Teething toys for tiny Maltese puppies

Teething is one of the most intense periods of puppyhood — and having the right chew toys available makes a genuine difference to how much destruction happens. The best ones are firm enough to satisfy that urge, safe for developing teeth, and ideally chillable to soothe sore gums. So tell me a bit more: how old is your puppy, what breed, and is the main concern the chewing itself or protecting specific things in the home?

That's such a common frustration with toy breeds and it's a real problem — if she can't get her teeth into it properly, it gives her zero satisfaction and she'll absolutely go looking for something that does fit. Before I point you toward something specific, can you tell me: is she chewing on anything at all right now, even things she shouldn't be? And have the toys you've tried been rubber, rope, or something else?

Skirting board corners make total sense — they're narrow enough for a tiny mouth to get purchase on, which tells you exactly what she needs: something slender and grippable, not a chunky ring. The rubber ring shape really is designed with medium and large breeds in mind. For a Maltese at this age, I'd go with the Nylabone Puppy Starter Pack — specifically the puppy keys or the small puppy chew shapes in the starter set. They're made for mouths under 5kg, they're flexible rather than rock-hard so they won't damage her baby teeth, and the textured nubs on the surface actually do something useful for sore gums. You can also chill them in the fridge for 20 minutes before giving them to her, which helps a lot at 11 weeks when the gum soreness is at its peak. The narrow, finger-like shapes mean she can get a proper grip and actually work at them — which is exactly what she's been asking for by attacking your skirting boards.

With the Nylabone puppy range at her age, supervised chewing is the right approach — not because they're dangerous, but because at 11 weeks she's still learning what's a chew toy and what isn't, and you want to be able to redirect her if she loses interest and starts eyeing the furniture again. Practically speaking, just give her one when you're in the room and can keep half an eye on her. Once she's a bit older and has clearly adopted it as her thing, you can be more relaxed. Also worth knowing: replace it when it starts to get visibly chewed down into smaller pieces — Nylabones last a long time with tiny dogs but it's a good habit to check.

Good call — it should make a noticeable difference quickly once she has something she can actually use. Your skirting boards will thank you. If she's still finding the keys a bit much when they arrive, the fridge trick genuinely helps; cold takes the edge off the gum soreness and makes her more focused on the toy. Good luck with her — 11 weeks is exhausting but it does pass.