The best teething toys for puppies are a recommended purchase to make the difficult process easier for your dog - and you. While it's always fun to shop for everyday puppy toys, teething toys offer special qualities that satisfy the biting and chewing instincts your dog will experience when teething, and in some cases, can even offer soothing abilities.
When you consider how strong and sharp a dog's adult teeth are, you can imagine how agonising it is for your precious pup when those razor-edged incisors, canines, and molars start pushing through their poor gums. That's why having dedicated dog toys to help your puppy soothe their painful teeth and gums is vital.
Best teething toys for your puppy at a glance:
• Best puppy teething toy starter set: Fur & Bone 18-Pack Puppy Chew Toys - View on Amazon UK
• Best puppy teething toy with soothing cloth: Nylabone Puppy Teething Chew Toy with Soothing Cloth - View on Amazon UK
• Best puppy teething toy for aggressive chewers: Benebone Puppy 2-Pack Indestructible Dental Chews - View on Amazon UK
While distracting your dog with walks and play, and offering them interactive dog toys to take their mind off the pain are all good options, dedicated teething toys give your pup relief. This is because teething toys offer them something to chew on, preferably of various levels of hardness and different textures to suit their teething stage, and if you invest in options that can be frozen, something to help their sore gums. Here's our selection of the best teething toys for puppies that are a must-have for your new pup arsenal.
Best teething toys for puppies
Best puppy teething toy starter set
AmazonIf you have a new puppy and you're not quite sure yet what kind of toy is going to excite them, opting for a selection pack with a variety of different toys is a savvy choice. This 18-piece pack from Fur & Bone gives you rope toys, throw toys, ball toys, and crucially for teethers, chew toys. All of made of non-toxic materials, and you get a roll of poo bags thrown in as well.
Customer review: "My puppy was very happy with all of the toys and keeps him amused for ages. Uses the teethers for a good chew on."
Pros
- Wide variety of different toys
- Non-toxic materials
Cons
- Not all are designed for teethers
Best puppy teething toy with soothing cloth
AmazonThis two-in-one toy offers your pup the best of both worlds; a textured chew toy and a soothing cloth. The toy part is made from soft, durable material designed specifically for teething puppies and has bristle texture to help clean teeth. The chew is infused with a yummy peanut butter flavour. The cloth part can be soaked and frozen to soothe gums.
Customer review: "Pup seems to enjoy this. Goes back time and again to this chew and seems to alternate between chewing the rubber and then the material part. Easy to pop in freezer and whip out when needed."
Pros
- Can be frozen
- Massage bristles
Cons
- Only for pups up to 11kg
Best puppy teething toy for aggressive chewers
AmazonThese nylon chew toys from Benebone aren't technically indestructible, but they are certainly very tough. You get two chews in the pack; a dental chew with ridged edges and Benebone's flagship wishbone-shaped chew. The ever-popular wishbone shape works so well as it's specially designed for dogs to be able to grip it with their paws so they can have a really good gnaw.
Customer review: "Good, the pup particularly likes the wishbone shape. A good chew! Better than my skirting boards anyway…"
Pros
- Real bacon flavour
- Paw-friendly shapes
Cons
- Possibly too tough for some pups
Best textured teething toy for puppies
AmazonThese cutesy toys are reminiscent of teething aids you'd give to human babies. Perfect for your fur baby, this good value pack gives you four different shapes to offer variety. Three of the toys have rope attachments making it easy for your pup to pick them up and have fun shaking them. These are available in two tones; pink and blue.
Customer review: "Great value for money, my new puppy loves every single toy in this set, perfect for her little mouth and soft enough for her to enjoy a good chew without breaking."
Pros
- Rope detail
- Available in two colours
Cons
- Flavourless
Best freezable teething toy for puppies
AmazonIf your pup is really struggling with the pain of teething, a frozen toy can offer much welcome relief. This tough plastic ring is filled with 100% purified water that will freeze within a couple of hours. The ring has raised nodules that clean teeth and massage gums. On either side of the ring are cross-shaped cut-outs that you can push treats into for extra excitement.
Customer review: "I bought this to help my puppy with teething. She loves it. I put it in my freezer in a freezer bag and this definitely helps her with her gums."
Pros
- Two slots to add treats
- Freezable
Cons
- Heavy
Best flavoured puppy teething toy
AmazonThese Nylabone chew toys have a clever way to incentivise hungry pups to bite down on them - they are infused with dog-friendly flavourings. One has a delicious chicken flavour throughout, and the other offers a dose of peanut butter goodness. These bones have a puppy-friendly texture that won't harm small teeth. As they are gnawed, the raised texture will clean teeth.
Customer review: "My puppy loves the brown one, tasty and hits the right spots. The yellow is almost rock hard and we still have it from first purchase, but also finds it interesting and we are able to distract him with it."
Pros
- Two different flavours
- Gentle on teeth
Cons
- For extra small puppies
Best natural teething toy for puppies
AmazonIf you prefer to stay away from plastics, wood offers a good alternative - but only certain types. Olive wood is safe for all dog breeds, and these sticks are crafted from timber that is 100% natural and sustainably sourced. This vegan-friendly dog toy can be chewed, chased, caught, and even floats in water for aquatic antics.
Customer review: "My five-month cocker spaniel is teething. She spends hours chewing on the olive wood. It's just the right size and seems to last for ages. The wood feels very smooth and despite all the chewing, there's hardly any mess left behind."
Pros
- Fat-free
- 100% natural
Cons
- Will crumble as chewed
The puppy teething process: What to expect, and when
The huge caveat when trying to gauge when a puppy will start the full-on teething process is that it's all down to the dog's breed. Typically larger breeds will start to get their adult teeth sooner than small and toy types. Here are some rough guidelines for timescales:
3-plus weeks: Your puppy's baby teeth will start coming through.
Around 6-8 weeks: All baby teeth should be in.
The 3-month mark: "Proper" teething begins when your pup's baby teeth start falling out and their adult teeth push through.
From approximately 6 months: Your dog should have a full set of 42 adult gnashers.
Completely normal behaviour during these periods is mouthing, biting, chewing, and drooling. You may also notice small amounts of blood on toys your puppy has used. Although this seems alarming, small amounts are normal, but obviously, use your judgment if you are concerned about the quantities.
FAQs: Best teething toys for puppies
Do puppies need teething toys?
Dogs of all ages can benefit from having chew toys to play with but chew toys for puppies are especially useful to help younger dogs with their teeth and gums as they go through the teething process.
As your pup grows, you may need to consider upgrading their favourite chew toy to a larger version, or if your sweet pup has evolved into an aggressive chewer, even a tough-type dog toy.
Whatever stage your dog is at, or whatever their chewing style, it's important to check teething and chew toys regularly for signs of damage. Toys that are showing signs of destruction should be discarded to avoid choking accidents or stomach issues.
Amy-Mae Turner is a Commerce Content Writer for Modern Gardens, Yours, Take A Break Pets, and A Modern Kitchen. When she's not pottering in the garden or mucking around in the kitchen, she can be found having doggy cuddles with her two beloved cockapoochis.