The 5 Toughest Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers


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If you own a powerful chewer, you’ll want to invest in a tough dog toy for them to stay invested. This way, you won’t waste your money or time replacing torn-up dog toys or, even worse, living room furniture. The toughest chewers deserve the toughest dog toys, and that’s exactly what we’ve listed below. We chose our favorite five.

Tough Dog Toys – For Aggressive Chewers:

  1. Nylabone Dental Dinosaur
  2. Goughnuts Guaranteed Indestructible Dog Toy
  3. Monster K9 Ball
  4. GoDog Sherpa Baby Dragon
  5. EETOYS Nylon Dog Bone

What is the most indestructible dog toy?

“Directing your dog’s energy into play with toys can prevent or help resolve such problems as digging and chewing on furniture, shoes or shrubbery,” says Paws.org. Let’s face it. A dog – especially a younger pup – needs to chew. If you don’t provide alternatives to your shoes, your dog will probably cause some damage.

As a writer at Woofster, I got my hands on dozens of the strongest, most durable dog toys to see which could withstand the jaws of our most aggressive four-legged friends. From kevlar to rubber, the total cost for everything was under $200. I tested with my pack of Schnauzers and my mother’s pack of Boxers. After four weeks, I’ve compiled a list of what I found to be the highest-quality dog toys (ideal for your super chewers).

How To Select Dog Toys For Tough Chewers

Some dog breeds are naturally driven to tear up any toy in sight. It’s in their nature to grab a hold of anything long and plush and sink their teeth into it. Although they may be man’s best friend, they’re still animals, and hunting is in their DNA. Have you ever seen your dog wrestle with a stuffed animal? It seems cute until you realize this is your dog’s animal instinct to attack. Eh, it’s still cute.

What toy will my dog not destroy?

To find the best dog toys your aggressive chewers will not destroy, you can’t read a few Amazon reviews and leave it at that. All dogs are different. Instead, you’ve got to go the extra mile by researching specific attributes such as durability, toy type, size, quality guarantee, and safety. We’ve touched on each of these factors below so you know what to look out for while shopping for the toughest dog toys.

Quality Guarantee

Many manufacturers guarantee the quality of their products by providing a money-back warranty if your dog damages the toy. No matter how tough you think a toy is, it’s never truly indestructible. Therefore, consider seeking out chew toys with a quality guarantee. This is a great trend in the dog toy space.

Safety

The Humane Society recommends making your toys “dog-proof” by removing loose pieces that may be attached to them, such as ribbons or strings. You should also avoid products containing polystyrene beads because they are known to cause choking in smaller dogs. A couple of the products I reviewed had some strands that needed to be cut. (None of those toys made this top five, however.)

Size

The size of a toy is no indication of its toughness, but it’s always a good idea to buy a toy that’s proportionally sized to your dog. Toys that are too small are choking hazards, so ensure that your dog won’t be able to fit the entire object in their mouth. It’s not enough to think about the size of your dog’s jaw. You need to think about the size of their throats as well.

Type

Every dog has a unique personality. Dog lovers should always seek out a chew toy that matches their personality. For example, if your dog loves to run and play catch, then you may want to invest in a more “active” toy like a ball or flying disc. I learned this the hard way when I bought Kong balls for my lethargic Schnauzer. They didn’t get proper use. They only became obstacles for my husband and I to step over constantly.

Durability

Nylon, rubber, and rope are the three most durable dog toy materials, Avoid plastic items or toys made of thin rubber, as these are often the first to break. They are often a tiny bit cheaper, and that makes them more attractive. But they cost more money in the long run if you keep having to replace your toys. Also, keep in mind large dogs make short work of rubber dog toys.

The Toughest Dog Toys: My Top Picks

Below, I’ve listed my top five favorite tough dog toys. Some surprised me.

Nylabone Dental Dinosaur

This firm yet gently rounded lineup of ultra-durable, tough dog toy top the list of our toughest dog toys. These studded chew toys come in a variety of colors and flavors to enhance your dog’s chewing experience without hurting their teeth or causing soreness to their mandible bones. With a host of sizes to choose from, this toy is appropriate for dogs from 15 lbs to 50 lbs and up. It looks a little strange, but our dogs definitely favored this one. I suspect the texture had something to do with it.

Pros

  • Raised bristles help clean teeth
  • Various sizes available for different dog breeds
  • Features gum-soothing material

Cons

  • The nubs tend to wear down quickly
  • The toy is virtually rock hard (despite the nubs wearing out)

Goughnuts Guaranteed Indestructible Dog Toy

I like the name. “Go nuts!” Well, our dogs did. This was a hit around our house. These donut-inspired dog toys are guaranteed to withstand the fiercest chewing from dogs up to 40 pounds. The toys are designed by polymer engineers to provide a safe, lightweight (408g), and minimalistic dog toy that won’t break down easily. If, however, your dog chews through the green outer layer to expose the red inner layer, you can replace the product free of charge.

The product that worked best for us were actually not donut shaped at all, but more like hot dogs. I had some concerns about these when they arrived, because it looked like a potential throat-jamming torpedo. But the size was just right. They seemed to be very comfortable for our dogs to carry, or prop up between their paws and chew on. Just like a human would eat a beef stick.

Pros

  • Fun, colorful, minimalist design
  • 100% Money-Back Guarantee
  • Excellent for relieving stress (so says the manufacturer)

Cons

  • One of our dogs didn’t seem to like the taste
  • The rubber sometimes leaves a residue on the floor

Monster K9 Ball

If your dog loves to run and play fetch, you can’t cheap out on tennis balls or other hollow rubber toys that your dog will rip through. Instead, we recommend investing in the Monster K9 Indestructible Ball, which is one of the toughest dog toys in the shape of a ball. This one was a huge hit with our Schnauzers.  We actually bought a couple more of these so they wouldn’t fight over it. Alternatively, my mother’s (much larger) Boxers had this virtually destroyed in a few weeks. Granted, they are one of the toughest dog breeds.

Pros

  • Made of puncture-resistant rubber
  • 100% non-toxic latex coating
  • Solid core provides excellent bouncing

Cons

  • Not recommended for large, aggressive chewers
  • The latex coating can rub off

GoDog Sherpa Baby Dragon

My littlest Schnauzer, Mollie, absolutely loves this toy. This plush blue dragon may look cute and cuddly, but it’s as tough as they come. Although it’s best for smaller dogs, the kevlar-type material makes it virtually indestructible to the jaws of even large and aggressive dog breeds. Don’t let this soft, plush stuffie fool you—this dragon can take a beating, thanks to its double-stitched chew guard. This is a great puppy chew toy.

Pros

  • Machine washable
  • Soft round shape ensures no choking hazards
  • Gentle fleece material also appropriate for kids and babies
  • Great puppy chew toy

Cons

  • Comes with a plastic squeaker that could technically be chewed out 
  • Slightly lacking in internal fluff

EETOYS Nylon Dog Bone

At a quick glance, this nylon dog bone looks almost indistinguishable from the real thing. My husband thought it looked like a giant piece of bone bacon. With a lifetime guarantee to back it, this dog bone can be replaced free of charge if it shows signs of breakage or excessive wear and tear. In other words, this dog bone is equally as strong as a real-life dog bone, but it comes without the choking hazards or short lifespan. This was more of a hit with my mother’s Boxers.

Pros

  • Improves dogs’ dental hygiene
  • Various sizes available to suit several dog breeds
  • Patented technology reinforces firmness of polymer

Cons

  • Susceptible to denting
  • May leave thin nylon residue

Final Thoughts On Our Dog Toy Reviews

Dog toys aren’t a luxury for many dogs, they’re a necessity. The toughest dog needs the toughest toys. They keep your dog from getting bored, lonely, and nervous. If you love your dog, you’ve got to invest in durable chew toys that can take a beating from their sharp canine teeth.

One last consideration. Don’t purchase anything that’s so tough that your dog won’t want to play with it. It has to “give” to a decent degree, or your dog will treat it like a rock and avoid it completely.

4 comments

  • Gail 3 years ago

    My big Grand Mastiff has 2 of these. He also has a few kevlar dog toys (like the GoDog Sherpa you wrote about) that seem to take a beating. Kevlar is a pretty good material for the tough dogs.

  • Amy 3 years ago

    Hey, I love this article Thanks for the insight. I’m going to try some of these dog toys out to keep my dog mentally stimulated which is what I’ve just been reading about, I’ve also just read that the multi toy buys are good on value getting 12 in one pack not sure on the quality. I do like the look of the Kong toys, I think my pup will love that.

  • Medworldis 3 years ago

    Talk about indestructible: The makers of the donut believe in their product so much, they’ll replace your toy for free if your pup makes it through to the inner red layer.

  • Steve 3 years ago

    I have also found gorilla wood toys are a favorite of our two Cane Corso pups. These dogs will take a new toy and like they are some sort of testers chew it almost non-stop till it’s destroyed. Or ignore it all together. They have a fine line between satisfying and rejected. Gorilla wood and elk antlers seems to be the best long endurance toys.

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