You want to go for a fun, relaxed walk with your dog. But if he’s dragging you down the street, the walk becomes a stressful event to avoid.

So what should you do? You can use a piece of training equipment that will help your dog be successful.

There are anti-pull harnesses, head halters, and other devices that aren’t aversive.

If used properly, using head halters can really help make your walks be successful and fun.

We’re going to cover the pros and cons of two of the more popular anti pull head halters:

Halti vs Gentle Leader

How Do Head Halters Work?

They work on the same principle that horse halters work. They guide the dog’s head. Where his head goes, his body follows. 

And if an animal as large as a horse can be successfully walked, so can a dog if it’s used correctly.

The halter applies pressure to a dog’s head instead of his neck and shoulders like collars do.

They fit around a dog’s muzzle and close behind their ears. You’re supposed to gently guide your dog’s head in order to control where he goes. You’re not supposed to yank on it.

What Are the Pros of Head Halters?

• The head halters help teach a dog not to pull.
• Head halters are great training devices if properly used and are relatively inexpensive. 
• Unlike collars, a dog doesn’t gag and choke when he pulls. And the head halters are more humane than choke collars, prong collars, and electric collars, which can cause some unwanted behavioral issues.
• A dog can eat and drink when wearing a head halter.

What are the Cons of Head Halters?

• They can take a dog some time to adjust to. 
• Some dogs paw at their face and roll around trying to get the head halter off. And some dogs never adjust to them even if they’re properly introduced to the halter.
• They can potentially cause injury to a dog’s neck and spine if a dog lunges forward or if they’re forcefully yanked.
• An untrained dog may pull again when his regular collar is placed on him.
• The head halters aren’t good for short-muzzled, brachycephalic dogs because they’re placed on the muzzle.
• Some people who see your dog in the head halter may incorrectly mistake it for a muzzle.

What Are the Benefits and Downsides of a Gentle Leader?

Although all head halters work on the same principle, there are some differences in how they’re made and how they control your dog. 

The Gentle Leader has the following pluses and minuses:

1. It’s completely adjustable

Unlike the Halti, the Gentle Leader’s muzzle strap is completely adjustable for a perfect fit.

Because you can get an almost custom fit, your dog’s less likely to be able to back out of the Gentle Leader.

2. It’s easier to put on than the Halti

Because it’s adjustable, it’s generally easier to put on your dog than some other head halters.

3. It doesn’t look like a muzzle

Because of its sleek, one strap design, it doesn’t appear to be a muzzle. 

This can be a plus if you’re walking a large breed that’s been discriminated against, such as a Rottweiler, Doberman, or pit bull.

4. It clips under the dog’s throat and applies comfortable pressure evenly when correctly used

But there’s no extra strap to connect to the dog’s collar.

PRO TIP: When I use my Gentle Leader I attach my leash to both the collar and Gentle Leader for added safety just in case my dog slips the Gentle Leader.

So if the dog slips out of the Gentle Leader, he can get loose.

5. It makes pulling uncomfortable

The nose strap buckles behind the dog’s ears. The leash is clipped underneath the dog’s chin. 

When the dog attempts to pull, the strap tightens around the dog’s muzzle making it uncomfortable to pull.

You can gently guide the dog’s head away from unwanted stimuli.

6. The price isn’t dependent on size

Whether you have a toy breed or a giant breed, the price of the Gentle Leader is the same, whereas the price of the Halti can vary greatly according to size.

7. It’s not padded like the Halti

This can cause some chafing down the dog’s muzzle.

What Are the Benefits and Downsides of a Halti?

As is true of the Gentle Leader, there are some positive reasons to use the Halti as well as reasons not to use it.

1. Unlike the Gentle Leader, it’s not completely adjustable

The Halti has side straps that aren’t adjustable, which may lead to a looser fit for your dog.

2. Dogs may be able to back out of the Halti

Because the Halti may have a looser fit than the Gentle Leader, a dog may more easily back out of it.

3. The Halti is more comfortable

Because the Halti generally fits more loosely than the Gentle Leader, it’s generally more comfortable for dogs to wear.

4. The Halti has an extra strap that can attach to your dog’s collar

Unlike the Gentle Leader, the Halti has a safety strap. In case your dog backs out of the Halti, he’ll still have the safety tab attached to his collar so that he won’t get loose.

5. The Halti looks more like it’s a muzzle

Because of its side straps, the Halti appears to people who aren’t familiar with head halters to be a muzzle.

This can make people think that your dog is aggressive. 

As a trainer, I wouldn’t discount using a Halti for this reason. Today, many people are aware of head halters being a training device for dogs.

Also, it’s important to choose what training tool is best suited for your dog.

6. The Halti’s price varies greatly with size, whereas the Gentle Leader’s price doesn’t

The Gentle Leader’s price generally is the same independent of size. But larger Haltis may cost a lot more than small Haltis.

7. The wider straps on the Halti distribute the dog’s weight more evenly across the dog’s muzzle

This can make the Halti more comfortable than the Gentle Leader.

8. The Halti generally provides more control over larger and more powerful dogs because of its construction

With the extra side straps and wider straps, it’s better for controlling more powerful dogs.

How Do I Choose Between the Gentle Leader and the Halti?

After taking the above considerations into account, it’s really a matter of personal choice.

As long as the head halter properly fits your dog, either can work.

If your dog’s an escape artist, it may be advisable to use the Halti because of the added strap that attaches to your dog’s collar.

The fit guidelines are on the packaging of both the Gentle Leader and the Halti. 

If you’re unsure which will fit best for your dog, consult a knowledgeable trainer who has experience with head halters.

If your dog absolutely hates having something on his face, a Halti may be better because it generally doesn’t fit as snugly as a Gentle Leader.

I trained a large golden retriever for a client using the Gentle Leader. It took a few days of conditioning the dog to accept wearing it. But it was worth it.

Prior to working with the golden, his owner was literally dragged down the street by him. Needless to say, walks were disastrous–and were avoided. 

So the golden started to have other behavior issues like jumping because he didn’t have enough physical exercise. 

After working with them for a few sessions (and the owner practicing conditioning the dog to the halter), the golden walked right by his owner’s side. And walks became fun again!

How Do I Get My Dog Used to a Head Halter?

It usually takes time and a lot of patience for a dog to adjust to wearing a head halter. Some may adjust quickly, but they’re the exception not the rule.

So you have to condition him to wearing it. In order to be successful, first take the edge off and play with your dog or take him for a walk–without using the head halter.

You don’t want him to have too much energy when working with him getting used to wearing the head halter.

Have some great, high-value, pea-sized treats that your dog loves ready. Hold the halter open and hold a treat in the other hand luring his muzzle into the opening.

Immediately praise him and give him the treat when his muzzle enters the halter. Repeat this a few more times, then end the training session. 

Play with him so that he looks forward to the next training session with the head halter.

Do two or three short sessions with the head halter a day.

After a few days or a week–however long it takes–eventually close the snap/buckle on the halter, still feeding him a few treats. Leave it on for a minute.

Eventually build the time he wears the head halter. But don’t leave it on for hours or when you’re not present. Just leave it on him for 15 minutes or so–long enough for him to get used to wearing it.

Once he feels comfortable–which will probably take at least a few sessions–walk him on the head halter inside with no distractions. Do that for a few sessions. 

Use a six-foot leash or shorter. The leash should have some slack but not be so long that your dog can lunge ahead of you.

Don’t use a long-line or a flexi with a head halter. You want him to walk next to you and be able to gently control him using the halter.

After he’s comfortable moving on the harness, start adding distractions and walk him outside. If he tries to pull, stop walking and only move again when he calms down. 

This method of teaching him not to pull is called “be a tree.” Then start walking again.

By doing this, he’ll learn that he gets to move forward only if he doesn’t pull. You’re trying to train him not to lunge on the head halter.

As with any training session, it helps if he’s exercised prior to learning how to walk on the head halter. 

It helps set him up to succeed.

What NOT to Do

Even though we want instant results with the head halter, there are some things that will harm your likelihood of success using it.

1. Don’t just slap it on your dog

In order for your dog to adjust to it, it’s really important to take time and condition him to it. 

You may put the head halter on your dog and he may seem to be alright with it, but he may instead just be shutting down.

In order for him to really enjoy or at least accept wearing the halter, it’s important to take time and work with him.

2. Don’t jerk the head halter

Doing so could potentially lead to chiropractic or other problems.

If the dog attempts to pull, the head halter should just turn his head. It’s also true that you can gently turn his head to guide him where you want to go.

3. Don’t force your dog to use the head halter

Most dogs adjust fine to head halters that are introduced properly. But there are some who just won’t be able to wear them.

What if you properly conditioned your dog to a well-fitted head halter, and he still fights against it? I advise using a different training device such as an anti-pull harness.

4. Don’t expect a head halter to solve behavior problems

If your dog has a behavior problem such as aggression, a head halter won’t stop it. 

You’ll still need to work with a qualified expert to help manage such behavior problems. 

It may be a device in the trainer’s toolbox, but the behavioral issue still needs to be worked on.

Conclusion

Head halters can be great training devices. The halter must be properly fitted to your dog and you must condition him to wear it. If successful, you can walk your pup without him dragging you down the street. And you can both ENJOY your walk!

Have you used a gentle leader, halti, or both?

If so, did you like one better than the other?

Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

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Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. I was never one to leave Thanksgiving early to hop in line at my local retailer.

I’ve always been more of a stay at home, drink hot cocoa, and wait for the crazy stories about the fights breaking out at Walmart over the last flat screen TV.

Today, Black Friday deals run rampant online and continue through Cyber Monday and beyond.

Are you looking for the best Black Friday Deals for pets in 2020?

BEST BLACK FRIDAY DEAL 2020

This deal has ended. You can still get The Farmer’s Dog for 50% off, but the 100% discount is no longer available

If there’s one Black Friday Deal you and every other dog lover should without a doubt purchase it’s The Farmer’s Dog’s Fresh Dog Food.

A little about The Farmer’s Dog:

• They use fresh human grade foods.
• Easy to serve, just open and pour.
• A vet-designed plan is customized to your dog’s individual needs.
• Your food is delivered within days of being cooked.

Starting at 4am EST on 11/27/2020 The Farmer’s Dog is offering a 100% discount on their trial orders! Note this applies to new customers only.

100% OFF! That means it’s costing you zero dollars!

The sale starts at 4:00 AM ET on 11/27/2020 and will end when their limited supply runs out, or until 11:59 PM PST.

They are expecting very high demand for this offer so set your alarm clocks for 4:00 AM ET to try and ensure you get this offer.

When we got Raven a trial order of the Farmer’s Dog we only got a 50% discount which is the standard discount we are normally able to give our readers.

Please read The Farmer’s Dog Terms of Service.

Back To The Best Of The Rest

I happened to be browsing the Amazon Black Friday Deals – Pets and I came across this Portable Potty Trainer Artificial Grass that is perfect for my litter of puppies..

We haven’t quite mastered the art of potty training 4 week old puppies and we don’t use potty pads when potty training our puppies. So, this will be our first attempt trying to train our newborn pups to do their business on a potty pad.

If you’re looking for the best black Friday deals on Amazon check out this link: Amazon Black Friday Deals – Pets

Black Friday Deals For Pet Lovers

Chewy Black Friday Deals – Pets

Chewy is one of the best places to go when shopping for your dogs and where you can get a great deal on Black Friday. You can save up to 50% on pet products at Chewy.com.

Best Chewy Deal – Furbo Dog Camera

One deal on Chewy.com that your can’t pass up is the Furbo Dog Camera. At 46% off it’s the best price we’ve ever seen for the Furbo Dog Camera.

We reviewed the Furbo Dog Camera a couple years ago and to recap…we loved it!

Here are some of our favorite features:

• 1080p HD Camera – great for sharp pics and videos.
• Night Vision – yep, you can even see your dog in the dark.
• Bark Alert – when you’re away you’ll know when your dogs are barking.
• Treat Dispenser – Fido’s being good? Toss him a treat!

You can also save 30% off your first autoship order at Chewy.

QUICK TIP: When ordering one of these Black Friday deals through Chewy you won’t see the discount until you click “Proceed to Checkout”.

There are over 10,000 deals at Chewy.com so it’s a bit difficult to sift through everything, but if you have the time you might find a real gem of a deal.

One of our first stops when shopping for anything is Amazon. Last night I told my wife Amazon was already listing Black Friday Deals.

Within a few minutes she found a great deal on Amazon Fire TV Stick and snatched it up. The Fire TV Stick goes perfectly with our subscriptions to Disney+, Netflix, HBOMax, and many other TV apps.

Amazon Black Friday Deals – Pets

I always have my eye out for great deals on pet products and Black Friday along with Amazon Prime Day are the two best shopping days of the year if you’re looking for a great deal.

Here are some of the Amazon deals we’re eyeballing (we’ll keep this list updated as we check in on Amazon every couple hours):

• PetMaker Puppy Potty Trainer
• Honest Kitchen Dehydraded Dog Food
• Noz2Noz Soft Crate – We already own one of these traveling crates. Elsa loves it!
• Burt’s Bees Dog Shampoo

These are all products we used and liked in the past or products we plan on purchasing this week.

We’ll check in on the Amazon deals and update our list as we see items we like or would like to buy.

When you have a chance hop on over to the Amazon Black Friday Deals – Pets to see all the great deals.

As I continue my Black Friday shopping spree I’ll continue to add the pet product deals I find on Amazon and Chewy (or any other site for that matter)

Are you a Black Friday Deal shopaholic?

Tell us about the great pet deals you found on Black Friday or Cyber Monday in the comment section below.

Before getting my first puppy I never bothered to ask: “What are the best chew toys for a puppy?” I just went to the nearest pet store, grabbed the cutest, squeakiest, squirrel toy and brought it home to Linus.

Two years later, before bringing home my first guide dog puppy, our group leader suggested I bring a plush toy to rub all over Stetson’s litter mates. Getting the scent of litter mates on a plush toy would make our puppy’s first night home more comfortable.

Fast forward 10 years and we finally found our favorite plush toy for puppies. The Snuggle Puppy w/ Heartbeat & Heat Pack is by far our favorite puppy toy during the first week with a new pup.

Not only do we get the scent of the litter mates on our Snuggle Puppy, we have the added bonus of a heartbeat and heat pack to comfort our puppy during those first few nights.

However, over the years we learned that plush toys are great for young puppies, but as they get older our little Goldens and Labs tend to shred the basic stuffed squirrel (they love extracting the squeaker).

So, if you’re like me then you’re always on the look out for the best chew toys for your puppy.

Something durable, entertaining, fun, and…DURABLE!

Best Chew Toys For A Puppy

We recently received this email from one of our readers:

Wanted to find out any additional puppy toy suggestions you have? We have a stuffed duck. A rope. A Kong. Any other references for best toys? Thanks and have a good. We have an 8 week old golden retriever pup.

—K.G.

Over the years I feel like we’ve purchased every puppy chew toy under the sun.

The good news is every year companies come up with new, innovative chew toys for puppies.

Here’s our quick list of Best Chew Toys For A Puppy.

Our Top Picks

• BEST OVERALL CHEW TOY: KONG Classic Dog Toy
  “Dublin loved his Classic KONG. We love it’s versatility.”
• BEST CHEW TOY FOR PUPPIES UNDER 3 MONTHS: Snuggle Puppy
  “We gave Charlie a Snuggle Puppy during his first night…not a peep!”
• BEST NATURAL CHEW TOY: Best Bully Sticks
  “Our pups love them! We love the pups chew on the sticks vs our hands.”
• BEST INTERACTIVE CHEW TOY: Hide-A-Squirrel Puzzle Dog Toy
  “Cute, adorable, and practical. Adelle loved pulling out the squirrels.”
• BEST DURABLE CHEW TOY: Goughnut – Indestructible Chew Toy
  “Possibly the most durable chew toy on the market.”
• BEST BUDGET CHEW TOY: Leather Fox Dog Toy
  “We love the leather texture and at just over $1 it fits the budget.”
• BEST CUTE CHEW TOY: Mr. Bill Dog Toy
  “I may be dating myself, but I love Mr. Bill and his patented “Oh No!”

What We Look For When Picking Chew Toys For Our Puppies

Okay guys and gals you may not like my answers because you’re going to have to pull out your check book (does anyone truly still have a check book) if you want to follow my advice.

For openers you should have lots of puppy toys…lots of them!

When it comes to the best chew toys for a teething puppy you need variety.

That’s right! There’s not a one size fits all when it comes to the best puppy toys.

Here’s our list of what we look for when we pick the best chew toys for our pup:

1. Durable – What good is a puppy chew toy if it only lasts 5 minutes before it’s destroyed?
2. Texture – Puppies get bored with the same type of toy so we always keep our eye out for different textures like fluffy, extra furry, rubbery, leathery…you get the picture.
3. Interactive/Puzzles – We are always harping on our readers to not just exercise your puppies body, but the mind as well. Interactive dog toys are a great way to tire out your puppy’s mind.
4. Variety – If all your puppy toys are plush stuffed toys with squeakers your puppy will get bored in a hurry.
5. Price – We have puppies throughout the year and in fact this past summer we had a litter of 10 puppies. The little ones and small breed dogs don’t need the higher priced durable products. A budget toy will do just fine with our smaller pups.
6. Cuteness – Yep, it’s a factor when we choose our puppy toys…especially if my wife is with me 🙂
7. DURABLE! – Did I already say durable? When you have a mouthy lab puppy you need something that is close to indestructible.

After reading the above list you probably guessed that we have a lot of puppy toys. Yup, our house is a puppy playground, but we have one more thing we need to mention:

Don’t let your puppy play with all their toys all the time.

We only allow our puppies to play with one or two toys at a time. If they get bored with those toys then we pick them up and give them new toy.

That’s why it’s important to have variety and different textures. You can keep your puppy entertained and interested for long periods of time.

7 Best Chew Toys For A Puppy

Drumroll please…

Actually you probably already saw the TL;DR section above so no drumroll necessary.

We broke our list up into 7 “Best of” categories and also listed a couple of Honorable Mentions just in case you don’t like our picks or you want other puppies to be jealous of your pup’s toy box.

Without further adieu:

Best Overall Chew Toy: KONG Classic Dog Toy

I guess you could say our best all around chew toy for puppies is the KING! Get it? KING KONG? Yeah, I know I’m dumb.

Seriously, we love our KONG. It’s versatile, durable, and fun.

The KONG was Dublin’s favorite toy when he was training to be a guide dog. You could give it to him and he’d sit their and gnaw on it for a good thirty minutes.

DESCRIPTION

Offering enrichment by helping satisfy dogs’ instinctual needs, the KONG Classic’s unique all-natural red rubber formula is ultra-durable, with an erratic bounce that is ideal for dogs that like to chew, while also fulfilling a dog’s need to play. Want to extend play time? And to add some extra fun into the mix, this toy can be stuffed with KONG’s Stuff’N Easy Treat, Snacks or Ziggies (sold separately) or any of her favorite rewards like peanut butter, yogurt or kibble! – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

One of our favorite uses for the KONG is during crate training. If your puppy is having issues in the crate, try stuffing your KONG with a treat and freezing. The next time you have to crate your pup give him his frozen KONG to gnaw on.

The shape of a KONG reminds me of a football. When you play fetch with it bounces erratically keeping your puppy on his toes.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST OVERALL

• Nylabone Double Action Dog Chew – This was Adelle’s favorite chew toy (and a favorite of many of our other service dog pups). Be careful when your puppy walks around with this in her mouth. After a few days/weeks the plastic ends get jagged. Adelle dropped this bone on my bare foot more then once…OUCH!
• Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy – Raven is testing a Benebone Wishbone right now. It’s her early Thanksgiving/Christmas present. So far so good!

Best Chew Toy For Puppies Under 3 Months: Snuggle Puppy with Heart Beat & Heat Pack

The Snuggle Puppy is literally the first item on our new puppy checklist.

Before we pick up a new puppy we always make sure we have a Snuggle Puppy. Why? Because we take this plush toy and rub it all over our pup’s litter mates.

Getting the scent of the litter mates helps your puppy feel more comfortable when moving to his new home. This can be especially helpful when you start crate training your puppy.

DESCRIPTION

Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Aid Dog Toy is designed to help your dog cope with everyday stressors. This comforting toy recreates the intimacy and physical warmth that your nervous pup craves in times of stress due to loneliness, fear and separation anxieties. This stuffed animal behavioral aid also features a real-feel, pulsing heartbeat and heat source that works to calm your pup and reduce negative behaviors such as barking and whining. – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

We use our Snuggle Puppy as substitute litter mate during crate training. It’s an adorable plush toy with a heart beat and heat pack. We put a Snuggle Puppy in the crate with Charlie on his first night home and not a peep until 7am the next day!

Today we get a Snuggle Puppy every time we bring home a new service dog puppy. So far (we’re 3 for 3) we haven’t had a fussy puppy at night thanks to our Snuggle Puppies!

If you’re having problems getting your puppy to sleep through the night then I highly recommend trying a Snuggle Puppy.

Snuggle Puppy FYI – There is an older model of the Snuggle Puppy that has an issue. It had a large stitched on nose that Charlie thought was great fun to play with and pulled off within the first few days. He could have very easily swallowed the nose. I’d advise against purchasing the older model.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST CHEW TOYS FOR PUPPIES UNDER 3 MONTHS

• Nylabone Puppy Starter Pack – We bought one of these for Linus many, many moons ago. One of the bones in the pack is edible. The others are not. Your puppy will most likely outgrow these starter Nylabones. When our pup’s are teething we keep one of these in our pocket and when our puppy grabs our hand with his mouth we slowly pull out our hand and replace with a Nylabone.
• N-Bone Puppy Teething Ring – We have a package of these waiting at home to test with our next puppy. It comes highly rated, but at this time we have not used it with one of our pups. Stay tuned…

Best Natural Chew Toy: Best Bully Sticks

Our puppies love Bully Sticks! However, if you don’t already know…

Q: What is a Bully Stick?

A: Bully Stick = Beef Pizzle = Bull Penis

DESCRIPTION

Made with only 100% beef pizzle, this bully stick is high in protein, low in fat and is a safe alternative to rawhide treats! Not only will your pup enjoy chomping down on this protein-rich treat, but it will also naturally help remove tartar and build-up, promoting healthy gums, teeth and overall dental health. Watch your pal chew to his heart’s content on a treat you both can feel good about! – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

This is our favorite natural chew toy for puppies. We discovered bully sticks way back when we got our first puppy, Linus.

We usually get 6 or 12 inch Bully Sticks which can last quite a while with the smaller puppies. As your pup reach adulthood they will consume these chews much more quickly.

The biggest drawback we’ve found is the smell. I won’t lie. These things stink! However, you can find some that aren’t as stinky.

We’ve found that the Best Bully Sticks advertised as “odorless” are the best (least stinky). However, they too have a strong odor once your puppy starts chomping away.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST NATURAL

• Himalayan Dog Chews – I usually order a pack of Bully Sticks and Himalayan Dog Chews at the same time. Again, it’s important to get different textures when getting chews for your dog.
• Deer Antlers – Somewhat controversial as a chew toy as some of our readers have had some difficulties with deer antlers as chew toys. Some aggressive chewers ended up with cracked teeth. Know your puppy and proceed with caution.

Best Interactive Chew Toy: Hide-A-Squirrel

Cute, adorable, interactive, and fun! What more could you ask for? Maybe more durable!

DESCRIPTION

Treat your pup to hide-and-seek fun with Hide A Squirrel! Just stuff the squeaky squirrels in the plush tree trunk, and watch as your dog sniffs them out. To keep the game going, just stuff them in again and again! – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

We love our hide-a-squirrel. One of our favorite parts is it simulates the de-stuffing of a regular plush toy.

However, it’s still not a super durable dog toy. Just like any plush toy the hide-squirrell will eventually meet it’s demise even with a moderate chewer.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST INTERACTIVE

• Jolly Ball – Dublin’s all time favorite chew toy. We’d buy him a new one every year and bring it to him in Arizona. The good news his old one would survive the year. The bad news it was usually in terrible shape with holes and a shredded rope. FYI – we like the Jolly Ball with the rope vs the one with the handle.
• KONG Wobbler – One of our favorites. Technically not a chew toy and if you’re puppy does use it as a chew toy (like Stetson did) then he’s using it wrong. Stetson did a full review of the KONG Wobbler way back when.

Best Durable Chew Toy: Goughnut – Indestructible Chew Toy

Looks and smells like a rubber tire. Heavy and durable as heck!

DESCRIPTION

The GoughNuts Ring Dog Toy was designed to give pups a safer, tougher chew toy. This natural rubber ring is made in the USA using engineered carbon reinforcement. Each GoughNuts toy has two layers — the outer color indicates the strength, and the inner core is always red to serve as a safety indicator. Red means stop, so when a dog chews down to this red layer, you know it’s time to order a new GoughNuts Ring. This GoughNuts Ring bounces, rolls and even floats, so it can stand up to extreme games of fetch and all types of outdoor play. – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

Our dogs originally played with Goughnuts at friend’s house many years ago. Recently we bought Raven a Goughnut of her own. She’s not the heaviest of chewers so not a good test subject. However, one of our most destructive puppies, Dublin was never able to destroy a Goughnut.

We’re going to get one of these for our friends aggressive chewer, Higbee to see if he can destroy the much vaunted, Goughnut.

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST DURABLE

• KONG Extreme Dog Toy – Dublin was the aggressive chewer in our pack. He barely left a mark on the KONG Extreme. Although he also didn’t like the Extreme as much as the Classic KONG Toy.
• West Paw Zogoflex Hurley Durable Dog Bone Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers – That’s a mouthful! We first met with the folks at West Paw Design back in 2016. We love their products and they have a good reputation for being durable. Raven is the first to test out our new Zogoflex Dog Bone.

Best Budget Chew Toy: Leather Fox Dog Toy

We got a few of these leather toys when Archer was a puppy. We love the leather texture, but it’s lifespan left a lot to be desired.

DESCRIPTION

The Dura-Fused Leather Fox Dog Toy is strong enough to withstand regular playtimes while soft enough for your pup to curl up with in his downtime. This durable toy fuses real leather and jute together to create two layers for added strength. The seams are then double stitched with a heavy duty thread for extra protection against tough chewers. – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

We like this toy because it’s a different texture for our puppies. It works well with the young ones (under 10 weeks old).

Okay folks. At the time of this writing the leather fox is only $1.22. Lower your expectations. This is not a durable toy. If you have a light chewer or a young puppy then this might be a good toy for your pup.

UPDATE 11/15/2020: When updating this post for 2021 we noticed that this product was out of stock. We’ve seen this often on Chewy site and will check back. If our budget toy is still out of stock we’ll make an update to our list. Thanks!

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST BUDGET CHEW TOY

• Stuffing Free Monkey Dog Toy – For a couple bucks you can have you’re own “Monkey Dog”. Just kidding it’s a Monkey Toy for Dogs. Get it? Yeah that’s not funny. Sorry…
• KONG Squeezz Ball Dog Toy – There was this company called DuraDoggie. We loved their toys. The KONG Squeezz is the closest thing we could find to the DuraDoggie Chew Toys.

Best Cute Chew Toy: Mr. Bill Dog Toy

Mr. Bill: “Oh No!”

DESCRIPTION

Enjoy playtime fun as much as your furry pal with the Multipet Mr. Bill Plush Dog Toy. Inspired by the hit vintage skit from Saturday Night Live, it has a built-in voice box that yells Mr. Bill’s hilarious catchphrase when squeezed. Made for dogs of all ages, it’s great for playing fetch as it’s easily tossed, and it makes a soft cuddle buddy that’s always ready for nap time. Reinforced stitching and no plastic parts make this a toy to be loved. – Chewy.com

OUR EXPERIENCE

The Mr. Bill Dog Toy was a hit at our Christmas party a couple years ago and why not? Who can resist the adorable “Oh No” when you squeeze Mr. Bill?

Just like the leather fox this toy is not too durable. We kept a close eye on our pup’s when they played with Mr. Bill.

We were able to preserve him and his little sound box for a few months, but eventually Apache cracked the plastic sound maker and soon after removed his stuffing. 🙁

HONORABLE MENTION FOR BEST CUTE CHEW TOY

• Hedge Hog Hide & Seek Plush Dog Toy – Baby Hedgehogs are just plain cute. Nuff said.
• Gumby Dog Toy – Okay reaching back to my childhood again. This one has a regular squeaker so not nearly as cool as Mr. Bill. FYI – there is also a rubber Gumby which we have not yet tested

Are Puppy Chew Toys Safe?

It’s a simple question:

Q: Are Puppy Chew Toys Safe?

A: YES, but know you’re puppy. Monitor your puppy when he’s playing with a toy. It’s your responsibility to keep your puppy safe.

Dublin was my most aggressive chewer and at one point we removed all of his plush toys from the house because he would not only destroy them, but swallow pieces which made for choking or even blockage hazards.

Plush toys were off limits for Dublin, but we were able to give him other toys like KONG toys, Nylabone, Jolly Ball, Bully Sticks, etc.

Dublin could be left alone with a KONG Extreme and he wouldn’t destroy or consume any parts.

However, some puppies can destroy a KONG Extreme or even a Goughnut and swallow the rubber parts. If this is your puppy then please do not leave your pup alone with any kind of chew toy.

Some of the chew toys we’ve recommended are very hard and some aggressive chewers can crack their teeth.

Again, if this is your puppy then stay away from the hard chew toys like the Benebone, Deer Antlers, Nylabone Durachew, and the many other hard chew toys on the market.

Know your puppy. Monitor your puppy when he has a chew toy.

Final Thoughts

It amazes me that I tried almost every toy on this list before I even started writing this review (the few I did not Raven is playing with as we speak).

It goes to show you 13+ years of raising service dog puppies equals lots of puppy chew toys.

One thing that has been pounded into my head by our guide dog group leaders. Get a variety of chew toys with different textures so your puppy won’t get bored.

That’s a total of 21 different chew toys on our list! So lots of different textures to keep your puppies entertained.

What about you guys?

Does your puppy have a favorite chew toy?

What do you think are the best chew toys for a puppy?

Tell us about you experiences in the comment section below.

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Over the past couple years we’ve been hearing rave reviews about deer antlers for dogs.

If you have a Labrador Retriever or Golden Retriever in your house then you probably run into some of the same issues we do with Dublin, our yellow lab, Stetson, our black lab, or Raven, our Golden Retriever.

Those three just love to chew up their dog toys, treats, chews, bully sticks (we like, recommend and use bully sticks more than any other chew)…you name it, they chew it.

In fact, Stetson can chew up a 12 inch bully stick in less than 5 minutes!

That’s the same stick that used to take Dublin 2 weeks to polish off (now it takes him about a half hour).

Needless to say we’re always on the lookout for a high quality, durable, chew to occupy our dogs and satisfy their need to chew.

Enter Deer Antlers for Dogs.

OTHER RESOURCES: Chew toys are great for helping with bitey, nippy, mouthy puppies. Check out this list of best chew toys for a teething puppy from our friends at Labrador Training HQ.

Deer Antlers For Dogs

Do deer antlers make for a good chew toy?

Some of the things we’ve heard about these antler dog chews are:

• “They are great for dogs who love to chew because they last for a very long time.”
• “You can purchase them in different sizes depending on the size of your dog.”
• “They don’t stink really bad like the bully sticks you get from the store.”

If you’d like to read more information about deer antlers for dogs then check out the product description for USA Bone & Chew Deer Antlers.

Chewy readers give mostly good reviews.  Check out the antler dog chew reviews.

So, are antlers for dogs safe?

We recently received an email from our Guide Dog group that we wanted to share with our readers.

Here’s what they had to say about deer antlers for dogs.

Are Deer Antlers For Dogs Safe?

“We are having an increase in the instances of dogs (puppies and adults) with acute diarrhea.

All test show that the cause is not bacterial or parasitic. What all these cases do have in common……

Now I am not knocking antlers, they definitely have their place.

Antlers are an excellent tool for dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

But because they are considered a novel protein, once a dog is given this as a treat, Venison can no longer be considered a novel protein for that dog.

This makes it much more difficult to find a novel protein if needed in the future for skin or intestinal issues.

Recently, as antler dog chews become more popular, antler is getting more scarce.

Antler chew sellers are popping up all over and they are looking to sell the cheaper, low grade antler to make more profit.

These antlers are old, brittle and can crack and splinter when chewed.

Because of the scarcity antlers are being brought in from other countries like China where they may be treated with chemical preservatives.

Antlers are also high in protein, this too can cause stomach upset especially in young dogs.

We recommend the following “chew toys”:

Sterile bones, Nylabones and the occasional rawhide,(UPDATE rawhides are no longer a recommended chew) these are the same chew toys that are given while they are in training.

All of these chews need to be given only under direct supervision.

We do not recommend antlers as a chew toy/supplement.”

–Guide Dog Vet Department

Are Deer Antlers For Dogs A Good Chew Toy?

Obviously we can no longer use deer antlers as a chew toy/supplement for our guide dog puppies in training, but then again we never had the chance to use them in the first place.

By the way, I’m glad I did not have to experience acute diarrhea with my pups.

The fear of all 3 of my dogs getting diarrhea is enough to make me avoid purchasing deer antler chews for my dogs.

QUICK UPDATE: As several readers have noted in the comment section many dogs have cracked their teeth on deer antlers. In my own experience I’ve had one friend tell me their dog cracked a tooth as well. I know this is not the case with all dogs. One thing I’d recommend is know your dog. If your dog is a intense chewer then maybe try a softer chew like a KONG. One reader said they don’t give it to their dog if they can’t dent it with their fingernail. 

So I guess we’ll just stick to the Sterile bones, Nylabones and the occasional pressed rawhide bone. (UPDATE Pressed rawhide bones are no longer recommended)

Lucky for us Dublin (and now Apache) loves the Nylabones and Sterile Bones so we rarely give them any other kind of dog chews.

Our current favorite dog chew toys are

• KONG Extreme Dog Toy
• Nylabone Dura Chew Double Action Chew Toy.

We also like the following chews:

• Himalayan Dog Chews
• Best Bully Sticks

The KONG Dog Toy has been pretty much indestructible while the Nylabone Wishbone gets a bit jagged when our dogs chew on it, but has remained in one piece…just don’t let your dog drop it on your bare foot…OUCH!

Are Deer Antlers Good For Puppies?

Since we first wrote this post we had never used deer antlers with our puppies.

As you can see from the updated pics in this article we decided to see what the pups thought about deer antlers.

After all the pluses and minuses mentioned in this article one of the big ones that we were afraid of were cracked teeth and therefore decided antlers wouldn’t be appropriate for the big boys.

However, the little guys love to teeth, but don’t usually bite down with the same force as the big dogs thus alleviating my fear of cracked teeth. Also, puppy teeth fall out at around 4-6 months.

So we took the plunge and allowed our puppies under 4 months to play and chew on the deer antlers.

Our pup’s immediately loved the antlers and no issues with cracked teeth and they barely put a dent in the antlers. Luckily we haven’t had any digestion or diarrhea issues with our puppies.

The question now is will I continue to use deer antlers with my young pups?

Yes, if I can find a high quality deer antler I don’t mind using it with the puppies. However, I’ll probably stick mostly with my two favorite chews: Himalayan Dog Chews and Bully Sticks.

One thing to remember is no matter what your puppy is chewing monitor him closely.

While products like antlers and rawhides come into the news more often even items deemed “safe” can become a hazard depending on the puppy.

That’s it! By the way, there’s tons of great information about the advantages and disadvantages of antlers for dogs in our comments section. Check it out if you have a moment.

Do you have a destructive dog that loves to chew?

What are your favorite dog chew toys?

Have you tried deer antlers for dogs?

How about elk antlers for dogs?

We’d love to hear about your experiences so tell us your thoughts in the comment section below.

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UPDATE: This post was originally posted December 27th, 2011. It has been updated with new information based on our experiences over the years.