No matter what kind of dog you have, you’ll certainly want to have a few indestructible dog toys on hand. Durable dog toys not only keep your dog entertained, but they also give him a constructive way to exercise his natural chewing instincts.
At A Glance: Our Top 5 Picks for Indestructible Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers:
- KONG Extreme Goodie Bone – Our Top Pick
- Goughnuts – Black Maxx 50 Dog Chew Ring
- West Paw Design Zogoflex Hurley Chew Toy
- Goughnuts Maxx 50 Stick
- Planet Dog Diamond Plate Orbee Ball
If you don’t give your dog a proper dog chew toy, he’ll likely find something that suits his purposes on his own.
If you’re lucky, he’ll only take out his chewing frustrations on something inexpensive, rather than your brand new shoes. Dogs need to chew things, and its much better you give your pooch a healthy way to get it out their system.
But as experienced dog owners will tell you, they never seem to chew on cheap things, unless they are exceptionally messy.
Below, we’ll talk a little about what makes a dog toy virtually indestructible (or nearly so), which dogs need them, and how to ensure your dog remains safe while enjoying his plastic plaything.
Then, we’ll provide recommendations for five of the best indestructible dog toys for aggressive chewers currently on the market.
We hope this buyer’s guide helps you in choosing an effective chew toy for your pup.
Best Indestructible Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers
Again, no chew toy is truly indestructible and you’ll need to test each one carefully before leaving it with your pet. However, the following five are among the strongest and most indestructible dog toys available.
As with any decision with your dog, the level of “virtually indestructible” depends on their capabilities. So it is still best to evaluate each of these durable dog toys individually and based on your dog.
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Our Top Pick KONG Extreme Goodie Bone
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Goughnuts – Black Maxx 50 Dog Chew Ring
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West Paw Design Zogoflex Hurley Chew Toy
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Goughnuts Maxx 50 Stick
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Planet Dog Diamond Plate Orbee Ball
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#1 KONG Extreme Goodie Bone
Kong is famous for producing ridiculously strong dog chew toys, and most pet owners are at least familiar with the brand. However, for those champion chewers who are capable of destroying standard Kong Goodie Bones, the Extreme Goodie Bone is a great option.
- Price: $$
- Color Options: Black
- Sizing Options: Medium and Large
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Bottom Line: It’s hard to beat a good old fashioned Kong, and their super tough Extreme Goodie Bones are ideal for heavy chewers. In addition to being durable without being dangerously hard, you can stuff treats or tasty pastes into the ends, which adds further chewing pleasure for your dog. Shaped like a traditional dog bone, this is a great, basic toy that your dog can have fun with for many chews!
#2 Goughnuts – Black Maxx 50 Dog Chew Ring
Goughnuts toys are designed to stand up to the worst abuse your dog can dish out, while keeping him safe in the process. Goughnuts is so confident in their product that they offer a safety replacement guarantee – if your dog manages to break through the outer layer, exposing the red layer underneath, the company will send you a new one. How’s that for a guarantee?
- Price: $$$$$
- Color Options: Black
- Sizing Options: One Size Only (5” diameter, 2.5” cross-section)
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Bottom Line: The Goughnuts Black 50 Dog Chew Ring is a great choice for owners who want to use their dog’s chew toy for playtime too. One of the key features is the built-in safety indicator, which will help provide peace of mind, while the safety guarantee will help you get great value for your dollar. Additionally, because they float, Goughnuts Chew Rings are a great choice for dogs that love to swim.
#3 West Paw Design Zogoflex Hurley Chew Toy
Zogoflex dog toys are a trusted name in the dog toy industry, and for good reason. West Paw Design makes some great toys for dogs, and the Hurley is perhaps their best effort. Made from FDA-compliant materials, the Hurley is light enough to be used as a play toy and yet durable enough for most toothy terrors.
- Price: $$$
- Color Options: Aqua, Granny Smith, Tangerine and Black
- Sizing Options: Mini, Small and Large
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Bottom Line: Owners who prefer to make environmentally-friendly consumer choices will love the Zogoflex Hurley, thanks to its BPA-and-Phthalate-free construction. Most dogs appear to love working on a Hurley, and they are built in great shape and with excellent materials. Additionally, like the Gouhnuts toy detailed above, the Hurley also floats, making it a great choice for dogs that like to play in and around the pool or lake.
#4 Goughnuts Maxx 50 Stick
Goughnuts makes another appearance on our list, thanks to their durability and built-in safety features. Like the Goughnuts Ring, the Maxx 50 Stick features a black outer layer and a red inner layer – should the red layer become visible, you simply take the toy from your dog and contact the manufacturer for a replacement.
- Price: $$$$$
- Color Options: Black
- Sizing Options: One Size Only (9” length, 2” diameter)
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Bottom Line: If your dog has destroyed every other toy you’ve tried, make the Maxx 50 Stick your next choice. Approximately 20% stronger than the already-durable original Power Stick, this is one of the strongest dog toys available anywhere. And despite its resiliency, it floats and works well as a play toy as well as a chew toy.
This is the best choice for owners of power chewers, who don’t mind spending top dollar for maximum value. After all, with a guarantee that the manufacturer will replace it if your dog chews it through, it might be worth the extra investment.
#5 Planet Dog Diamond Plate Orbee Ball
The Planet Dog Orbee Ball is as tough as you’d expect of any product with a “diamond plate” in its name. Because it has just the right amount of give and a subtly textured surface, dogs love how the Orbee Ball feels in their mouth.
- Price: $$
- Color Options: Silver and Purple
- Sizing Options: One Size Only
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Bottom Line: The Orbee Ball is a safer option for dogs who love to chew on tennis balls, and it throws, bounces and floats just like a regular tennis ball does. Most owners report that this durable dog toy stood up to their pup’s jaws, and many loved using the ball for playtime too.
But aside from tennis-ball devotees, the Orbee Ball is perfect for value-minded owners: It is one of the more affordable toys we recommend and it is backed by a lifetime guarantee. However, you should use caution when using the Orbee Ball with Great Danes, Mastiffs, and other really big dogs.
So for those who are looking for a tough toy that can also be used for a game of fetch, this could be just what you are looking for.
What Makes a Good Indestructible Dog Toy?
It’s really quite impressive to watch a dog happily destroy some poor innocent item while gleefully wagging his tail. Dogs not only have very strong jaws and rock-hard teeth, but they are also skilled with these tools and smart about how they use them.
Dogs destroy some things via brute force, simply crushing down on whatever unfortunate item happens to be between their teeth (especially the back teeth, where they can employ the most leverage).
But they’ll systematically pull apart other items piece by piece, or thread-by-thread in the case of rope toys. They’ll even use their mouths to manipulate the things they’re chewing.
For example, some dogs are quite adept at twisting plastic bottle tops off. As you can see, dogs are quite the master chewers!
Taking these factors into consideration, it becomes apparent that indestructible dog toys must share two traits:
1. The Most Indestructible Dog Toys Are Made of A Hard Material
As explained by veterinarian Greg Magnusson of Leo’s Pet Care, the toughest dog toys should be hard enough that your dog cannot bite off pieces, and yet soft enough to be dented with your thumbnail.
This rules out things like antlers and bones, which are far too hard; as well as tennis balls, which most dogs can easily tear them to pieces. Tennis balls make great fetch toys, but they shouldn’t be used as tough chew toys.
You need to look for a toy that is made of strong enough materials so that your dog can’t simply chew it apart. This not only could break it down into little pieces and present a choking hazard, but your dog will break it apart quickly, and its not a good chew toy when it no longer exists!
2. The Strongest Dog Chew Toys Are Shaped in a Conceptually Sound Way
Because dogs will quickly figure out the weak point in any chew toy, you want to use a tough dog chew toy that is essentially uniform in shape. For example, your dog won’t find a weak point on a stick-, bone- or ring-shaped toy no matter where they chew it.
By contrast, some of the dog chew toys designed to clean your dog’s teeth feature small tabs or prongs, that a power-chewer can easily bite off and swallow.
Once again, this could be a choking hazard for more powerful dogs, which is why it is so important to see which toys were designed for which dogs.
Because dogs often attack the ends of their toy with a particular passion, bones and rings are two of the best chew toy shapes – bones have reinforced ends, and ring-shaped toys don’t have ends at all. These are two truly tough toy designs and should be considered for more powerful dogs.
Be aware that no dog toy is truly indestructible. Even if you find a durable dog toy that keeps your dog happy and holds up for years, there’s certainly a dog out there somewhere, who just destroyed the same toy in a matter of minutes.
But some are much, much more likely to hold up than others are (don’t worry, we’ll point out a few in a moment).
Breeds That Benefit from Indestructible Dog Toys
Dog chew toys are important for virtually all breeds; including the tiniest Chihuahuas and the most gentlemanly Boston terriers.
But some dogs are harder on their toys than others are, and benefit from the toughest, most durable dog toys you can possibly find.
This includes large dog breeds, those with exceptionally strong jaws and those for whom chewing is an Olympic-caliber event.
For our purposes, we’ll say that large breeds include anything over about 50 pounds, so German shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans, most retrievers, Great Danes, Cane Corsos and comparably sized mixed-breed dogs should always get indestructible dog toys.
Not only will these toys hold up, but they will also give your large pup a healthy outlet.
Additionally, you’ll need armor-plated toys for English bulldogs, American Staffordshire terriers and pit bulls, whose strong jaws help make up for their slightly smaller size.
As for those who chew until they’ve either fallen asleep or completely destroyed the item, there are two breeds that come to mind: bull terriers and boxers.
There are plenty of other breeds and mixed breed dogs that require strong chewing toys; but if you have just adopted a puppy from one of these mentioned breeds, you should just go ahead and assume your little gnawer will need heavy duty dog toys.
Evidently, it is most important that you do your research depending on the type of breed that you have. Even the toughest dog has a toy designed for them, but dog owners will want to ensure that any decision they make has that breed in mind.
Dogs have many different needs, and effective research will ensure that you can get the extreme dog toy that will satisfy your large dog’s play-time.
Safety First
No matter which kind of dog toy you select, it is important to keep your dog safe while gnawing. Keep the following tips in mind to minimize the chances of an unplanned trip to the vet.
Be Especially Careful When Selecting Dog Toys for Unattended Use
In an ideal world, you’d never leave a dog alone with a chew toy. But it’s sometimes hard to avoid, especially if you are away from the house for long periods of time.
Nevertheless, it is absolutely essential that you select and thoroughly “test” the toys to be used when you’re away, by letting your dog play with it in a few supervised sessions before assuming it’s safe for unsupervised use.
The last thing you would want is your dog breaking apart the toy and being left with a choking hazard.
Never Provide Your Dog with Toys That Are Small Enough To Be Swallowed
If your dog can fit the entire toy in his mouth, the toy is too small. You’ll quickly learn what size suits your dog best, but if you are new to the chew toy game, you can start by measuring the length and width of your dog’s muzzle.
Then use this information to help aid you in the selection process. If the entire toy can fit inside your dog’s mouth, it is obviously a dangerous toy and should not be used by your dog.
Only Purchase Tough Dog Toys Made from Non-Toxic Ingredients
The vast majority of premium dog toys are made from relatively safe, non-toxic ingredients. Unfortunately, many dog toys do not identify the materials used in its construction, so this can be a tough nut to crack.
If you have any doubts about the safety of the toy you select, consult with your veterinarian who can provide an informed perspective.
Generally speaking, you can decrease the chances of purchasing a toxic toy by sticking to those made by high-quality manufacturers, such as Kong and West Paw Design, among others.
So when you are in doubt, buy a toy from a reputable manufacturer. Our buyer’s guide below can help aid you in this decision.
Final Word About Indestructible Dog Toys
It can be tough to find durable dog toys that will stand up to everything your dog can throw at it, but the five products above are some of the best indestructible dog toys available. Look over each of the products carefully and try to make the best choice for you and your pup.
Our top piece of advice and you’ve probably heard it a lot as a dog owner, is to buy a toy that is suitable for your dog and their individual characteristics. Our list represents some of the toughest and safest toys available on the market, but you need to make sure that it is safe for your dog.
Often you can find this on the packaging, or by simply Googling the product. However, if your dog is truly one-of-a-kind, seeking the help of a vet can never hurt!
We hope our buyer’s guide has helped you to make your decision. There are of course many toys out there for your furry friend, but these were some of our favorites.
Have you happened upon an incredibly tough dog toy? Are you a Kong fan, or do you prefer the West Paw Design products? We’d also love to hear about any of the great dog toys for heavy chewers that we may have missed.
Let us know about your chew toy stories, questions, and comments below.
[wpdatatable id=71]Hi, I’m Walter,
I live in Oklahoma City, USA, and have extensive dog caring and grooming expertise. In addition, I provide dog training tips and tricks through my blogs in Canine Weekly. I have a Dog Behavior and Training diploma and have previously worked as a Dog Trainer at ROC Animal Training and Behavior and Tip Top K9 of OKC Dog Training.
Apart from writing on Canine Weekly, I share my views on Twitter and Linkedin.