Best chew toys for Newfoundland puppies teething

A five-month Newfoundland going through furniture is pretty much a force of nature — those dogs have serious jaw strength even as puppies, and teething makes it ten times worse. The right chew toy here needs to be tough enough to satisfy that urge but still soft enough not to damage incoming adult teeth. Before I point you in the right direction: is he chewing constantly throughout the day or more in bursts — and have you tried any chew toys already, or is this your first attempt to redirect him?

Rope toys are no match for a teething Newfie, so that's not surprising. The evening peak is really common — they're tired but still wired, and chewing is how they self-soothe. For a puppy his age and size, I want something that gives real resistance without being rock-hard, because his adult teeth are still pushing through and you don't want anything that risks cracking them. Can you tell me roughly how much he weighs right now, and has he had any reaction to rubber toys before — some dogs will just carry them around rather than chew them, which isn't what you need here.

28kg at five months — he's going to be enormous, which means you need to be buying for the dog he's becoming, not the one he is now. Here's my recommendation: the Kong Puppy toy in XL. It's made from a softer natural rubber formula specifically designed for puppy teeth — firm enough to satisfy serious chewing, but with enough give that it won't damage teeth that are still coming in. The hollow centre is the key bit: stuff it with peanut butter or wet food and freeze it overnight, and you've got something that keeps him occupied for 20 to 40 minutes rather than ten seconds. The freezing also soothes inflamed gums, which is probably why evenings are so bad — his gums are uncomfortable and he's looking for relief. At his current size and projected adult weight, XL is the right call. One Kong won't replace every chewing session, but used consistently — especially in the evenings — it genuinely redirects the behaviour. Get two so you always have a frozen one ready.

It's a real difference, not marketing. The Classic Kong is made from harder black or red rubber — fine for adult dogs, but too rigid for puppy teeth and sore gums. The Puppy Kong uses a noticeably softer pink or blue rubber that has more flex when they bite down. Once he's around 9 to 12 months and his adult teeth are fully in, you'd move him up to the Classic or the Extreme version depending on how hard he's still chewing. For now, the Puppy XL is the right tool.

Avoid them at this age, yes. Antlers, hard nylon bones, and raw marrow bones are all too hard for puppy teeth — there's a simple test called the thumbnail test: if you press your thumbnail into the surface and it leaves no mark, it's too hard for a puppy. Antlers in particular are a common cause of slab fractures in young dogs. Stick with the frozen Kong for now, and if you want something with a bit more texture, bully sticks are a reasonable addition — they're digestible and have enough resistance to satisfy chewing without the fracture risk. But the frozen Puppy Kong XL is your primary weapon against the furniture situation.