If you’re looking for a chew toy for your German Shepherd, you need to consider your canine friend’s bite strength, chewing tendencies, and level of interest in variety before buying them a gift to chomp on. Let’s look at these factors when choosing the best chew toys for German Shepherds.
The best chew toys for German Shepherds should be made of natural rubber, flavored, and durable enough for high bite strength. KONG’s products for puppies and large-breed adults are apt for GSDs of respective ages, making them the most durable toys for your German Shepherd to chew.
In the rest of this article, you will discover the 15 best chew toys for German Shepherds (5 each in 3 different categories) that match the above criteria and have enough personal pros to make it onto my list. I’ll tell you my:
- 5 best chew toys for German Shepherd puppies
- 5 best chew toys for German Shepherd adults
- 5 best ‘indestructible’ dog toys for German Shepherds
More importantly, you’ll learn a thing or two about my experiences, or at least my GSD besty Willow’s experiences, which gives you a unique insight into whether a specific toy suits your canine’s collection.
So, if you want to know my picks of the best chew toys for German Shepherds, you’ll love this article. Let’s get started!
- Best Chew Toys for German Shepherd Puppies
- KONG Puppy Toy
- Petstages Orka Dental Links
- Pets & Goods Rope Dog Toy Set
- Nylabone X-Shaped Dog Bone Chew Toy
- Bojafa Teething Ball Toy
- Best Chew Toys for German Shepherds
- Best Indestructible Dog Toys For German Shepherds
- KONG Extreme Chew Toy
- KONG Chew Tire
- Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy
- Pet Qwerks Zombie Barkbone
- VANFINE Squeaky Dog Chew Toy
- Why Do German Shepherds Chew?
- Are German Shepherds Heavy Chewers?
- Which Chew Toys Should I Pick?
Best Chew Toys for German Shepherd Puppies
German Shepherds have a strong bite force and are heavy chewers. And so, with this established, we have a firm foundation to get into the best chew toys. Here, the most important factors to consider are the material and design elements that benefit your pup.
Check out my five best chew toys for German Shepherd puppies in this quick-look table…
| Product | Verdict | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
| KONG Puppy Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Petstages Orka Dental Links | ⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Pets & Goods Rope Dog Toy Set | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Nylabone X-Shaped Bone Chew Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Bojafa Teething Ball Toy | ⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
KONG Puppy Toy
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The Brand
Established in 1976, the KONG company has over four decades of experience in manufacturing and optimizing chew toys for dogs. As a brand launched by a dog owner trying to solve a personal problem of unhealthy chewing habits of his dog, the business resonates with people like me and you. All these years later, the company has remained faithful to its product’s focus, which allows me to trust the brand 100%.
The Features
The product is optimized for different chewing styles. You can get puppy rubber for your teething GSD, but you will have options for consistency as he grows up. There is a senior rubber option for a dog who has the habit but not the bite strength to back it up. Classic rubber is for most adult dogs, but extreme rubber is great for ones with German Shepherds’ bite strength.
All these options come in the classic KONG shape, which is a cross between the Michelin Man and a cone, giving your German Shepherd plenty to chew on without forcing him to twist his jaw into weird positions. Chew toys built without considering your dog’s jaw are as impractical as chewing gum the size of a soap bar.
Fortunately, KONG considers your GSD’s jaw shape, bite strength, and even the reasoning behind chewing behaviors. KONG works no matter what you need a chew toy for, from teething, destructive chewing, weight management, boredom, or separation anxiety,
And the best thing about these cones is that you can fill them with a foamy meaty flavored treat (also made by KONG), dog biscuits, or even peanut butter. Adding flavor to the chew toy means your GSD prefers chewing his toy over your homework because your homework doesn’t taste as good unless you’re a cooking school student!
Petstages Orka Dental Links
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The Brand
Petstages is an Outward Hound Company specializing in chew toys for dogs, especially in their early to mid-life development (hence the “stages” in “pet stages”). Since the manufacturer is a massive company, I understand that it wouldn’t want risks associated with manufacturing subpar products. That’s what made me trust the company enough to give their dental links a try.
The Features
Since the product is made from Synthetic TPE, durability is built into the chew toy. The links are also slim enough that the rubber density is strong enough to stand up to a German Shepherd’s bite strength. I also find the texture of these links interesting because it can help clean your dog’s teeth to a degree, though depending on your dog’s age, this can be as effective as a toothbrush or as impractical as flossing your teeth with a USB cable.
Pets & Goods Rope Dog Toy Set
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The Brand
This company is relatively new, with its roots as recent as 2017. Much like crocs, this brand makes pretty much the same thing over and over. With repetition comes perfection, or its closest equivalent, and these guys seem to have gotten that right.
The Features
These chew ropes are perfect for dogs who seem to have an appetite for couches and cushions. The material wouldn’t be too alien (at least in texture) to your German Shepherd, making it easier to transition him from destructive chewing habits to neutral ones. The toy can also be used as a tug toy, at least while your GSD is a pup, and can also clean your dog’s teeth. Above all, it is, unlike a Hollywood husband, 100% non-toxic.
Nylabone X-Shaped Dog Bone Chew Toy
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The Brand
Nylabone started back in 1955, making it one of the earliest players in the chew toy business with this level of specialization. While some companies try to make toys for different pets or go broad with different product categories, Nylabone’s founder painted himself into a profitable corner with bone-focused chew toys.
The Features
When it comes to the X-shaped bone chew toy that looks like the bottom half of a pirate flag, the exciting shape alongside various textures stands out the most. The toy, like most Nylabone products, comes with flavor. That’s great in keeping your German Shepherd’s interest but with great interest comes great responsibility to stand up to a strong bite.
Nylabone X-shaped bone toy comes in three durability varieties: Teething Chew for puppies, Flexi Chew for adults with low bite strength, and Tough Chew for dogs like adult German Shepherds. This means that as your puppy grows up, he will have familiar-looking options.
Bojafa Teething Ball Toy
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The Brand
Bojana has a weak and diluted brand that spans too many categories. This means it has to present a strong enough product on features alone to get me to buy. I’m glad I did make the purchase, though, because the toy’s recipient loved it. Here’s why.
The Features
The product is ball-shaped, which makes it an easy sell, especially for German Shepherd puppies. Your pup will grab hold of it because you can roll it on the floor or get him to hold it via a game of fetch. However, unlike regular balls, the teething ball has slits with internal ridges that clean your dog’s teeth while he plays with the ball.
The slits can also be filled with treats, making the ball tastier than your phone charger, office stationery, and other stuff your puppy might currently prefer to chew on.
Best Chew Toys for German Shepherds
It is worth remembering that the difference between the bite strength of German Shepherds and other dogs becomes more evident as they start growing up. In other words, a chew toy that works for a Shih Tzu puppy might work for a GSD pup, but as they both start growing, there’s no way an average-strength chew toy will work for a German Shepherd.
In this section, I’ll explore great options for your adult German Shepherd and give you my verdict. Since brands have been discussed earlier, we’ll look at only the product features. Again, here’s a quick look table…
| Product | Verdict | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
| KONG Classic Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Petstages Dogwood Chew Stick | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| KONG Stuff-a-Ball | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| KONG Jump’N Jack | ⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Nylabone Textured Ring | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
KONG Classic Chew Toy
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This chew cone is large enough for your grown German Shepherd’s mouth and is durable enough for his bite strength. Like the brand’s other options, this too comes with the same shape that gives your dog a balance between an interesting challenge and an easy enough bite to engage.
Like the KONG Puppy Toy, the Classic is a multifunctional toy and doubles up as a top “fetch toy,” with an irresistible bounce. You can fill it with a range of treats to get your German Shepherd further interested in chomping on it. This classic gets full marks from me again and is one of Willow’s favorites.
Read More: 5 Best Kong Toys for German Shepherds
Petstages Dogwood Chew Stick
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This 8-inch chew stick is a wood alternative for a furniture connoisseur German Shepherd. The stick is “wood flavored” and is aptly shaped to play fetch as well as hand over to your German Shepherd as a chew toy.
At 1.5 inches thick, the dog stick is great for GSDs over one year old and has accumulated 4.4 out of 5 stars for sturdiness. This rating comes from an aggregate of over 29,000 customers on Amazon, making it one of the most popular chew toys of its kind on the market. If your GSD likes to chew on wood, he’ll love this!
KONG Stuff-A-Ball Dog Toy
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This product is unlike KONG’s flagship Classic chew cones and is a sturdier version of the chew ball toy covered in the German Shepherd puppy chew toys section. It is crucial to mix up your dog’s chew toys and give him various options to avoid getting bored.
My German Shepherd girl has had this chew toy since I brought her home at 8 weeks old. She still uses it now, as you can see in the photo of her protecting it a the top of the stairs! She also has a large size which still gets stuffed with gravy bones for her supper every night.
Remember, even undisciplined dogs are unlikely to chew on the same furniture item over and over. Since dogs love variety (until they make a specific toy their favorite one), getting this ball in your GSD’s chew toy ensemble gives him something challenging to wrestle with. As the name suggests, the toy can be stuffed with various treats, incentivizing your GSD to chew it instead of your shoes.
KONG Jump’N Jack Teeth-Cleaning Chew Toy
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This is a 3-D version of the crossbones X chew toy covered in the puppy section. It presents an interesting shape for your German Shepherd to explore and has fine slits and parallel ridges that clean his teeth as he bites on the rubber toy. This is another chew toy my German Shepherd has experienced, although she doesn’t like it as much as her favorite Stuff-A-Ball mentioned above.
The product has over 3,800 reviews on Amazon and has a global average rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars. Make sure to opt for the large size before checkout because despite being made from the same material, smaller sizes won’t stand up to your German Shepherd’s bite strength.
Nylabone Textured Ring Toy
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Despite not having the bone shape that Nylabone is known for, this chew toy retains many Nylabone brand features, including flavor and durability. This ring chew toy is a larger version of a similar ring toy covered earlier.
However, it includes larger accents and flavor making it more engaging and healthier for your adult German Shepherd’s teeth. It has over 27,000 reviews on Amazon, with 4.3 out of 5 stars as its average rating. The toy is rated the highest for its sturdiness at 4.6 stars and lowest for teething at 3.9 stars, making it perfect for your adult GSD and impractical for puppies.
Best Indestructible Dog Toys For German Shepherds
If your entire experience of being around German Shepherds revolves around your own dog, you might not realize that not all German Shepherds are built alike. Since GSDs are often mixed, certain traits can vary depending on your dog’s genetic heritage.
One of the most prominent differences is that of bite strength. If your GSD is especially aggressive with his chewing, consider the following products. But first, check out this at a glance table for my picks…
| Product | Verdict | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|
| KONG Extreme Chew Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| KONG Chew Tire | ⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Benebone Wishbone Chew Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| Pet Querks Zombie Barkbone | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
| VANFINE Squeaky Dog Chew Toy | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Check Price on Amazon |
KONG Extreme Chew Toy
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This is KONG’s most durable chew toy featuring its classic cone shape with the crazy bounce, albeit with tougher material. The option to fill the cone with treats is present in this toy as well, and with over 39,000 reviews and ratings on Amazon, it has a global average of 4.6 stars out of 5.
The roundness of the cone’s exterior is quite prominent, as it is for larger jaws, and the curve minimizes the pressure damage from your dog’s bite. This explains the toy’s longevity rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
KONG Chew Tire
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This chew toy is an interesting spin on the chew rings covered earlier as it combines treat dispensing, a staple of KONG toys, and the shape durability of chewing rings. It is also thick enough to give your larger German Shepherd an exciting challenge.
More importantly, it is durable enough to stand up to the result of challenging a GSD’s jaw. With over 10,000 people having bought and reviewed the product for their large-breed dogs, one can glean its quality through the product’s global average rating. The chew tire has a 4.6-star average, with its durability being rated 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Although this truly is a quality product with originality, my German Shepherd enjoyed the chew challenge but soon got bored (or tired) of it and found other toys more interesting.
Benebone Wishbone Dog Chew Toy
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Combining the challenge of multi-faceted chew toys and the familiarity of bones, the Benebone Wishbone Chew Toy will keep your adult GSD occupied. The product comes with authentic bacon flavor, which means it must be durable enough not to become food at first serving.
Fortunately, it is strong enough to stand up to the bite strength of a German Shepherd who has smelled bacon, which is why it currently has over 42,000 reviews, of which 77% place it at five stars, with another 11% giving it 4. Since reviewers also rate by feature, it is no surprise that the global average rating of the product’s sturdiness is 4.7 stars out of 5, making it one of the highest-rated in this category.
Pet Qwerks Zombie Barkbone
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This flavored chew toy is designed to entertain your German Shepherd more than to brush his teeth or keep your furniture safe. I like this emphasis on the dog’s needs. From flavor to interesting texture, the toy is a likely candidate to be your dog’s favorite.
It is made for aggressive chewers and is made from safe material, which, even if scraped and small particles accidentally swallowed, will pass through your dog like a ping pong ball through a hula hoop.
With over 2,000 reviews and ratings, this is a relatively underrated toy, which means you could be among the first to adopt it in your German Shepherd’s walking circle. Showing off a rare find to your friends can be quite fun, and introducing them to a chew toy that’ll help their dogs as well is even more rewarding. With its current 4.3 out of 5 stars average, the product is a safe bet for your aggressive chewer.
VANFINE Squeaky Dog Chew Toy
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This 6.5-inch chewing cube has a large enough surface area and a flexible enough interior to withstand a lot of chewing, making it almost indestructible. Like a lot of options on this list, this too is a flavored toy.
However, its shape is unique and is patent-protected. But since anything from a fireproof matchstick to a bottomless bottle can be patented, the true measure of a product’s quality is its reviews. And going by over 2,000 reviewers who have given it a collective average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5, we can see that the interesting shape does hold merit.
Why Do German Shepherds Chew?
If your German Shepherd puppy is going through the teething stage of his development, it can be annoying to find anything from wood to plastic with bite marks! You may want to discipline your GSD to ensure he doesn’t chew on everything he can lay eyes on.
But chewing is healthy behavior, and preventing your dog from teething isn’t just unhealthy; it can also cause discomfort and pain. So, why do German Shepherds chew?
German Shepherds chew to ease gum pain that comes with teeth development during the canine teething stage. During this, chewing helps ease gum discomfort because it involves applying pressure. Grown GSDs chew to alleviate separation anxiety, boredom, general nervousness, or a lack of exercise.
When your GSD chews on his chew toy or anything remotely portable, he is grabbing onto something he can securely hold. This comes with a sense of security and control that can be comforting when your dog experiences changes in his environment, long periods in your absence, or even unpredictable internal changes (like sexual maturation).
Whether your German Shepherd is a puppy or an adult dog, the best way to get him to stop chewing on furniture is to discipline him by redirecting his behavior to an exciting chew toy instead.
Training your German Shepherd to stop him from chewing your things in the absence of chew toys is unintentionally cruel as it teaches him to live with gum pain or unpleasant feelings. Teaching your dog to divert his chew target is not only easier but is also more humane.
Are German Shepherds Heavy Chewers?
As you may have guessed, getting a toy for your GSD to chew on is more about him than you. And while you have considered the reasons for getting him a chew toy, you have not yet considered the durability of your dog’s chew toy. Here’s what you need to know:
German Shepherds are heavy chewers with an immense bite strength of 238 PSI (pounds per square inch). Their bite strength is greater than a pit bull, and they can easily destroy low-durability chew toys along with their sharp teeth. Therefore GSDs need high-durability or breed-specific chew toys.
Although German Shepherd behavior problems can be prevented in 90% of cases by sufficient structured exercise, they still need a good chew toy to sink their teeth into when they get bored.
It’s also important to have a range of chew toys to reduce habituation and encourage experimentation, as found in this study of the influence of toys in kennelled dogs.
Which Chew Toys Should I Pick?
When choosing chew toys for your German Shepherd, make sure the product is durable enough for his bite strength and interesting enough for his intellect. If you’re unsure where to start, choose a range of KONG chew toys, as there’s so much variety for all ages. They provide both mental and physical stimulation, are multifunctional, and are super long-lasting, even for the strongest of chewers.
If for some reason, you genuinely don’t like the KONG brand, I recommend the Nylabone X-Shaped Bone Chew Toy for both puppies and adults or the Benebone Wishbone Chew Toy for power-chewers.
Remember, chewing is an instinctive action that shouldn’t be discouraged among German Shepherds. Instead, it must be kindly redirected towards chew toys. The best chew toys can be durable and can even help clean your dog’s teeth while promoting positive oral hygiene.
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