In a couple of weeks I am about to become the very! proud owner of a Golden Retriever.  Although I realise that my life and home will never be the same again I was hoping for some advice about what sort of toys I can get her so that rather than having to say 'no' to her all the time for chewing the furniture, she has plenty of other things to chew and play with that she will get praise for.  I have already purchased a puppy kong for her but I am unsure about whether or not I can fill it with stuff while she is still young and would also like to get her some other things so that she has a selection.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

My puppies have always loved to play with empty 2-litre plastic pop bottles (remove the cap), and a cocnut (great fun ripping off the coir!) and of course not forgetting cardboard boxes to destroy!

I mak 'rats' for puppies - an old woollen sock filled with balled up newspaper and tied at the end with a thin rope tail securely attached. The sock can be washed and newspaper repaced, and pups seem to like them to paly with. Tug toys or raggers are also pupular.

Our Bichon is 13 month old and over the puppy stage but he has always had a box of toys. Small soft ball. rope tugs, rubber bones and I had some little square bean bags made (reminds me of school day PE lessons). He then knows they are his toys and shoes, papers and cushions are not part of his collection :-)
When she is a little bigger you can make a split in a tennis ball and fill with treat ( we use low fat smoked sausage) then when she finds it she will eventually bring it back for you to give treat.

Good luck

Card board boxes, the sturdy corregated kind, are great for their little teeth to bite into. Cut a hole in one side big enough for them to poke their head out so they can play hide and seek with you and their toys, great to watch. My pup plays for ages with his box. Also he seems to love socks, tea towels, anything fabric really as it is soft and biteable for their delicate mouths. Good luck with your puppy.

Nylabones!

My youngest loves them, i started him on puppy ones and two years on he goes through one dental 'wolf' size every few months. Addicted! My eldest however isnt fussed, so each to their own but its worth a try :)

Ive also found any Kong toy is a good quality toy, we have kongs for stuffing and other toys like the denta kong ragger.

The nylabone is the main one for me though - designed specifically to be chewed :)

Rox

Hi all...

i too have a pup whos mad about chewing and after reading what folk on here say about rawhide chews i thought i would look at nylabones as a safer alternative.
i came across this website with some interesting info on it

www.benderplace.com/allcreaturesgreatandsmall/product_alerts.htm

it would seem to me that it doesnt matter what you give a pup/dog to chew as there are risks involved with everything. We need to be vigilant whilst our dogs are chewing and check their toys ect everytime they chew them. As it seems that disastrous accidents (even death) can occur from even the so called safest of toys and chews.

Hi Noodle

my 12 week old pup Archie LOVES the kongs, sock-toys and raggers, also Nylabones are great, they make puppy teething keys which seem to be great fun to chew!

Another thing Archie really loves is the cardboard tube from inside a toilet roll, but don't do this unless your normal toilet rolls are well out of reach, as Archie has just discovered he can steal them while I'm in the shower and I can't do anything!!

We also has a roll of corrugated cardboard from when we moved house, we cut bits off that are bigger than Archie, and he has great fun playing with them!  Good luck with your pup!

Raw knuckle bones have worked the best for me with chew crazy pups and they have the added bonus of tasting good and keeping them occupied. When they are teething you can give frozen  raw bones,they help soothe the sore gums :(