How to Rotate Dog Toys to Prevent Boredom: A Simple Weekly System

If your dog ignores a toy box full of toys, the toys probably aren’t the problem. Dogs get bored with the same toys in the same place, day after day. The fix is simple: rotate dog toys. Split them into three groups, put out one group at a time, and swap once a week. A toy that was boring on Monday can feel brand new after a week back in the basket.

This isn’t about buying more toys. Rotation works best with the toys you already own: it keeps play fresh, stretches your toy budget, and makes it easier to spot a worn toy before it becomes a safety problem.

Why rotating dog toys works

Novelty is what keeps a dog interested. A toy your dog sees every day blends into the furniture. The same toy, pulled out after a week away, gets sniffed, carried around, and played with like it’s new — because, to your dog, it almost is.

Rotation also helps with classic boredom behaviors: chewing shoes, digging at the couch, or pestering you nonstop. Those are often signs of an under-stimulated dog, not a badly behaved one. A fresh toy gives your dog something appropriate to do with that energy, especially on days when a long walk isn’t possible.

It also forces a weekly toy check: when you swap groups, you handle every toy and notice torn seams, cracked edges, or loose squeakers.

The simple weekly rotation system

You need two baskets: one for toys in play, one for toys on break.

1. Gather every toy. Pull out the whole collection — toy box, couch cushions, yard, under the bed. Throw away anything already broken, cracked, or missing pieces. Only rotate toys that are still safe.
2. Sort into three groups. Aim for a mix in each group, not three identical piles: one chew toy, one puzzle or treat toy, and one fetch or tug toy if you have them. That way no week is all-chew or all-fetch.
3. Put out group one. Leave that group in the toy basket. Put groups two and three away, out of sight — a closet shelf or a lidded bin works. Out of sight matters: a toy your dog can see through a mesh bag isn’t really on break.
4. Swap once a week. Pick a day — Sunday works for most households — and swap the group in play for the next one. After three weeks, group one comes around again, and it will feel fresh.
5. Keep one favorite out always. If your dog has a comfort toy they sleep with or carry everywhere, don’t rotate it. Rotation is for play toys, not security blankets.

Build your three rotation groups

Here’s a rotation using toys from The Best Dog Toys shop — adjust it to what your dog already owns.

A few notes on building your groups:

• Match the toy to the day. Puzzle and treat toys suit rainy days and work-from-home afternoons. Save fetch toys for outside play, and mix hard and soft toys in every group.
• Watch what actually gets played with. If a toy comes back untouched for two full rotations, your dog just doesn’t like it. Donate it if it’s in good shape, or retire it.

Four rotation-friendly picks from our shop

Find them all in the Shop on The Best Dog Toys.

KONG Classic — the stuffed-and-frozen anchor

Stuff it, freeze it, and it anchors a rotation week. The KONG Classic is the easiest toy to make feel new again: change the filling. Kibble one week, xylitol-free peanut butter and banana the next, frozen overnight for a longer-lasting challenge. Because the filling changes, the toy itself never gets stale.

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Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel — the puzzle plush

Squirrels hide in the trunk; your dog figures out how to get them out. Unlike a standard plush toy, this one gives your dog a job: pull the squeaky squirrels out of a plush tree trunk, then you stuff them back in for round two. Supervise plush play, and pull the toy if your dog starts tearing rather than puzzling.

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Nina Ottosson MultiPuzzle — the brain workout

Sliding tiles and hidden treats that make your dog think. When a dog is bored, a puzzle toy is often the fastest fix — it tires out the brain, not just the body. The MultiPuzzle hides treats under sliding tiles, so your dog noses and paws the pieces aside to earn each reward. Start with treats partly visible, then hide them fully. Use puzzle toys under supervision and put them away after play, which makes them natural rotation toys.

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Chuckit! Ultra Ball — the fetch reset

A durable rubber fetch ball that out-bounces a tennis ball. Fetch toys deserve a place in rotation too. A ball that only appears for outdoor play stays exciting, and the Ultra Ball’s dense rubber holds up far better than a standard tennis ball, which shreds quickly and can wear down tooth enamel. Keep fetch toys by the door, so “ball time” stays an event.

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Rotation mistakes to avoid

• Rotating too often. Swapping every day doesn’t give your dog time to settle into a toy, and it turns rotation into a chore you’ll quit. Once a week is the sweet spot; every two weeks also works.
• Rotating damaged toys back in. A torn seam or crack doesn’t get better in the basket. Inspect on swap day and retire anything worn, cracked, or small enough to swallow.
• Leaving puzzle toys out all day. Once the treats are gone, a puzzle toy is just another object on the floor. Put it away after play so it stays special — and so a frustrated dog doesn’t chew it apart.
• Buying a pile of new toys to start. Start with what you have. If a category is missing — say you have no puzzle toy — add one toy in that category, not a whole new collection.

Frequently asked questions

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Best Fetch Toys for High-Energy Dogs: 5 Picks That Actually Tire Them Out

If your dog comes back from a walk still bouncing off the walls, a longer walk probably isn’t the answer — a better game of fetch is. The best fetch toys for high-energy dogs go farther, bounce higher, and survive being chomped on the way back. Our top combo is the Chuckit! Ultra Ball with the Chuckit! Launcher, rounded out by the West Paw Hurley, KONG Classic, and Mammoth rope tug. Fetch burns energy fast — a sprinting dog covers far more ground in 15 minutes than on a 15-minute walk — but cheap toys don’t survive the job: tennis balls shred, hollow plastic cracks, and a ball lost in tall grass ends the game early.

What makes a great fetch toy

• Durability. Dense rubber outlasts felt tennis balls, which shred and wear down tooth enamel.
• Visibility. Bright orange or blue is easy to spot in grass and water.
• The right size. The ball should be too big to fit entirely behind your dog’s back teeth. When in doubt, size up.
• Bounce and float. A high bounce keeps the chase exciting, and a ball that floats works at the lake as well as the park.
• A way to throw farther. Your arm tires long before your dog does — a launcher turns a 30-foot toss into a 100-foot sprint.

The 5 best fetch toys for high-energy dogs

Find them all in the Shop on The Best Dog Toys.

1. Chuckit! Ultra Ball — the best fetch ball, full stop

Dense rubber, high bounce, and bright enough to spot in tall grass.

If you buy one fetch toy, make it this one. The Ultra Ball’s thick, dense rubber bounces higher than a standard tennis ball, floats in water, and holds up to daily fetching far longer than felt tennis balls. The bright orange and blue design is easy to track and find. Sizes run from small to XX-Large (4 inches) for dogs over 100 lbs, and it fits the Chuckit! Launcher.

Best for: everyday fetch, water fetch, dogs who destroy tennis balls.

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2. Chuckit! Launcher — the arm-saver that doubles the workout

Throw farther with less effort — and pick up the ball without touching the slobber.

The Launcher is the single best upgrade to a game of fetch. This lightweight plastic arm cups the ball and lets you throw two to three times farther with less effort, so your dog gets a real sprint instead of a short hop. It also picks the ball up off the ground hands-free. The 26-inch Classic fits medium balls for dogs 20–60 lbs; the Large fits 3-inch balls for bigger dogs.

Best for: high-energy dogs who need a longer run, owners with sore shoulders, muddy days.

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3. West Paw Hurley — the tough, floatable fetch-and-chew hybrid

Built to be thrown, chewed, and floated — and guaranteed by the maker.

The Hurley is a bone-shaped toy made from West Paw’s Zogoflex material: firm, bouncy, and buoyant, so it works as a fetch toy on land and in water. It’s the pick for dogs who don’t just fetch — they carry the toy around and gnaw on it between throws. It floats, it’s dishwasher-safe, and West Paw backs it with a guarantee against dog damage. And because it’s a bone shape rather than a ball, it bounces unpredictably, which keeps smart dogs guessing.

Best for: dogs who chew between throws, water fetch, owners who want one toy that does two jobs.

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4. KONG Classic — the fetch toy that doubles as a settle-down toy

Throw it, stuff it, freeze it — the hardest-working toy in the box.

The KONG Classic is famous as a chew toy, but it’s also a great fetch toy: its uneven shape makes it bounce erratically. After the game, stuff it with kibble or xylitol-free peanut butter, freeze it, and the same toy becomes a calm-down activity for after the excitement of fetch. That two-in-one role is why it earns a spot here: fetch followed by a stuffed KONG is one of the most reliable ways to turn a wired dog into a napping dog.

Best for: dogs who need a cool-down after fetch, rainy-day enrichment, puppies and heavy chewers.

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5. Mammoth rope tug — the fetch break that still burns energy

Fetch and tug in one toy.

Fetch doesn’t have to be all running. The Mammoth rope tug gives your dog a different workout: pulling and tugging works the neck and shoulders and tires a dog out differently than sprinting. It’s a good change of pace when your dog needs a breather from running. Use it as a reward between throws, or as the second half of a play session: a few rounds of fetch, then a tug game, then a rest. Supervise tug play, and retire the rope when it starts to fray.

Best for: mixing tug into fetch sessions, two-dog households, dogs who love to pull.

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Quick comparison

How to play fetch without wearing your dog out (the wrong way)

• Warm up first. A couple of short, easy throws before the long ones — cold muscles and full-speed turns are how dogs pull something.
• Cap the session. Ten to fifteen minutes of hard sprinting is plenty. Stop while your dog still wants more.
• Throw low and straight. High, arcing throws that make your dog leap and twist are hard on joints.
• Watch the heat. High-energy dogs will run until they overheat. On warm days, play morning or evening and bring water.
• End with something calm. A stuffed KONG or a short walk winds the session down.

Frequently asked questions

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When to Replace Dog Toys: 7 Signs It’s Time for a New One

Most dog toys don’t fail all at once — they wear out a little at a time, and the day a toy becomes unsafe usually looks like any other play session. Replace a dog toy as soon as it shows fraying, cracks, loose pieces, missing stuffing, or a broken squeaker — don’t wait for it to fall apart. A quick weekly check takes two minutes, and it’s the simplest way to keep playtime safe.

This guide covers the seven warning signs that mean a toy is done, how long each type of toy typically lasts, and four sturdy replacements from our shop when it’s time for a new one.

The 7 signs a dog toy needs replacing

1. Fraying rope or loose strings

Rope toys are the classic example. A few loose fibers are normal wear, but once the rope starts to unravel into long strings, it’s time to retire it. Dogs can swallow strands, and long strings are the most common cause of intestinal blockages from toys. If you can pull a strand longer than an inch or two free from the rope, the toy is done.

2. Cracks, chips, or sharp edges

Hard rubber and nylon toys don’t shred — they crack. Run your thumb over chew toys and feel for splits, chips, or rough edges. A cracked rubber toy can break into a piece small enough to swallow, and a chipped edge can cut gums. This is the number-one reason to retire a KONG-style toy or a hard nylon bone.

3. Loose or missing pieces

Eyes, noses, squeakers, buttons, and stitched-on parts are all choking hazards once they start to come loose. Give plush toys a firm tug on every attached part during your weekly check. If anything wiggles, pull the toy — and if a squeaker has already come loose inside a plush toy, don’t just sew the toy shut and keep using it. The squeaker is still in there.

4. Stuffing or filling coming out

A plush toy that’s leaking stuffing is past its useful life. Dogs that like to “de-stuff” will keep going once they find an opening, and swallowed stuffing can cause blockages. Small holes can sometimes be repaired if the toy is otherwise in great shape, but a toy your dog has already gutted belongs in the bin.

5. The toy has shrunk to a swallowable size

A toy that was safe when new can become dangerous as pieces wear or break off. The rule of thumb: if the toy — or any piece of it — can fit entirely behind your dog’s back teeth, it’s too small. This is especially common with balls and chews that get gnawed down over weeks of play. When in doubt, size up on the replacement.

6. It smells bad and won’t wash clean

Dog toys live in mouths, mud, and the yard. Most rubber and nylon toys are dishwasher-safe; most plush toys can go through a gentle wash cycle. But if a toy still smells sour after a proper wash, bacteria has settled into the material — usually in cracks or deep in stuffing. Retire it rather than letting your dog keep chewing on it.

7. Your dog has lost interest — or gotten too good at destroying it

This one isn’t a safety emergency, but it matters. A toy your dog ignores is just clutter, and a toy your dog destroys in minutes was never matched to their chew strength in the first place. Both are signs to replace the toy with something better suited: a tougher material for heavy chewers, or a puzzle toy for a dog who needs a job, not another plush.

The 2-minute weekly toy safety check

The easiest way to catch all seven signs is to make toy inspection part of your routine — the same day you rotate toys is a natural fit. Pick up each toy in play and check:

• Squeeze it. Does it crack, crumble, or feel brittle?
• Pull it. Tug on ears, limbs, squeakers, and seams. Does anything give?
• Look at it. Fraying, holes, missing chunks, or exposed stuffing?
• Smell it. Still sour after a wash? It’s done.

Any toy that fails one of those checks goes straight in the bin. Don’t put a failed toy back in the basket “for gentler play” — once a toy is unsafe, it’s unsafe.

How long should dog toys last?

Lifespan depends on the toy and the dog. A gentle senior with a plush toy can keep it for months; a power chewer can destroy the same toy in an afternoon. These are rough guides for an average adult dog:

Puppies chew harder while teething and need more frequent checks. Heavy chewers should be checked twice a week, not once.

Which toys wear out fastest?

Plush and rope toys go first, and that’s by design — they’re soft, satisfying to chew, and meant to be the sacrificial toys in the box. Rubber chew toys last longer but still need watching, because cracks hide on the underside where you don’t look. Puzzle toys last longest of all, since dogs work them with their paws and noses rather than their jaws — but the moment a slider cracks or a compartment breaks, the whole toy goes. Knowing which category a toy falls into tells you how often to check it: soft toys weekly, rubber toys every couple of weeks, puzzle toys monthly.

Four sturdy replacements from our shop

When a toy fails the check, replace it with something built for the job. These four picks from the Shop on The Best Dog Toys are the ones we’d buy again:

KONG Classic — the replacement that outlasts the rest

The hardest-working toy in the box — and a fresh one is safer than a cracked one.

If your dog’s old chew toy cracked or chipped, the KONG Classic is the obvious upgrade. Its thick, durable rubber is built for heavy chewing, and because you can stuff and freeze it, it doubles as a settle-down toy after play. Retire the old one the moment you see a split — a fresh KONG costs far less than a vet visit.

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West Paw Hurley — the tough, floatable chew-and-fetch hybrid

Built to be thrown, chewed, and floated — and guaranteed by the maker.

When a fetch toy starts cracking or a chew toy keeps getting shredded, the Hurley is the replacement that covers both jobs. It’s made from West Paw’s Zogoflex material: firm, bouncy, buoyant, and dishwasher-safe. West Paw backs it with a guarantee against dog damage, which is rare in this category — and a useful sign of how long they expect it to last.

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Benebone Wishbone — the chew replacement for serious chewers

A nylon chew with a shape dogs can actually grip.

Hard chews wear down into sharp edges, and that’s the moment to swap them. The Benebone Wishbone’s curved shape is easy for dogs to hold with their paws, and its nylon is flavored to keep dogs interested. Supervise chew sessions as always, and retire it once the ends wear down or the surface gets rough.

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Chuckit! Ultra Ball — the fetch ball that survives the yard

Dense rubber, high bounce, and bright enough to spot in tall grass.

Tennis balls are the fastest toy to retire: the felt shreds, the ball gets smaller, and worn felt is hard on tooth enamel. The Ultra Ball’s dense rubber bounces higher, floats, and holds up to daily fetching far longer. If your dog’s old ball is cracked, peeling, or small enough to fit behind their back teeth, this is the swap.

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What to do with retired toys

• Throw damaged toys away. Don’t donate a toy with fraying, cracks, or loose parts — a shelter dog deserves a safe toy too.
• Donate toys that are still in good shape. If your dog simply lost interest and the toy passes the squeeze-pull-look-smell check, a local shelter or rescue will usually take it.
• Recycle where you can. Some brands run take-back programs for worn toys — check the manufacturer’s site before binning a rubber toy.

Frequently asked questions

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Best Dog Toys for Power Chewers: 6 Picks That Actually Last

If your dog can turn a brand-new toy into confetti before lunch, the problem isn’t your shopping — most toys aren’t built for determined jaws. The best dog toys for power chewers use dense rubber or solid nylon, have no seams or stuffing to rip open, and are sized generously so your dog can’t get dangerous leverage on them.

One honest note first: no dog toy is truly indestructible. What the toys below offer is a much better shot at lasting weeks or months instead of minutes — paired with the supervision and replacement habits covered at the end. Biscuit, our mascot, is a gentle chewer by comparison, so these picks lean on material and construction, not cuteness.

Quick picks

• Best overall: West Paw Hurley — tough, flexible rubber that bounces and floats
• Best for stuffing/freezing: KONG Classic — fill with treats, freeze, serve
• Best nylon chew: Benebone Wishbone — real-flavor nylon, easy-grip shape (supervised)
• Best ball: Chuckit! Ultra Ball — dense rubber that outlasts tennis balls
• Best interactive: Mammoth Rope Tug — tug with you, then put away
• Best boredom buster: KONG Wobbler — hard-shell treat dispenser (a feeder, not a chew toy)

1. West Paw Hurley — best overall for power chewers

Who it’s for: Dogs who chew hard but still love fetch, carry-around toys, and water play.

Why it lasts: The Hurley is a single piece of West Paw’s Zogoflex rubber — dense and slightly flexible, with no seams, squeakers, or stuffing to exploit. It gives under jaw pressure instead of cracking: rock-hard toys can chip teeth, while this one flexes. It’s dishwasher-safe and backed by West Paw’s chew-toy guarantee.

Watch-outs: It’s a chew-and-fetch stick, not a food toy, so a purely flavor-driven dog may lose interest. Retire it once pieces start coming off.

→ Find the Hurley in our Chew Toys picks.

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2. KONG Classic — best for stuffing, freezing, and crate time

Who it’s for: Food-driven chewers and dogs who need to settle in a crate.

Why it lasts: The KONG Classic’s hollow cone has been a trainer and vet staple for decades: thick, springy rubber built to be gnawed on. Stuff it with kibble or peanut butter and freeze it, and a five-minute snack becomes a half-hour project.

Watch-outs: Size up. Most KONG failures aren’t the material — they’re a too-small KONG a big jaw can compress and tear. For genuinely aggressive chewers, KONG’s black “Extreme” line is tougher. Supervise until you know how your dog handles it.

→ Find the KONG Classic in our Chew Toys picks.

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3. Benebone Wishbone — best nylon chew for solo sessions

Who it’s for: Dogs who prefer a long, focused gnaw over fetch or food puzzles.

Why it lasts: The Wishbone is solid nylon infused with real flavor (chicken, bacon, or peanut), so dogs chew it because it tastes like something. The curved shape is the clever part: your dog can brace it between their paws and hold it at a good angle unaided. Nylon wears down gradually instead of chunking apart, so a correctly sized bone lasts weeks.

Watch-outs: This is a chew, not a food — it’s not edible, and it’s a supervised-chew option, full stop. Dogs should gnaw, not bite off pieces. Take it away once it’s small enough to fit in the mouth whole, or if sharp edges appear. Dogs who crack chews with their back teeth do better with rubber.

→ Find the Wishbone in our Chew Toys picks.

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4. Chuckit! Ultra Ball — best ball for power chewers

Who it’s for: Ball-obsessed dogs who shred tennis balls and peel the felt off in minutes.

Why it lasts: Tennis balls are a quiet hazard — the felt is abrasive on teeth and the ball splits under strong jaws. The Ultra Ball is thick-walled rubber built to survive between-fetch gnawing. It bounces high, floats, comes in easy-to-spot orange, and fits Chuckit! launchers.

Watch-outs: It’s a fetch ball, not a chew toy — let your dog mouth it during play, then trade it for a dedicated chew. Size it so it can’t fit entirely behind the back teeth, a choking risk with any ball.

→ Find the Ultra Ball in our Fetch Toys picks.

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5. Mammoth Rope Tug — best for interactive play (supervised only)

Who it’s for: Dogs who live for tug-of-war, and owners who want a strong, simple game toy.

Why it lasts (with a caveat): Mammoth’s cotton-blend rope is thick and tightly knotted, and holds up well to hard tugging with you at the other end. Honest framing, though: a rope toy is not a leave-alone chew — its durability is about interactive play.

Watch-outs: Never leave a rope toy down unsupervised. A determined dog can unravel and swallow strands, and swallowed string is a genuine emergency. Play, then put it away — and replace it once it starts unraveling.

→ Find the Rope Tug in our Fetch & Tug picks.

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6. KONG Wobbler — best boredom buster for smart chewers

Who it’s for: Power chewers whose destruction is really boredom — dogs who dismantle toys because they need a job to do.

Why it lasts: The Wobbler is a hard plastic dispenser your dog bats and noses around to spill out kibble or treats. Clear-eyed framing: it’s a feeding puzzle, not a chew toy. But its rigid shell stands up to pawing and the occasional frustrated gnaw far better than soft puzzle toys, and slowing down meals is a real win for gulpers.

Watch-outs: If your dog tries to chew through the shell instead of batting it, use it for supervised mealtimes only.

→ Find the Wobbler in our Puzzle Toys picks.

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Safety rules for aggressive chewers

The toy matters, but the habits matter more:

• Supervise first, always. Watch your dog with any new toy for several sessions before leaving it with them — and several picks here should never be left alone with a power chewer at all.
• Size up. Slightly too big beats slightly too small. If it fits entirely in the mouth, it’s a choking hazard.
• Match the toy to the chewing style. Gnawers suit nylon and dense rubber; “dissectors” who rip and pull need seamless, stuffing-free designs; gulpers need supervision with everything.
• Use the thumbnail test. If you can’t dent a rubber toy with your thumbnail, it may be hard enough to risk a cracked tooth — common culprits are antlers, bones, and hard plastics.
• Rotate toys. Bored dogs chew harder. Rotating three or four durable toys spreads the wear and keeps interest up.

When to replace a dog toy

Replace any chew toy when you see:

• Chunks, cracks, or pieces missing — material coming off can be swallowed
• Sharp edges or points developing on nylon chews
• The toy worn small enough to fit mostly inside your dog’s mouth
• Seams splitting or stuffing showing on soft or rubber toys
• Rope unraveling or knots loosening on tug toys

When in doubt, throw it out. A replacement costs a few dollars; a swallowed fragment can cost an emergency vet visit — or worse.

Frequently asked questions

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Best Puppy Teething Toys: 6 Picks That Soothe Sore Gums (and Save Your Shoes)

If your puppy is chewing everything in sight — shoes, chair legs, your fingers — congratulations: they’re teething. Puppies start losing baby teeth around 12–16 weeks, and the chewing phase usually runs until about 6–7 months. The best puppy teething toys give those sore gums something safe to gnaw on, and they save your furniture in the process. Our top picks are the KONG Classic (stuff it and freeze it), the Benebone Wishbone Puppy (flavored and easy to grip), the West Paw Hurley, the KONG Wobbler, the Mammoth rope tug, and the Nina Ottosson MultiPuzzle.

What makes a good teething toy for a puppy

• Softer than an adult chew toy. Puppy teeth are fragile. A good teething toy gives a little when pressed with a thumbnail — hard nylon, antler, and bone are too much for a young mouth.
• Freezable. Cold numbs sore gums — a freezable toy works twice as hard as a dry one.
• Easy to hold. A wishbone, a ring, or a knotted rope gives clumsy paws something to pin down.
• The right size. Too big to fit behind your puppy’s back teeth. When in doubt, size up — puppies grow fast.
• Supervision-friendly. No teething toy is indestructible — retire any toy that starts shedding pieces.

The 6 best puppy teething toys

Find them all in the Shop on The Best Dog Toys.

1. KONG Classic — the best teething toy overall (stuff it and freeze it)

Throw it, stuff it, freeze it — the hardest-working toy in the box.

The KONG Classic is the first teething toy most puppy owners should buy. Smear xylitol-free peanut butter or wet food into the hollow center, freeze it for a few hours, and the cold rubber soothes sore gums while the food keeps your puppy busy for 20–30 minutes. The rubber is firm but forgiving, and the erratic bounce makes it a fetch toy too. KONG makes a softer Puppy formula; the standard red Classic suits older puppies and stronger chewers.

Best for: frozen enrichment, crate time, puppies who chew everything in sight.

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2. Benebone Wishbone Puppy — the flavored chew that holds their attention

Real flavor fused through the chew, in a shape puppies can actually hold.

The Wishbone’s Y-shape is the reason it works so well for puppies: three ends to grip, and whichever way your puppy grabs it, there’s a prong within reach of their paws. Benebone fuses real flavor (peanut, chicken, or bacon) all the way through the nylon, so the taste doesn’t wear off after the first chew session. The Puppy line uses a slightly softer formula — durable, but with more give for teething mouths. One caution: Benebones are chew toys, not edible treats, so replace the toy when the ends start to look chewed down.

Best for: puppies who lose interest in plain rubber, solo chewing sessions, flavor-motivated chewers.

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3. West Paw Hurley — the gentle chew that survives the dishwasher

Soft enough for puppy teeth, tough enough to last — and guaranteed by the maker.

The Hurley is the gentlest chew on this list, which is exactly why it earns a spot. Made from West Paw’s Zogoflex material, it’s firm but has real give — a puppy can sink their teeth in without the jarring hardness of nylon. It’s a bone shape rather than a ball, so it bounces unpredictably when thrown, and it floats, which makes it a good first water toy. It’s dishwasher-safe, and West Paw backs it with a guarantee against dog damage.

Best for: gentle chewers, puppies who chew between games, bath-time and water play.

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4. KONG Wobbler — the mealtime toy that distracts a teething puppy

Dinner, but make it a game — the Wobbler turns a meal into 15 minutes of focus.

Teething puppies don’t just need something to chew — they need something to do. The KONG Wobbler is a weighted, wobbling food dispenser: unscrew the top, fill it with kibble, and your puppy has to bat it around to get dinner out, one piece at a time. It turns a 30-second meal into a 10–15 minute project, and a tired puppy isn’t chewing your baseboards. It’s hard plastic rather than rubber, so it’s a supervised-play toy, not a chew toy. The Small holds 1/2 cup of food; the Large holds 1 cup.

Best for: fast eaters, mealtime enrichment, wearing out a wired puppy without a walk.

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5. Mammoth rope tug — the freezable rope that soothes sore gums

Wet it, freeze it, hand it over — the oldest teething trick in the book.

A rope toy is a teething classic for a reason. The knotted cotton-poly fibers give a puppy’s gums something soft to work against, and there’s a trick the old hands swear by: soak the rope in water, freeze it, and hand it over cold. The tug game gives your puppy a way to play with you instead of chewing on you. Keep tug gentle and retire the rope when it frays or sheds strings.

Best for: interactive play, the wet-and-freeze trick, puppies who love to tug.

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6. Nina Ottosson MultiPuzzle — the gentle brain game for a tired-out puppy

Mental work is real work — a puzzle tires a teething puppy out without a single chew.

Teething makes puppies restless, and a restless puppy chews more. The MultiPuzzle is a gentle introduction to puzzle toys: sliding compartments and hidden treat spots that a puppy can figure out with their nose and paws. It doesn’t ask for any chewing at all, which makes it a good pick for the days when the gums are at their sorest. Ten minutes of puzzle work tires a puppy out about as well as a short walk — and a tired puppy naps instead of gnawing the coffee table. Start easy, then make it harder. Supervise puzzle play, and store the toy between sessions so it stays exciting.

Best for: rainy days, mental enrichment, puppies who need a job to do.

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Teething tips that actually help

• Freeze everything. A frozen KONG, a frozen rope, even a wet washcloth knotted and frozen — cold is the best thing for sore puppy gums.
• Redirect, don’t scold. When your puppy chews the wrong thing, swap in a teething toy and praise them for chewing that. Chewing is a need, not a crime.
• Rotate the toys. Keep two or three teething toys in play and the rest put away, swapping every few days. Our weekly system shows how — see How to Rotate Dog Toys to Prevent Boredom.
• Check toys every week. Puppy teeth are sharp and teething toys wear fast. If a toy is cracking or shedding pieces, it’s done — see When to Replace Dog Toys: 7 Signs It’s Time for a New One.

Frequently asked questions

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Dog Enrichment Ideas for Rainy Days: 7 Indoor Activities to Beat Boredom

When the walk is rained off, your dog still needs a job. The fastest dog enrichment ideas for rainy days are: a frozen stuffed KONG, a puzzle toy, a treat-dispensing Wobbler at mealtime, a hide-and-seek plush, a short hallway fetch session, a gentle indoor tug game, and a DIY sniff box. Rotate two or three of them through the day and most dogs settle far better than they do after one long, frantic play session. Here is how Biscuit and I run a rainy day, using toys from our shop on The Best Dog Toys.

Why indoor enrichment matters on rainy days

A missed walk is not just missed exercise. Dogs read the world through their noses and brains, and a day indoors with nothing to figure out turns into shoe-chewing, couch-digging, and following you from room to room.

Enrichment fixes the mental side. Sniffing, licking, pawing, and problem-solving tire a dog out in a calmer way than zoomies do. You do not need a house full of gear — just a small plan, a few durable toys, and short sessions spread across the day.

At a glance: 7 rainy-day activities

1. Start with a frozen KONG Classic

Stuff it in the morning, freeze it, and hand it over when the rain starts.

This is the rainy-day anchor. Fill a KONG Classic with kibble, wet food, or xylitol-free peanut butter, then freeze it for a few hours. The cold, food-stuffed rubber gives your dog licking and chewing work that settles them instead of winding them up.

Prep two in the morning so you have one ready for the afternoon slump. Always match the KONG size to your dog, and supervise the first few sessions until you know how hard they chew.

2. Give their brain a job with a puzzle toy

Sliding tiles, hidden treats, and a dog who has to think to eat.

The Nina Ottosson MultiPuzzle hides treats under sliding tiles and a rotating center, so your dog has to nose and paw pieces aside to earn each reward. Start easy — leave a few treats partly visible — and only make it harder once your dog understands the game.

Ten to fifteen minutes of puzzle work is genuinely tiring. Put the puzzle away when the treats are gone: left out all day, it stops being special, and a frustrated dog may try to chew it instead.

3. Turn dinner into a game with the KONG Wobbler

Dinner, one wobble at a time.

Fast eaters finish a bowl in under a minute. The KONG Wobbler fixes that: unscrew the top, add kibble, and your dog bats the weighted toy around to spill food out a piece at a time. A 30-second meal becomes a 10–15 minute project.

It is hard plastic, so treat it as a supervised feeding toy, not a chew toy. Use it on a floor that can handle some noise and rolling kibble.

4. Play hide-and-seek with Hide-A-Squirrel

Squirrels in the trunk, dog on the case.

The Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel is a plush tree trunk stuffed with squeaky squirrels. Your dog pulls each squirrel out; you stuff them back in and start again. For an extra rainy-day round, hide the squirrels around one room and let your dog hunt them down.

Plush is for supervised play. If your dog tears rather than puzzles, end the game and switch to a tougher toy from the list.

5. Run a short hallway fetch with the West Paw Hurley

Soft enough for indoor throws, tough enough for daily play.

Some dogs still need to move. Clear a hallway, move anything breakable, and throw the West Paw Hurley low and straight for five to ten minutes. It is bone-shaped, slightly softer than a hard ball, bounces unpredictably, and is dishwasher-safe when it gets slobbery.

Keep it short and calm — you want the edge taken off, not a dog sliding into baseboards. Stop while your dog is still keen, and finish with water and a chew.

6. Play tug indoors — with rules

A rope, a rug, and clear rules make tug a rainy-day win.

Tug is perfect rainy-day play because it involves you. Use the Mammoth rope tug on a rug so your dog has grip, keep pulls side-to-side and gentle, and build in two rules: the game starts when you offer the rope, and it stops the moment teeth touch skin or you say “drop it.”

Trade the rope for a treat when you ask for a drop, then offer it again. That keeps tug cooperative instead of possessive. Retire the rope when it frays or starts shedding strings, and check any worn toy against our guide to When to Replace Dog Toys.

7. Build a DIY sniff box and teach one new trick

No purchase needed. Scatter treats or kibble in a cardboard box filled with scrunched paper or a rolled-up towel, and let your dog snuffle them out. Sniffing is naturally calming, and ten minutes of it can settle a dog who has been pacing by the door.

Finish with five minutes of training: a new trick, or polishing an old one like “touch” or “spin.” Short sessions are enrichment too, and they end the day with your dog succeeding at something.

A simple rainy-day schedule

• Morning: Wobbler breakfast, then a frozen KONG while you start your day.
• Midday: One puzzle session or a sniff box, plus a short training game.
• Afternoon: Hallway fetch or a tug session to burn off steam.
• Evening: Hide-A-Squirrel rounds, then a second frozen KONG to wind down.

Frequently asked questions

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