Bringing home a cute, cuddly puppy or a lovable adoptee from the local shelter can warm the heart and add life to a home. Stocking up on functional and fun stuff for a dog in your life, whether they’re new to the family or not, can be an enjoyable task.
But before you reach for the cute teddy bear or stuffed jalapeno in the dog toy aisle, consider whether it’s the right choice for your dog.
Aggressive or powerful chewers can reduce a standard plush toy to fabric swaths and cotton tufts in minutes. Some brands make plushies with these dogs in mind, including:
Why Do Dogs Like Plushies?
Dog behavioralists, veterinarians and pup owners have long observed that dogs play with toys in ways that demonstrate instinctual behaviors. Soft toys like plushies can trigger both hunting and nurturing instincts.
Toys with softer textures that crinkle or squeak as they’re played with mimic prey in the wild. If your dog pounces on plushies, throws them around in the air or rips into them with powerful jaws, they’re engaging in instincts and natural movements through play.
Other dogs may treat plushies like puppies. They carry them around, groom them or tuck them into bed nearby. These behaviors indicate that soft toys trigger nurturing instincts in a particular pup. Some dogs may respond to certain plushies with aggressive, hunting-like play while they nurture other favorite toys.
Other reasons many dogs love plushies include:
- Soft, low-stim toys are calming, making them good for cuddling with or self-soothing.
- Soft toys are gentle on tender puppy gums, which is especially helpful during teething.
- Stuffed toys can offer mental stimulation through a variety of textures and games.
Common Challenges With Power Chewers and Soft Toys
When you have an aggressive chewer in the house, plush toys can be frustrating. You might love the idea of gifting your pet a soft companion, but spending $15 on a toy that lasts only a single afternoon can get expensive.
Plush toys can also break down quickly, creating safety issues. Stuffing, squeakers and bits of fabric can become choking hazards if you don’t remove them quickly. Supervision during use and regular toy inspections before the chewing begins are essential.
How to Pick Plush Toys for Aggressive Chewers
Choosing the right plush toys for aggressive chewers can reduce frustrations and help increase safety. High-quality, reinforced plushies may hold up longer when loved on by a power chewer.
Here’s what to look for when buying plushies for aggressive chewers:
- Reinforced or double-layered seams. A powerful chewer can quickly compromise standard stitching. Double-layered or reinforced seams take significantly longer to work through, which can extend a toy’s lifespan.
- Stuffing-free toys. When a plushie gets breached, loose stuffing becomes an immediate choking and ingestion hazard. Stuffing-free designs give your dog the soft texture they enjoy without that risk.
- Ballistic fabric. Originally developed for heavy-duty industrial and military use, ballistic fabric resists tearing far better than standard plush material. Some brands build their tough chewer lines around this type of reinforced textile.
- Larger size. A toy that’s appropriately sized for your dog is harder to destroy and less likely to produce pieces small enough to swallow. Even smaller pups that are robust chewers might fare better with a larger stuffy.
- Lack of small parts. Plastic eyes, buttons, ribbons and decorative attachments are often the first things an aggressive chewer removes from a toy. Look for plushies designed without these features or ensure any embellishments are securely embedded in layers of fabric.
Plush Toys to Consider
Several brands have developed plushies that withstand heavy play or powerful chewing.
A few products to consider:
- Butterfly Ballistic by BULLYMAKE. This butterfly-shaped tug toy’s made from BULLYMAKE’s signature ballistic fabric, a durable, textured material similar to what you’d find in a heavy-duty backpack. Designed for interactive tug-and-pull play rather than solo chewing, it’s a good option for power chewers who do best with supervised playtime.
- Bone Tug by BULLYMAKE. This bone-shaped interactive toy is made with the same heavy-duty ballistic fabric as the BULLYMAKE Butterfly. It can withstand moderate chewing, but is also suitable for fetch and tug-of-war, making it a great pick for a power chewer who loves interactive play with their owner.
- Dinos Bruto Checkers Squeaky Plush from goDog. This cute dinosaur-shaped squeaker plush is built with goDog’s Chew Guard Technology, a tough inner lining added to the soft outer fabric to help the toy hold up longer than standard plushies. The built-in squeaker engages a dog’s natural hunting instincts, making it a good option for power chewers who respond to sound and tactile feedback during play.
- Silent Squeak Penguin Plush from goDog. This cuddly plush toy includes GoDog’s Chew Guard Technology lining and double-stitched seams for added durability. It also has an ultrasonic squeaker tuned to a frequency only dogs can hear, making it a great choice if your dog likes to enjoy squeak toys when others are sleeping.
- No Stuff Ultimate Ring from Tuffy. This tug-and-fetch toy is built with Tuffy’s multi-layer Ultimate Construction, but without any internal stuffing, eliminating potential mess and safety concerns that come with plush toys for power chewers. Soft edges make it gentle on teeth and gums, and it floats, making it an option for fetch games in the water.
- Ultimate Bone from Tuffy. This classic bone-shaped plush toy features four layers of material, including a soft fleece exterior and industrial-grade interior fabric, for durability beyond that of standard stuffed toys. Three built-in squeakers and soft gum-friendly edges make it a good fit for dogs who love to shake, tug and carry.
The Bottom Line: Setting Expectations When Giving Your Power-Chewing Pup a Plushie
No soft toy is built to last forever against a powerful chewer. Even reinforced plushies have a lifespan, so consider having a backup plan for keeping your pup in their favorite toys.
If your dog is especially partial to a certain plushie, consider buying another like it to keep in the closet. When their current toy is too worn down to support safe cuddle or chew sessions, you can swap it out.
And if your pup loves variety, consider a subscription box that comes with a few toys, including plushies, and fun themes each month.
