Best chew toy for 6-month Aussie Shepherd

A 6-month-old Aussie redirecting onto shoes is pretty much a textbook situation — they're smart, mouthy, and hitting peak teething energy all at once. The right chew toy needs to be durable enough to survive serious attention but not so hard it risks damaging those still-developing adult teeth. A lot depends on how hard your dog actually chews and what's driving it — is this pure puppy restlessness, or are you seeing it spike when you leave the room or when they're understimulated?

Got it — attention-seeking and boredom chewing rather than separation anxiety, which is actually the easier pattern to redirect. At 18kg with a strong but not obsessive chew drive, she's right in the Kong Classic sweet spot. What I'd specifically recommend is the Kong Classic in Large, stuffed and frozen. The rubber is tough enough for a determined chewer at her size without being the rock-hard nylon that vets sometimes flag for young teeth. Freezing the stuffing extends the challenge significantly — she has to work for it, which burns the mental energy that's currently going into your trainers.

The paste is fine but honestly not necessary. The simplest thing that works really well: stuff it with a mix of her kibble and a spoonful of peanut butter or plain cream cheese, plug the small hole with a bit of banana or soft treat, then freeze it overnight. The frozen version takes most dogs 20–30 minutes to finish rather than 5, and that extended engagement is the whole point. You can prep three or four at a time and keep them in the freezer so you always have one ready when she starts eyeing the shoe rack.

Large is right for 18kg. The XL is for dogs over 30kg and is actually harder to stuff effectively at her size — the cavity is almost too big and the rubber is stiffer than she needs. Large gives her the right amount of resistance and the right amount of filling to keep her occupied. One thing worth knowing: Kong sells a specific puppy version in red rubber that's slightly softer, but at 6 months most Aussies are transitioning out of needing that. The Classic black is the extra-tough version meant for power chewers — the standard Classic in red/tan is the right call here.

Good plan. Give it a few days consistently — offer it proactively before she gets restless rather than as a response to the chewing, and she'll start to make the association quickly. Aussies are sharp; she'll figure out that the Kong is where the good stuff lives. The shoes should become a lot less interesting.