Collection: Durable Toys

Tough dog toys built for power chewers, from Benebone, KONG, Tonka, Starmark, GiGwi, Chuckit! Ultra, RUFF Play, Nerf Dog and Outward Hound. Solid rubber and natural nylon, delivered anywhere in Australia with full tracking.

The Tension at the Heart of This Category

A durable toy has to do two things that pull against each other. It has to survive a dog that destroys everything, and it has to be softer than that dog's teeth. Push too far on the first and you buy a toy that lasts for years and costs your dog a molar.

This is why "indestructible" on a label should read as a warning rather than a selling point. A toy that truly cannot be damaged by a dog's jaw is, by definition, harder than the jaw. Something has to give, and if it is not the toy it is the tooth. Veterinary dentists see the results routinely, and the owners in those consults almost always chose the chew precisely because it seemed to last forever.

Three Tests Before You Buy

Veterinary guidance is to never give a dog anything harder than its own teeth. You can check that in seconds:

• The thumbnail test. Press the toy with your thumbnail. If there is no give at all, it is too hard.
• The knee cap rule. Tap it against your own kneecap. If that hurts you, it is too hard or too heavy for your dog.
• The hammer rule. If you could not drive a nail into it, your dog should not be chewing it.

Antlers, hooves and hard sterilised bones fail all three. So do some products marketed specifically at power chewers, which is worth checking with your own thumbnail rather than trusting the category name.

What Genuine Durability Is Made Of

Solid natural rubber is the most forgiving option that still lasts. It flexes under a tooth and absorbs force rather than transmitting it, it bounces unpredictably which keeps a smart dog interested, and hollow versions can be stuffed with food to turn a chew session into a longer occupation. For most power chewers this is the right starting point.

Natural nylon is harder than rubber and lasts longer, and is designed to be scraped away in tiny shavings as the dog works it rather than broken into chunks. Those shavings are meant to pass through. It suits the serious chewer who goes through rubber, though it sits closer to the hardness limit, so it is worth applying the thumbnail test to the specific product.

Reinforced fabric and firehose style materials sit a step below on toughness but well above ordinary plush. They are a reasonable middle ground for a dog that is hard on toys without being a genuine destroyer.

Size Up

With power chewers, size matters as much as material. A toy large enough that the dog cannot get molars properly around it lasts dramatically longer than the same toy one size down, because the dog cannot bring full crushing force to bear. It is also safer, since a bigger toy cannot be swallowed or lodged at the back of the throat. When you are between two sizes for a strong chewer, always take the larger.

When to Retire It

Nothing survives every dog forever, and a durable toy that slowly wears down is behaving exactly as intended. What you are watching for is the change from wearing to breaking.

Retire the toy when chunks are coming off rather than shavings, when a piece small enough to swallow has appeared, when the surface has gone sharp or splintered, or if you ever see blood on it. Blood means a damaged tooth or gum and the toy comes out immediately, with a vet check to follow.

Supervise any new durable toy for the first few sessions. Dogs work at unfamiliar toys differently, and you learn more about whether it is right for yours in ten minutes of watching than from any product description.

Compare with the wider chew toy range, or see interactive and treat dispensing toys if your dog needs occupying rather than a jaw workout.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the toughest dog toy you sell?

Natural nylon chews are the hardest wearing option in the range, followed by solid natural rubber. But the toughest toy is not automatically the right one, since hardness is what fractures teeth. Apply the thumbnail test to whatever you are considering and choose the most durable option that still gives slightly under pressure.

Is there such a thing as an indestructible dog toy?

Not one that is safe. Anything hard enough to be genuinely indestructible is harder than a dog's teeth, and the teeth lose that contest. Treat the word on a label as a caution. What you actually want is a toy that wears down gradually over months rather than one that never marks at all.

How do I know if a toy is too hard for my dog?

Press it with your thumbnail. If it does not give even slightly, it is too hard. Tapping it against your kneecap is the same check from another angle: if it hurts you, it is too hard for your dog. Veterinary advice is to avoid anything harder than the dog's own teeth.

My dog goes through rubber toys. What now?

Two things before you go harder. Size up first, since a larger toy the dog cannot get molars around lasts far longer than a harder toy one size smaller. Then consider natural nylon, which is designed to be worn away in small shavings. Going harder than nylon is where tooth damage starts.

Are nylon chews safe to swallow?

They are designed to be scraped off in tiny shavings that pass through the digestive system, which is different from a dog breaking off a chunk. If your dog is snapping pieces off rather than grinding the surface down, that toy is wrong for them and should be removed.