What are the best toys for puppies? Different from toys for big dogs. And more.

At Politically Incorrect Pets!, Charlie, the Chief Feline Officer (CFO) sees everything. But mostly, he sees hoomans buying oversized toys for their little pups and small doggos. Rarely do these hoomans ask what are the best toys for puppies? Most of the time, all that Charlie hears are things like: I got the same toys for my pug as I did for my mastiff, and he seems to love it! and My puppy loves his big bones, you know, he chews them till the end! It makes Charlie meow with worry.

Very few hoomans research before getting toys for smaller breeds and younger puppies. When it comes to what toys puppies like, choices are often made not keeping dog safety in mind. 

And Charlie doesn’t approve of it at all!

Here is why.

Choosing toys for puppies and small breed dogs: The why.

Small breeds and little puppies have way smaller jaw sizes than big breeds or an adult dog. Teacup dogs and puppies also have softer teeth and enamel; puppy teeth break and crack more easily. They’re also more prone to sore gums. They need toys that are designed for them, keeping these things in mind. Buying big dog toys for puppies is like buying a human baby a gift that you would buy an 18-year-old kid.

Not ideal. Very unsafe. Please don’t.

If the dog toy is too tiny, your pet can swallow it accidentally and it can become a choking hazard. And, if the dog toy is too big and stiff it can cause damage to the enamel or jaw. But, there is more to safety when it comes to choosing dog toys than just size. Your dog’s activity levels, preferences, and the kinds of environment it spends its time in, matters as well; you can’t just give them any chew toy and be done with it.

And, plus, the material the toy is made of has to be free of harmful chemical toxins. If you are searching what are the best toys for puppies, stay clear of that common tennis ball. Or anything that might have Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Phthalates, Bisphenol A, Lead, Chromium, Arsenic, Bromine, Melamine, and Formaldehyde. Unfortunately, a lot of dog toys and chew toys for small dogs have these toxins in them. 

Your little Ruby is at risk from something she spends a long time with. The toys for small dogs that you buy without checking. So, what are the best toys for puppies and small dogs? How to choose?

Simple:  

• Toys for puppies should be soft enough, 
• Toys for small dogs should be strong enough, and 
• Dog toys for chewers should be free of toxins.

Toys for puppies, toys for small dogs, not toys for grown big dogs

A puppy will chew toys and break them apart. And, they do that on a daily basis. So, you have to buy those again and again. That is obvious money down the drain. But, worse, broken toys are a hazard for your dog. 

So, how then to know what are the best toys for puppies? By understanding them. Let’s begin with the three categories of toys for small dogs:

Active toys for small dogs who love to run

Instead of a strong chewer, do you have a runner on your hands? Is fetch your little Ruby’s favorite game? Does the furball never run out of energy? Well, like bored cats need toys to remain healthy, so does your dog. It’s time you got some active dog toys in the house.

An active toy is especially good for a new born puppy. It is not your basic dog toy for chewers. It is a fun-while-you-run toy for dogs that need their humans to take part in the game with them. These toys are the best if your dog needs training, exercising, bonding with their masters, or getting rid of that huge amount of energy in them.

Usually, active toys for puppies or small dogs to play fetch include:

• • hard rubber toys,
  • big plastic frisbees, 
  • tennis balls, and
  • sticks

But none of them are really toys for small dogs. They are great for fetching, but not when it comes to chewing and holding in the mouth. These toys are hard, have pointy and rough edges, and are too big for a small-sized dog to hold. They can cause extended jaws, injury, or become a choking hazard once they are chewed through and break. 

And, yes, the tugging, really violent tugging!

At Politically Incorrect Pets!, we have a brilliant and mini-sized solution for all the shaking, tugging, and fetching. The Tuggo Shake n Fetch Bowling Pin Water Weighted Dog Toy and the indestructible Tuggo Water Weighted Dog Toy are among the must-have toys for puppies. Be it fetch or tug, Ruby will play for a long time! 

You can level up these tough toys’ resistance by adding more water, sand, or gravel for the noise. And, if you don’t want resistance, this empty toy can double as a float toy too! Safer than your average rope toy, leak-free and perfect for a tug-o-war at the dog park or alone, these dog toys are multi-functional, money-saving, yet energetic and fun.

Ruby, fetch!

Distraction dog toys for chewers and teething puppies

Distraction toys for dogs are of many kinds. But, chew toys are the must-have toys for new puppies as well as grown dogs. Though, to Charlie’s discontent, not many hoomans know what the best chew toys for puppies are. (An angry meow.) 

Among toys for small dogs, some can be ignored. But chew toys should definitely be in your house. At. All. Times. Why? Because when it comes to chewing your valuables, the size of the dog doesn’t matter. Your grown pug or your teething rottweiler may turn out to be an aggressive chewer and can chew your precious furniture legs as easily as a big dog. And, might get hurt in the process. Also, chewing toys keep their teeth clean and strong.

The usual chew toys for dogs include:

• • hard and hollow rubber toys, 
  • sticks, 
  • dental chews, and
  • treat balls.

The requirement for a perfect chew toy is simple: strong enough to take serious chewing without breaking up and soft enough to not harm jaws and enamel. But, the toys listed above can be way too harsh for a little dog’s small mouth, or the soft tissues of a teething puppy. 

At Politically Incorrect Pets!, we offer a wide variety of chew toys that are strong, soft, yet safe for your little poodle or growing baby labrador. Our special small dog toys are totally tuff, bright, squeaky, made with non-toxic latex, and available in many interesting animal shapes. They are even stuffed for a better and more fulfilling chewing experience. Your little Ruby can choose the Dragon Chew, the Chubby Dinosaur, and Fou Fou Rainbow Bright or the entire Fou Fit Zoo Chew Collection; your pup can even have a different chew toy for each day of the week!

Does Ruby like fantasy? We have dragons, dinosaurs, and unicorns! It’s a dream come true! Does Ruby have a more realistic critter choice? Well, we also have walruses, flamingos, purple hippos, blue koala bears, teal llamas, and the whole zoo! 

What’s your favourite animal today, Ruby?

The rockstar of our chew toys is the Dots & Daisies bone designed especially for smaller breed dogs and teacup dogs. It is the traditional dog toy made of braided rope for chewing without the jaw overstretching. It is a lightweight fetch toy with double layers of canvas for durability, no stuffing, and zero mess – your pup will absolutely love it!

Soft, squeaky dog toys for comfort and play

Does your little pup Floofy have a special connection with his shattered squeaky toy? Does he carry it everywhere but you are scared he might eat bits of it? Soft stuffed toys are great comfort toys for all dog breeds. But they are not appropriate for all dog sizes. Especially when it comes to small breeds or little puppies, extra care is important. 

Now, most of the time, comfort toys for dogs are these:

• • dirty laundry,
  • old clothes, 
  • pillowcases, 
  • an old stuffed toy / plush toy,
  • towels or blankets, and
  • any other soft things with your smell on it.

Now, even if you were okay with your puppy fluffing, biting, carrying, and nosing around in your things all day, it is fine. But, if you value some of them, you might need a comfort toy that is sturdy enough to stand your little pup’s energetic play.

When you are raising a little puppy or a small dog, you need to be extra sure that you are giving them safe toys. And, at Politically Incorrect Pets!, we have the adorable Baby Fox Puppy Toy and Baby Giraffe Puppy Toy that give your canine all the love and no harm. They are specially designed for light chewers such as growing puppies who need to play.

And, these toys cater to a lot of special needs of the your puppies and small dogs: 

• • They are brightly coloured.
  • They are multi textured to keep the puppies interested. 
  • They come with a game-changing teething ring that helps with your puppy’s growing pains.
  • The built in squeaker makes the toys squeak and crackle, to keep your boy always engaged.

Be a responsible dog owner, get one of these for your Ruby, and watch her play with her new puppy toy!

Know what are the best toys for puppies before buying.

At Politically Incorrect Pets!, we get a tonne of queries from humans about their grown canine friends. But for puppies and small dogs, not so many. Why don’t people want to be know what are the best toys for puppies and small dogs is beyond Charlie. 

So, we see a lot of owners ordering the wrong toys all the time. To such hoomans, Charlie offers a very condescending yet absolutely useless eye roll. If you are one of these hoomans, you will feel Charlie judges you. Because he does. Watches and judges. Time to get in Charlie’s good books, yes?