Ridgeback puppy chewed through indestructible toys

Teething is one of the most intense periods of puppyhood, and for a breed like a Rhodesian Ridgeback it can feel like a full contact sport. Having the right chew toys available — ones that are firm enough to satisfy but safe for developing teeth, and ideally chillable to soothe sore gums — makes a genuine difference to how much destruction happens in your home. You've already found out the hard way that not everything marketed as tough actually is. Before I point you toward something better, a couple of quick questions: which toys did you go through — do you remember the brands or what they were made of? And is the chewing currently spreading to furniture, shoes, or other things in the house?

That makes complete sense — soft rubber and rope are just not in the same league as a Ridgeback jaw, even at 16 weeks. They're a working breed with serious bite pressure built in from the start. The chair legs situation tells me he's not being satisfied by what's on offer, so he's self-sourcing. A couple more things that'll help me get this right: is he chewing more at particular times of day — morning, after meals, evenings? And have you tried stuffing any of the toys with food to extend the engagement, or has he just been chewing them dry?

Right, that's actually really useful — evening and post-exercise chewing usually means he's still got mental and physical energy to burn, and a dry toy with no payoff just isn't interesting enough to compete with the chair leg. Here's what I'd go with: the Kong Extreme, size Large. It's the black rubber version, noticeably denser and harder than the red Classic Kong, and it's specifically designed for powerful chewers — it's one of the very few toys that genuinely holds up to that level of jaw pressure. At 16 weeks his adult teeth are still coming in, so you don't want anything harder than this — antlers and nylon bones are too rigid for puppy teeth and risk fractures. The Extreme hits the right balance. Crucially, stuff it before you give it to him — peanut butter, wet food, or kibble mixed with a little water, then freeze it for a couple of hours. The frozen filling soothes his gums while teething, and the fact that he has to work to get the food out keeps him engaged for 20 to 30 minutes rather than ten seconds. That's what redirects him away from the furniture — he's got something that satisfies the urge and rewards persistence. You'll probably want two so one can always be in the freezer ready to go.

Size matters quite a bit, actually. Too small and he could potentially get it lodged, too large and it loses the satisfying grip he needs to really work at it. Large is right for a Ridgeback at this age and will still be appropriate as he grows — they're a big breed so he'll grow into it fully rather than outgrow it quickly. Just make sure it's the black Extreme version, not the red Classic — the rubber compound is genuinely different and the Classic won't last you nearly as long with a dog like this.

That's exactly the goal. Get those in the freezer as soon as they arrive and try to have one ready for the evenings after his walk — that's your highest-risk window based on what you've described. If he starts ignoring even the stuffed Kong after a few weeks, come back and we can look at adding something like a Benebone alongside it for variety, but start here. Good luck — Ridgebacks are a handful at this age but they're worth it.