Good Toys for Dogs to Keep Them Entertained

If you’ve been around dogs, you know how important it is for dogs to have good toys to keep them entertained. Sometimes, looking at all your options can be a bit overwhelming. Below we’ve compiled a list of the best dog toys for every interest. 

For Food Motivated Players and Chewers

Kong Classic 

Everyone knows how long Kongs can keep their dog preoccupied. For that reason, it made it onto this list. Additionally, natural rubber makes up the Kong Classic, making it a more eco-friendly dog toy. Fill it with Kong Easy Treat or peanut butter and treats for a stimulating time. 

West Paw Toppl 

The Toppl provides ample space for hiding treats. The inner “teeth” provide a creative way to hold smaller treats or kibble in place. With the option to purchase of the XL Toppl, you can connect it to the Toppl and increase the challenge for your pooch. If your dog likes to drop their toys in your pool or local ponds, the Toppl also has the benefit of floating. You can also use the dishwasher to clean the Toppl easily. Lastly, it uses zero-waste manufacturing and can be recycled through the Join the Loop recycling program. (Pretty awesome win for the environment!)

Routesun Snuffle Mat

Snuffle mats provide great enrichment during feeding time. Simply hide your dog’s kibble or treats) throughout the mat and let them sniff out their food. This allows your dog to use their instinctual smelling and hunting skills. Using Routesun’s snuffle mat also means you use a more eco-friendly sustainable antipilling fleece material.

For Dogs that Chase

Kong Frisbee 

Kong frisbees are amazing!!! The soft rubber allows for more grace when throwing than other more rigid frisbees. As your dog jumps to catch the frisbee, you also don’t have to worry about the soft material hurting their mouth or if it accidentally hits them. Made of durable, eco-friendly natural rubber, Kong frisbees have a substantial amount of strength and can hold up against dogs that want to switch to tug of war. 

Chuckit! Launcher

Not everyone plays professional baseball. If you struggle to throw the ball far enough for your dog, consider buying the Chuckit! launcher. Not only does it keep you from feeling like you’ve dislocated your shoulder, but it also throws the ball far. 

iFetch Ball Launcher

If you can’t keep up your dog’s throwing demand, consider the iFetch ball launcher. Whether you drop the ball into the launcher yourself or train your dog to do so, once the ball makes its way into the launcher, the iFetch then launches it 10 to 40 feet. Sit back and relax as your pooch gets their steps in for the day and wears themselves out. 

For Swimmers

Kurgo Skipping Stones

Kurgo skipping stones come in three different sizes and easy-to-spot colors. While not designed for chewing, the Kurgo stones will still float even if your dog gets a little overzealous. The material is also dishwasher safe and non-toxic. 

Kong Aqua 

The Kong Aqua works great for strong swimmers. With the help of the rope part of the toy, you can throw the Aqua even further for your dog. An inner foam layer enables the Aqua to float while the bright orange color helps your pooch spot the toy in the water. The Aqua provides great water retrieving practice. 

West Paw Skamp

West Paw rocks for its use of more environmentally friendly dog toys! This zero-waste, recyclable toy has three arms your dog can grab onto when it swims out to catch this floating beauty. If you’ve got more than one dog, this means two or three dogs can potentially all grab onto the same toy at once. Let the games begin!

For Dogs that Love Sound 

HearDoggy! Flatties Gator Chew Toy

If you bring your dog to work or just enjoy the silence, consider the HearDoggy toy! With an ultrasonic, quiet squeaker that produces sounds outside of the human hearing range, your dog can go wild while you enjoy peace and quiet. It also comes with minimal stuffing for minimal clean-up, reinforced seams, and a chew guard lining to extend its life. 

BarkBox Drongo Platypus 

BarkBox’s platypus provides a quieter crinkle wrap to keep your dog engaged. This platypus provides an excellent option for pet parents who don’t mind noise but don’t want it waking up the house. Additionally, if your dog chews or plays aggressively, you’ll be delightfully surprised to learn that this platypus hides additional toys inside once it has been destroyed. 

Outward Hound Squeaker Matz

If you don’t mind the sound of squeakers, this mat is for you. With six to 32 squeakers (depending on the size you get), your dog will almost certainly bite down on a squeaker every time. Additionally, the minimal amount of stuffing keeps cleaning to a minimum. If you aren’t afraid of using a needle and thread, you can even extend the life of this toy by buying a pack of replacement squeakers. 

For Interactive Puzzle Lovers

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Puzzle

You might’ve heard about this Hide-A-Squirrel toy and for good reason. This cute toy hides 3 to 6 different squeaky squirrels. They can search around this soft, plush log in search of the squirrels. If your dog gets bored of taking the squirrels out of the log, consider throwing the squirrels and playing fetch. 

SPOT Sneak-A-Treat Shuffle Puzzle 

This puzzle rocks! Place some treats in one of the holes and then slide to cover it. Give your dog the shuffleboard and let them figure out how to access their treats! If you crate-train your dog, this toy will keep them preoccupied. Since SPOT uses wood for this toy, you don’t have to worry about adding to plastic waste!

Frisco Volcano Hide & Seek Puzzle 

Medium and larger dogs will love Frisco’s Volcano! It hides six squeaky dinosaurs for your dogs to discover. Similar to Outward Hound’s Hide-A-Squirrel, the dinosaurs also have a squeaker and can easily serve as a fun ball alternative if you want to play fetch.

For Puppies

Multipet Lamb Chop Dog Toy

It seems everyone loves this little lamb. With a soft exterior great for cuddling and a squeaker for playful puppies, this toy captivates everyone that owns it, puppy or not. Although this might not be the best choice for aggressive chewers, people love it so much it’s not uncommon for people to buy and replace them anyways. This is a long way to say that this thing rocks!

Nylabone Teething Pacifier 

Your puppy will eventually enter the teething phase. Start them early on this toy so they can quickly learn appropriate things to chew on that relieves their teething discomfort. While Nylabone uses plastic, it is still non-toxic and has a nice bacon flavor for your pup.

Kong Puppy Activity Ball

Kong Puppy rocks because it uses softer, natural rubber than the Kong Classic. This means your pup can work out their teething frustration and minimize discomfort. You can also stuff the sides and insides with treats to promote appropriate teething behavior. It comes in both baby blue and light pink colors.

SmartPetLove Snuggle Puppy

The Snuggle Puppy works great for anxious dogs, young and old. Using AAA batteries and a Heat Pack, you can simulate a heartbeat and the warmth of another dog. This toy has helped over 1,000,000 dogs to date – pretty impressive! Because it can help alleviate anxiety and make crate training easier by limiting whining and barking, YOU and your pup will benefit from a good night’s sleep.

For Small Dogs

Beewarm Pineapple Dog Toy

Beewarm uses non-toxic, food-grade rubber to make this delicious pineapple. You can also use this toy to control plaque and tartar buildup. Fill it with treats or peanut butter and let your dog go to town. Once your pup finishes up, just pop it in the dishwasher for a quick clean.

West Paw Big Sky Grizzly 

West Paw truly prioritizes environmental health when it crafts its toys. They use excess fabric from their Big Sky Blanket to make this Grizzly. Given fast fashion hurts the environment due to water consumption and unnecessary fabric waste, this says a lot about West Paw. Additionally, they use recycled plastic bottles to make their soft filling. Each grizzly also comes with a squeaker to keep your pup entertained! A quick warning though, if your dog has a habit of ripping its toys to shreds instantly, you might want to go for one of the other toys listed instead.

GoDog Dinosaur Dog Toy

With reinforced seams and a chew-resistant lining, this dinosaur will surely captivate your pooch’s heart. While soft, the checkered texture and squeaker will fascinate your pooch.

For Large Dogs

Fringe Studio You Octopi My Heart

This octopus has it all – squeaker, crinkly paper, soft fluff, and elastic legs. Here at Wild Bound, our dogs personally love this toy and carry it around constantly. While it’s great for snuggling, it also makes a great throw toy too. If your dog doesn’t instantly rip apart all its toys, give this octopus a try.

Benebone Flavored Wishbone Chew Toy

Sometimes large dogs can do some serious chewing damage. If your dog is one of them, try this wishbone! It can come in a variety of flavors – bacon, chicken, and peanut. This toy truly holds up against the most aggressive of chewers.

Leaps & Bounds Roughest & Toughest Sloth Toy

The average sloth might look soft, but this toy sure isn’t! With two layers of ultra-strong fabric that are bound together by kevlar yarn and reinforced seams, this sloth is a BEAST. It’s a great plush toy option for large pups with strong jaws!

There are a ton of good toys for dogs as you can see above. While many more toys exist out there, at Wild Bound, we feel that we’ve selected some of the best toys out there for almost any dog. In fact, we’d argue that good toys for dogs will not only help you check off an item on the New Puppy Checklist, but it’ll help extend your dog’s life through mental stimulation. Whichever dog toy you choose, they’re sure to love every moment of playtime with you!