Puppy Teething Toys: Which Are Safe and Which to Avoid
Puppy Supplies & Setup
By James C. • October 9, 2026The safest puppy teething toys are soft rubber chews made for puppies, frozen washcloths or freezable rubber toys, stuffable treat toys, and sturdy rope or plush toys used under supervision. Every toy should be larger than your puppy’s mouth and have some give when pressed.
Knowing the teething timeline, which toys suit each stage, what to avoid and when to call your vet makes choosing much easier.
It also means you can stock the toy section of your puppy supplies checklist with confidence.
When do puppies teethe and what should you expect?
Most puppies teethe twice: baby teeth arrive between about three and six weeks of age, then adult teeth push through from around three and a half to four months, with most puppies having their full adult set by six to seven months.
Puppies have 28 baby (deciduous) teeth and adult dogs have 42 permanent teeth, according to VCA Animal Hospitals. The first round happens while puppies are still with the breeder, so the puppy teething stage owners notice is the second. RSPCA Australia notes that permanent teeth come in and grow quickly from around four to six months, which is when the urge to chew tends to peak.
Timing varies between puppies, so treat these ages as a guide.
| Age | What is happening | Toy focus |
|---|---|---|
| 8 to 12 weeks | Sharp baby teeth and lots of mouthing | Soft puppy rubber, small plush and rope toys under supervision |
| About 3.5 to 6 months | Baby teeth loosen, adult teeth erupt, chewing peaks | Frozen washcloths, freezable rubber toys, stuffable toys |
| 6 to 7 months onwards | Adult teeth in place, jaw strength increasing | Larger, sturdier rubber sizes that still dent with a fingernail |
Signs your puppy is teething
Common signs include chewing on everything, extra mouthing of hands, mild drooling, small spots of blood on toys and tiny teeth around the house. Many puppies swallow their baby teeth, which is normal. Most stay bright and playful, so a flat puppy that stops eating needs a vet check.
How long puppy teething lasts
For most puppies, the active teething phase runs from about three and a half or four months to six or seven months, so expect roughly three months of heightened chewing. Many young dogs keep exploring with their mouths during adolescence.
Safe vs unsafe teething toys at a glance
Choose toys that bend, dent or give a little, and avoid anything harder than your puppy’s teeth or small enough to swallow.
| Toy or chew | Safe for teething? | Why | Supervision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft puppy rubber chew | Yes | Flexes against sore gums and dents with a fingernail | Light, check daily for damage |
| Frozen washcloth or freezable rubber toy | Yes | Cold can soothe gums while the item stays soft | Supervise |
| Stuffable treat toy | Yes | Keeps chewing focused on the right item for longer | Light |
| Rope toy | With care | Good for gentle tug, but loose strands can be swallowed | Always supervise |
| Plush toy | With care | Comforting, but stuffing and squeakers can be pulled out | Always supervise |
| Rawhide | With care | Softens and can be swallowed in large pieces | Always supervise and ask your vet |
| Hard nylon chew | No | Too hard to dent and can break teeth | Not recommended |
| Antlers and hooves | No | Can break teeth or splinter | Not recommended |
| Cooked bones | No | Can splinter and cause internal injury | Never give |
| Small balls and toys with loose parts | No | Choking and swallowing risk | Remove |
A toy marked “with care” is a supervised toy only, so put it away whenever you cannot watch.
Safe teething toy types for puppies
Rotating a few safe toy types gives your puppy different textures and temperatures, keeping chewing focused on toys.
Puppy rubber chew toys
Puppy formula rubber is softer than adult versions, so it flexes against tender gums. Choose a size your puppy cannot fit entirely in its mouth. After a short supervised trial, this is the everyday chew most puppies can be trusted with.
Frozen toys and frozen washcloths
Soak a clean washcloth, knot it and freeze it for a cold, soft chew, or freeze a rubber toy made for the purpose. Cold can ease sore gums and, in an Australian summer, doubles as a cooling activity. Supervise and remove the cloth once it starts to fray.
Stuffable treat toys
Hollow rubber toys can be filled with part of your puppy’s daily food or softened kibble, then frozen for a longer chew. Keep any extra fillings free of foods toxic to dogs, and count the food as part of the day’s ration.
Rope toys
Rope toys suit gentle tug games and offer a fibrous texture. Strands can come loose and be swallowed, so use rope for interactive play, then put it away. Replace a rope toy as soon as it begins to unravel.
Soft plush toys
Plush toys offer comfort and suit very young puppies with sharp baby teeth, although they are not built for heavy chewing. Pick designs with stitched features rather than plastic eyes, supervise play, and remove any toy once stuffing or a squeaker starts to show. Teething puppies often chew soft beds too, so chew-resistant puppy bedding makes sense for this stage.
Which toys and chews should teething puppies avoid?
Avoid anything hard enough to break a tooth, anything that splinters and anything small enough to swallow.
Cornell University’s Riney Canine Health Center advises avoiding antlers, hooves and bones, which may break a tooth or splinter and cause stomach problems. It also suggests letting dogs lick or chase ice rather than chomp on it. Very hard nylon chews belong in the same group, since they resist denting.
Cooked bones should never be given. RSPCA Australia lists cooked bones among the foods that can be dangerous for dogs, and notes that bones in general can break teeth and cause internal blockages. If you are thinking about raw bones for an older puppy, discuss it with your veterinarian first.
Small balls, toys with glued-on parts, removable squeakers and children’s toys are a choking risk and can cause a blockage if swallowed, so clearing them away is part of puppy-proofing your home. Keep tennis balls for supervised fetch, since some vets caution that the fuzzy surface can wear teeth.
If your puppy swallows part of a toy and then vomits or seems unwell, call your vet promptly. Knowing the warning signs that make vomiting in dogs an emergency helps you decide how quickly to act.
How do you choose a safe teething toy?
A safe teething toy is bigger than your puppy’s mouth, soft enough to dent with a fingernail, made in one piece and replaced as soon as it starts to break.
- Size: too large to swallow or lodge in the throat.
- Fingernail test: most veterinary dentists suggest you should be able to make a dent in a chew with your fingernail.
- Squeeze test: the toy should give a little when pressed.
- Construction: puppy-specific materials with no glued parts, plastic eyes or removable squeakers.
- Hot weather: frozen toys thaw quickly, so offer them in the shade and remove soggy leftovers.
Choosing the right size for your puppy’s breed
Buy for the puppy you have now rather than the adult it will become, then size up as it grows. A toy-breed puppy may struggle with a large toy, while a large-breed puppy can quickly fit a small one in its mouth. Retail size charts are a starting point only.
When to replace a damaged toy
Check toys every day while your puppy is teething. Replace any toy with cracks, missing chunks, frayed strands or exposed stuffing, and throw away pieces small enough to swallow. Keeping a short rotation of three or four toys makes daily inspection easier.
How can teething toys help with biting and chewing?
Teething toys work best as a redirection tool: when your puppy mouths your hands or the furniture, calmly swap in a toy and reward it for chewing that instead.
Redirection teaches your puppy what it can chew, rather than only what it cannot. Keep a toy within reach where mouthing tends to happen, such as the lounge in the evening. The same calm swap is the basis of teaching a puppy to stop biting without punishment, including when play gets too rough.
Rotation keeps toys interesting. Leave two or three out at a time and swap them every few days. A frozen or stuffable toy is especially useful when your puppy tends to be restless, such as when you need to step away.
Supervision matters most in the early weeks. When you cannot watch, a pen with only rubber chews available stops your puppy practising on skirting boards and shoes. If destructive chewing continues well after the adult teeth are in, it may point to boredom or stress rather than teething, two common triggers behind puppy behaviour problems.
When should you talk to your vet about teething?
Talk to your vet if a baby tooth is still in place once the adult tooth has come through beside it, or if you notice a broken tooth, ongoing bleeding, swelling or a puppy that stops eating.
A baby tooth that has not fallen out is known as a retained or persistent deciduous tooth. VCA Animal Hospitals advises booking a veterinary appointment as soon as you notice one, because persistent baby teeth may need to be removed to protect the adult teeth and bite. It also suggests checking your puppy’s mouth weekly until about seven to eight months of age.
Other signs that warrant a call include:
- a chipped, cracked or discoloured tooth
- ongoing bleeding, or swelling of the face or gums
- refusing food, or suddenly avoiding favourite chew toys
Routine vaccination visits are a good time to ask your vet to check the teeth and bite. Knowing what healthy teeth and gums look like makes early dental disease symptoms easier to spot as your dog gets older. It is always best to discuss any concerns about your puppy’s mouth with a veterinarian.
Next steps for a calmer teething stage
Teething is a short stage, and the right puppy teething toys make it easier on your puppy and your home.
Keep a small rotation of soft rubber, frozen and stuffable toys, supervise rope and plush play, and check every toy daily. Adult size and chewing strength vary widely between dog breeds, so plan ahead for the toys your puppy will need later.
Puppy teething toys FAQs
1. What’s the best thing for a teething puppy to chew on?
A soft rubber chew toy made for puppies is the best everyday option, backed up by a frozen washcloth or freezable rubber toy for sore gums. Choose items larger than the mouth that dent with a fingernail.
2. What do vets recommend for teething puppies?
Vets generally recommend puppy-specific chew toys that are soft enough to dent with a fingernail, sized so they cannot be swallowed and offered under supervision. They advise against cooked bones, antlers, hooves and very hard chews, which can break teeth or splinter.
3. What age is teething worst for puppies?
Teething is usually most intense between about four and six months of age, when baby teeth loosen and adult teeth push through. Most puppies have all 42 adult teeth by six to seven months, although timing varies.
4. Are frozen carrots safe for teething puppies?
Whole or roughly cut frozen carrots are not the safest choice, because hard chunks can be a choking or blockage risk. RSPCA Australia suggests only small amounts of finely cut vegetables, such as cooked carrot, for puppies. A frozen washcloth is a lower-risk cold chew.
5. Can teething puppies have bones?
Cooked bones should never be given to puppies, because they can splinter and cause serious injury. RSPCA Australia does not recommend bones in general, as they can break teeth and cause internal blockages. If you are considering raw bones, discuss it with your veterinarian first.
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