packaged in Massachusetts. Given that they have not made this clear in the listing, they appear to be deliberately trying to deceive potential buyers with where their toys are made. Personally, I wouldn’t trust any other claims this company makes based on this deceptive tactic.
These same rope toys are sold from multiple chinese sellers on Amazon. We do not review generic imports/white lable products that are sold under multiple brands. Like with all rope toys, they are very far from indestructible and in certain circumstances even dangerous to dogs. We go into detail more on this in our rope dog toy review.
We wouldn’t recommend rope toys as a heavy-duty dog toy (with the exception of the Nero Ball Ultra, but the rope isn’t the play part)
With all that said, your own dogs are your toughest critic. They are the ones you have to impress. If they are happy with the toys you have bought them then that’s a win for you!
Thank you!
EXCELLENT ARTICLE! Like us, owners of tough chewers are always on the look-out for toys that last more than a few minutes — sometimes a whole day would be wonderful! — and here’s a list of seven — 7! — toys, one for each of the basic types of play, for our super-duper chewers! Thank you so much for the research, the clearly written, thoughtful narratives about your choices, and the many pictures of real dogs playing with each. My only thought is that perhaps you would consider putting the last several sections of the article about what constitutes an indestructible toy and why our dogs do best with toys chosen with their play habits — rather than the cuteness of the toy — in mind. Again, thanks so much for this much needed article!
Hi Kate,
Thanks for the lovely feedback, it makes the all the effort we put into each review feel worth it! I hope it helps your dog find a toy that lasts a little longer!
I wanted to clarify, I’m not following on your thought regarding the last section? Is it missing something you would like added? Please let me know, I am always looking for ways to improve my reviews.