15 Best Puppy Toys for Teething Puppies
Your puppy has found the table leg again. You can hear the gnawing from the next room, and by the time you get there, a chair rung has fresh tooth marks and your favorite shoe has a new hole in the toe.
Teething hurts. Those needle sharp baby teeth push through sore gums, and chewing is the one thing that brings relief. Your puppy is not being naughty. She is looking for something that feels good to bite.
The fix is simple. Give her the right things to chew, and she will leave your shoes alone most of the time. These 15 best puppy toys for teething puppies cover frozen rings, sturdy rubber, edible chews, and a few DIY options that cost almost nothing.
Pick two or three to start, rotate them through the week, and watch which ones your puppy reaches for again and again. The ones she picks are the ones worth buying twice.
1. A Frozen Rubber Ring That Numbs Sore Gums
A rubber ring is the first toy most puppy owners buy, and there is a good reason for that. It is soft enough for baby teeth, tough enough to last, and easy to grab with small paws.
Pop it in the fridge for an hour before playtime. The cold numbs sore gums the same way a cold washcloth soothes a teething baby, and most puppies settle right down with it.
- Pick a ring sized for your puppy, not an adult dog. Too big and she cannot get her jaw around it.
- Rinse it after each chew session so it stays clean.
- Keep a second ring in the fridge so one is always cold and ready.
2. A Rope Tug Toy With Knots for Gentle Tugging
A knotted rope gives your puppy something to pull, shake, and carry around the house. The fibers rub gently between the teeth, which helps clean them while she plays.
Keep tug games short and calm. Let her win sometimes, and stop the game if she starts growling or pulling too hard. A quick trade for a treat teaches her to let go on cue.
- Choose a rope with tight knots and no loose threads to swallow.
- Toss it in the wash once a week. Rope toys pick up drool fast.
- Retire the toy when the ends start to fray.
💡 Quick Tip
Wet the rope, then freeze it for an hour. You get a cold chew and a tug toy in one.
3. A Freezable Water-Filled Teether for Hot Days
This teether works like a cold pack your puppy can chew. Fill it with water, freeze it solid, and hand it over when the chewing starts. The cold lasts longer than a chilled ring, and the soft plastic is kind to new teeth.
It shines on warm afternoons. A puppy who is hot and teething is twice as cranky, and a cold teether fixes both problems at once.
- Fill it only to the line marked on the toy so it has room to expand as it freezes.
- Check it for leaks before each use. Toss it if water seeps out.
- Keep it out of reach once the ice melts, or she will chew through the soft shell.
Fill the teether with clean water up to the marked line.
Freeze it for at least 4 hours until it is solid.
Hand it to your puppy and stay close for the first chew.
4. A Rubber Bone With Nubs That Massage the Gums
The little raised nubs on this bone do the real work. They press into sore gums as your puppy chews, and that pressure feels good when a tooth is pushing through.
Look for a bone made for puppies, not adult chewers. Puppy rubber is softer, so it bends under baby teeth instead of cracking them.
- Smear a thin line of puppy-safe peanut butter into the grooves for extra interest.
- Pick the size your vet or the package recommends for your puppy’s weight.
- Wash it in warm soapy water after messy treat sessions.
5. Frozen Carrot Sticks, the Cheapest Teething Toy of All
A carrot from the fridge costs almost nothing, and puppies go wild for it. Peel it, cut it into thick sticks, and freeze them for an hour. The cold soothes gums, the crunch keeps a puppy busy, and you can eat the leftovers yourself.
Carrots are safe for most puppies in small amounts, and they add a little fiber to the day. Keep the sticks thick so they last longer than one bite.
- Cut sticks as thick as your thumb, never thin coins a puppy can gulp.
- Offer one stick at a time and watch her chew.
- Skip this one if your vet has your puppy on a strict diet.
Before you hand over a carrot
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6. A Stuffable Toy Frozen With Peanut Butter
Fill a hollow rubber toy with a spoonful of plain peanut butter, add a few kibbles, and freeze the whole thing. What comes out is a cold puzzle that can keep a teething puppy busy for half an hour.
The frozen filling forces slow licking instead of hard biting, which is kinder to sore gums. Start with a thin smear for young puppies, and work up to a full stuffing as she grows.
- Use plain peanut butter with no xylitol. Check the label every time.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours so the filling sets firm.
- Wash the toy after each use so old food does not sour inside.
A bored puppy hunting for shoes and table legs to chew.
A calm puppy licking a frozen toy on her bed, busy for half an hour.
7. Puppy Dental Chew Sticks Sized for Small Mouths
Dental sticks give a teething puppy something she is allowed to eat. They are softer than adult chews, sized for small jaws, and they scrape the teeth a little as she works through them.
One stick a day is plenty. Treats add calories, and a puppy who fills up on chews may skip her real food. Count the stick as part of her daily food, not on top of it.
- Buy sticks made for puppies, with a size range that matches your dog.
- Give them on a hard floor or a washable mat, not on the rug.
- Ask your vet first if your puppy has a sensitive stomach.
| Puppy dental stick | Hard adult chew |
|---|---|
| Soft enough for baby teeth. | Too hard, can crack teeth. |
| Sized for small mouths. | Made for adult jaws. |
| One a day is plenty. | Not made for puppies at all. |
8. A Crinkly Plush Toy for Comfort Chewing
Some puppies chew because their gums hurt. Others chew because they want something soft to hold. A plush toy with a crinkle layer inside gives them both, and the noise keeps them coming back.
This one needs a watchful eye. Plush toys are for gentle chewers, not power chewers, and a puppy who rips seams can swallow stuffing. Take it away the moment a seam opens.
- Pick a plush toy with no buttons, beads, or sewn-on eyes.
- Check the seams every day for loose threads.
- Keep it as a comfort toy, and give rubber toys for hard chewing.
Give it to gentle chewers for comfort.
Check the seams every day.
Leaving it with a puppy who shreds toys.
Toys with buttons or plastic eyes.
9. Silicone Teething Keys Your Puppy Can Carry Anywhere
Teething keys are a ring of soft silicone shapes on a handle, made for tiny mouths. A puppy can carry them around the house, which means she always has something to chew when the urge hits.
They are light, easy to wash, and safe to chill in the fridge. Keep one set by the back door and one by her bed so a teething toy is never far away.
- Rinse the keys after outdoor play so they stay clean.
- Chill them for an hour before the evening chew session.
- Replace them if the silicone gets torn or chunked.
Keep a teething toy in every room your puppy uses, so she never has to look far for something safe to chew.
10. Frozen Broth Pops From an Ice Cube Tray
Pour low-sodium broth into an ice cube tray, freeze it, and pop out a cube for your puppy. It is cold, it tastes like dinner, and it melts away so there is nothing to swallow or break.
Broth pops work best outside or on a tile floor. They melt fast, and a puppy who drags one across the carpet will leave a wet trail behind her.
- Use plain broth with no onion or garlic, and check the label for salt.
- Start with half a cube for a small puppy.
- Freeze a batch on Sunday so you have pops ready all week.
Pour low-sodium broth into a clean ice cube tray.
Freeze overnight until solid.
Pop out one cube and serve it on a hard floor.
11. A Puppy-Sized Nylon Chew Bone That Lasts for Weeks
A nylon bone is the long game of teething toys. It does not break apart, it holds up to daily chewing, and the ridges give sore gums something to work against.
Size is everything here. A bone made for a large adult dog can hurt a puppy’s jaw, and a tiny bone can become a choking risk. Match the bone to your puppy’s weight and swap it up as she grows.
- Choose a bone labeled for puppies, not adult dogs.
- Check it weekly for sharp edges or deep grooves, and replace it when it wears down.
- Skip flavored bones if your puppy has food allergies.
⚠️ Watch Out
A nylon bone that is too small can be swallowed whole. If your puppy can fit the whole bone in her mouth, it is time for a bigger size.
12. A Snuffle Mat With Frozen Treats Hidden Inside
A snuffle mat is a flat mat covered in fabric strips, and you hide kibble or small treats deep inside it. Your puppy has to sniff and nudge her way to each bite, which tires her out without a single hard chew.
Freeze a few treats into the mat for teething days. The cold fabric soothes her gums while she works, and the sniffing gives her brain a job to do.
- Start with treats on top so she learns the game fast.
- Wash the mat weekly. It collects drool and crumbs.
- Use it after walks, when she is calm and ready to settle.
13. A Treat-Dispensing Rubber Ball That Rolls and Rewards
This ball drops a kibble every time it rolls the right way, so your puppy learns to nudge it around the room. It turns dinner into a game, and the rubber is soft enough for baby teeth.
Use it for one meal a day. A puppy who works for her food eats slower, chews more, and finishes the meal feeling tired instead of wired.
- Fill it with her normal kibble, not extra treats.
- Pick a ball she can pick up but not swallow.
- Rinse it after each use so old kibble does not stick inside.
Set up the ball in 2 minutes
14. A Frozen Washcloth Knot, the Zero Cost Teething Toy
Wet a clean washcloth, tie it in a tight knot, and freeze it. That is the whole toy, and it costs nothing. The cold cloth feels good on sore gums, and the knot gives her something to grip with her paws.
Make three at a time and keep them in a bag in the freezer. When one thaws out, swap in a fresh one and toss the wet cloth in the wash.
- Use a plain cotton washcloth with no loose threads or frayed edges.
- Tie the knot tight so it holds its shape while frozen.
- Take it away once it thaws and softens, or she will shred it.
A puppy chewing the corner of a rug because nothing cold is in reach.
The same puppy settled on her bed with a frozen cloth knot, calm for twenty minutes.
15. A Teething Toy Starter Set to Find Her Favorite
If you cannot tell what your puppy likes yet, buy a small set instead of one toy. A good starter set mixes a rubber ring, a rope, a plush toy, and a teether, so you can watch which one she picks up first.
Rotate the set through the week. Put two toys out and hide the rest, then swap them every few days. Old toys feel new again after a short break, and you spend less money chasing the next toy she might like.
- Watch which toy she returns to. That is the one to buy again in a bigger size.
- Wash the whole set when it arrives, before the first chew.
- Retire any toy that cracks, frays, or loses pieces.
Pick the Right Teething Toys for Your Puppy
The best puppy toys for teething puppies are the ones your puppy actually reaches for, so start with two or three from this list and let her choose. Frozen toys calm sore gums fastest, rubber toys last the longest, and edible chews like carrots and broth pops cost almost nothing. Keep the toys clean and check them for wear every week.
Teething passes. The chewing peaks while adult teeth come in, and by the time those teeth settle, your puppy will have learned what is hers to chew and what is not. Save this list for the next puppy in your life, and pin it to your puppy board so it is there when you need it.
