Your puppy is not being naughty when they chew the table leg. Their adult teeth are on the way, and chewing is how they cope. The chew that helps most is a rubber toy soft enough to dent with your fingernail and too big to fit wholly in their mouth, sized for the puppy you have today and sized up as they grow, with a stuffable one you can freeze for sore days. Skip bones, antlers, hooves, hard nylon and ice cubes. Vet dentists say hard chews break teeth, baby and adult alike.
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Which one for your puppy
The rules are the same for every puppy. What changes with size is how big the chew is and how hard your puppy can bite.
| Your puppy | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Toy and small breeds | Small, soft rubber chews, and dental chews sized by weight | Cornell: "Larger chews are harder and may not be the right choice for a little dog." In a 2008 series of 31 dogs with a dental chew stuck in the gullet, 26 were small dogs. |
| Medium breeds | Rubber chews that grow with them | The PDSA: "Many chew toys have different sizes for different sized dogs so make sure you get the right one." |
| Large and giant breeds | Bigger, tougher rubber, replaced as they grow | The AKC: "Their mouths are bigger, and they can be stronger depending on the breed." MSD: "Young, large-breed dogs are more likely to have an obstruction caused by eating a foreign object." |
| Labradors and other keen chewers | More chews, rotated, and supervised | Blue Cross: "Labradors and Staffordshire bull terriers seem to have a stronger need and desire to chew." |
| Flat faced breeds | Softer or textured toys they can grip, and a weekly look in the mouth | The PDSA says flat faced breeds "may also find softer or textured toys easier to pick up". VCA's vet dentists say baby teeth that stay put are more common in small and flat faced breeds. |
| Sore gums | A rubber toy, stuffed and frozen | The AKC: "The coolness will help soothe sore gums, and because it is frozen, it will occupy your dog longer." |
Sizing goes by the puppy in front of you. KONG, which makes rubber puppy toys, says to "Size based on your puppy's current weight, not their expected adult size", and to re-check as they grow. Puppies grow fast through teething. At four months, the chart behind Puplr's size predictor puts them here:
| Adult size | At 16 weeks | From |
|---|---|---|
| Small0 to 9.1 kg as an adult | Not published | |
| Medium9.1 to 22.7 kg as an adult | 50 % | PetMD, weight at 4 months x 2 |
| Large22.7 to 45.4 kg as an adult | 50 % | PetMD, weight at 4 months x 2, stated for medium to large breeds |
| Extra large45.4 to 100 kg as an adult | Not published |
Share of adult weight from the growth data behind Puplr's adult size predictor. Size classes are the AKC chart's own, by adult weight; they are not standard between organisations. Source.
When teething happens
Baby teeth arrive from about three weeks and are all in by six to eight weeks, before most puppies come home. The chewing peaks later, when those teeth fall out. VCA: "At around 12 weeks, the deciduous teeth begin to fall out, and the permanent teeth begin to erupt. Normally, by six months of age, all permanent teeth have erupted". Blue Cross puts teething "between three and seven months of age".
There is often a second round. Dogs Trust: "Some dogs experience a second chewing phase around their first birthday", and Blue Cross links the urge to chew between seven and 12 months to "the time that the adult teeth settle into the jawbone." Keep the chews coming.
Look in your puppy's mouth once a week until about seven to eight months, as VCA suggests. A baby tooth still in place beside the adult one needs a vet: "No two teeth should be in the same place at the same time." The vet dentists who wrote VCA's page say "In most cases, it is not recommended to wait until your pet is neutered or spayed." These are the 32 flat faced breeds in Puplr's records, one of the groups where it happens more:
And 20 more in the breed guides.
What to look for
- Dents under your fingernail. The PDSA: "Soft enough to indent with your fingernail. Anything harder than this can cause fractured teeth or bleeding gums". Cornell says "Most veterinary dentists go by the 'thumbnail test'", and VCA quotes the vet dentists' rule: "don't let your dog chew anything that won't bend."
- Too big to swallow. The PDSA: "The whole toy shouldn't be able to fit completely in your dog's mouth." Dogs Trust adds: check "there are no small parts or batteries".
- Made for chewing. The PDSA says "Most soft toys or tug of war ropes, tennis balls and Frisbees are only meant for supervised play and shouldn't be given to your dog to chew on."
- A hole at each end. For hollow rubber toys, the AKC says to "make sure these toys have a hole at each end so not to create a suction that can trap your dog's tongue inside."
- Something to stuff. Blue Cross: with food inside, "your dog will work to get the food out, and will nibble, lick and chew on the toy for some time."
- Safe to freeze. Humane World for Animals: "If your puppy is teething, try freezing a rubber toy; the cold rubber will soothe their gums."
- Easy to check. The AKC: "Your puppy shouldn't be able to chew chunks off or pull pieces of fiber or stuffing from them." Humane World: "Discard toys when they start to break into pieces or are torn."
The chews to skip
Vet dentists and the welfare charities agree on most of this list. Where they do not, it says so.
| Chew | Why | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked bones and bone treats | Splinter, block the gut, break teeth | The RSPCA: "Cooked bones are likely to fragment and cause internal damage." The US FDA had "about 68 reports" of illness linked to bone treats sold for dogs, involving about 90 dogs, and "Approximately fifteen dogs reportedly died". |
| Raw bones | Break teeth, carry bacteria | RSPCA Australia: "they can break teeth and cause internal blockages, raw bones also carry bacteria". The sources differ here; see below. |
| Antlers and hooves | Too hard | Cornell: "Avoid antlers, hooves and bones, which may break a tooth, or splinter and cause stomach problems." |
| Hard nylon and hard plastic | Too hard | VCA's vet dentists: "Avoid hard toys, nylon chews, cow hooves, and ice cubes, as they can damage the teeth." |
| Ice cubes | Too hard to crunch | Cornell: "Do not let your dog chomp on ice cubes (but licking, chasing and playing with them is okay)." |
| Sticks | Splinters, choking, wounds | Blue Cross lists "splinters in your dog's gums", "obstruction in the bowel" and "the stick impaling your dog's body". |
| Tennis balls, for chewing | Wear the teeth | The PDSA: "The outer coating can slowly wear down tooth enamel over time." Fine for fetch, then put away. |
| Rawhide | Large pieces swallowed | The PDSA: rawhides "can also break into large pieces that can be swallowed and cause a blockage", so "we'd recommend steering clear". Cornell says some are safe with supervision. |
| Squeaky and stuffed toys, alone | Squeakers and stuffing get swallowed | The AKC: a squeaker "may be swallowed and cause choking or an intestinal blockage." Fine for play while you watch. |
Claims that do not hold up
"Bones and antlers are natural, so they are good for teeth." VCA: "Most veterinary dentists recommend against allowing puppies and older dogs to chew anything hard, because hard objects can break teeth, both deciduous and adult." The PDSA says bones and very hard chews "can cause slab fractures (when a large chunk of tooth breaks off and exposes the inside of the tooth)."
"Harder lasts longer, so harder is better." Some sources do suggest very hard rubber or nylon bones because they last. The vet dentists' tests point the other way: a safe chew dents or bends. And even KONG, which sells some of the toughest rubber toys, says "no dog toy is completely indestructible".
"Ice cubes are a good teether." The AKC still suggests them. VCA's vet dentists and Cornell say no. A frozen rubber toy gives the cold without the crunch.
"A dental chew with the VOHC seal is tested safe for puppies." The Veterinary Oral Health Council says "The VOHC does not test products itself." It reviews the maker's own trials for plaque and tartar claims, and publishes no age guidance for puppies. Its safety advice is about choking and blockage: give "the right-sized product for the body weight of the dog", and watch your dog chew it.
"If it is sold as a dog chew, it is safe." The FDA reports above were about bone treats made and packaged for dogs. VCA: "nearly everything has been found to cause problems", and "no toy is 100% safe."
"Science has worked out how hard a chew can be." A 2019 lab study measured the force that breaks a dog's big upper cheek tooth. The paper says "The role of chewing activity in the development of tooth fractures in dogs remains controversial", which it says explains "the lack of established guidelines for recommended chewing textures". The fingernail test is a vet dentists' rule of thumb, and a sensible one.
The kit
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How to use them
- Keep a few out and rotate them. Dogs Trust: "Simply use three or four toys at a time and keep them on a rotation so they appear 'new' every time you present them to your pup."
- Swap the wrong thing for the right one. Humane World for Animals: "If you catch your dog chewing on something they shouldn't, trade them for a toy that's appropriate." Blue Cross: "Don't punish your dog for chewing the wrong thing as this may cause your dog to become frightened of you or anxious."
- Stuff and freeze one. The AKC: "For teething puppies, try a hollow rubber toy stuffed with something soft, then frozen overnight." Part of a meal works. If you use peanut butter, the FDA says to "check the label first to make sure it doesn't contain xylitol", which is toxic to dogs. Can dogs eat checks other fillings.
- Stay close. VCA: "It is important to supervise your puppy even when he is chewing recommended toys, as no toy is 100% safe." Leave your puppy alone only with chews they cannot break up.
- Check toys and replace them. The PDSA: "Check your dog's toys regularly and throw them away if they have any parts that could be bitten off, chewed, or swallowed."
- Redirect teeth from hands to a toy. Blue Cross says to "gently transfer them onto a toy by animating it". Dogs Trust: "If your puppy puts their teeth on you, stop what you're doing and stay still."
- Count the chews as food. The PDSA: "Extra chews or treats shouldn't make up more than 10% of your pet's daily food allowance."
- Watch for a broken tooth. The RSPCA: "If they whimper when chewing it, paw at the mouth, ooze blood in their saliva or refuse food, please see your vet immediately." A little blood on a toy while baby teeth fall out is normal, VCA says.
Common questions
What chew toys are safe for puppies?
Ones made for chewing, soft enough to dent with your fingernail and too big to fit completely in the mouth, as the PDSA puts it. For most puppies that means rubber chew toys in the right size, used while you are around, and replaced once they start to break up.
Can I give my teething puppy ice cubes?
The sources disagree, and the vet dentists say no. VCA's dentists list ice cubes among things that "can damage the teeth", and Cornell says not to let a dog "chomp on ice cubes". A rubber toy from the freezer, or a frozen wet washcloth as the AKC suggests, is cold without being hard.
Are dental chews OK for puppies?
Pick the size for your puppy's weight, as the Veterinary Oral Health Council advises. Its list shows which chews have passed trials for plaque or tartar, and it says to watch your dog eat them. In the 2008 series, 26 of the 31 dogs with a dental chew stuck in the gullet were small dogs, and 25.8% of all 31 died. The chew in that study was not named and the cases date from 2000 to 2006.
Are bully sticks or rawhide OK?
Sources differ. The AKC suggests bully sticks for strong chewers, while VCA lists them among chews that "have caused gastrointestinal blockages or intestinal punctures". The PDSA advises steering clear of rawhide; Cornell says some are safe with supervision. If you give either, choose a size your puppy cannot swallow whole and stay with them.
When will my puppy stop chewing everything?
Teething ends around six to seven months, but chewing does not. VCA says excessive chewing "seems to subside around 18 months of age but will continue to some degree, depending on the dog, for their whole life." Plan on chews for life.
How we worked this out
We did not test any chew toys. This guide is built from veterinary hospital pages, two of them written with board certified vet dentists, a veterinary school, the MSD Veterinary Manual, welfare charities in the UK, Australia and the US, a kennel club, the US Food and Drug Administration, the Veterinary Oral Health Council, two peer reviewed papers and one toy maker's own advice, all opened and read on 6 October 2026 and quoted word for word where they are quoted. The FDA's page on bone treats has been taken down, so it is cited from an archived copy; its figures are voluntary reports from 2010 to 2017, not a count of every case. Every source is listed below.
No study has tested which chews are safe for puppies. The fingernail test and the advice against hard chews are vet dentists' judgement, and the one lab study on tooth fractures says the link with chewing is not settled. The fracture study had a co-author from Mars Petcare, which makes dental chews, and was supported by the company. The flat faced list comes from Puplr's 384 breed records, and the share of adult weight from the AKC growth chart behind the adult size predictor.
Where the sources disagree, we have said so. The main differences:
- Ice cubes. The AKC suggests them for teething; VCA's vet dentists and Cornell say not to crunch them.
- Hard rubber and nylon. Humane World for Animals suggests "very hard rubber" and nylon bones because they last; VCA, Cornell and the PDSA's fingernail test say a chew should dent or bend.
- Raw bones. The RSPCA says raw meaty bones "do help clean teeth" but can be hazardous, so ask your vet first; RSPCA Australia does not recommend them; the PDSA, VCA and Cornell say avoid.
- Rawhide and bully sticks. The PDSA says steer clear of rawhide, Cornell says some are safe with supervision, and Blue Cross lists rawhide twists among chews. The AKC suggests bully sticks for strong chewers; VCA lists them among chews that have caused blockages.
- Rope toys. Dogs Trust suggests a mix of rope, rubber and soft toys; the PDSA counts tug ropes as supervised play only.
- When adult teeth start. VCA's teething page says around 12 weeks; its vet dentists' page says 3.5 to 4 months; the MSD Veterinary Manual says 4 to 5 months.
This guide was drafted with an AI writing tool and checked against every source listed. Read more about how we write buying guides.