Boxer puppy teething at 17 weeks: right chew toys

Ah, you're right in the thick of it — 17 weeks is when that second teething wave hits and suddenly the little rubber ring that kept them busy for a month is getting demolished or just ignored. Boxers are strong-jawed even as puppies, so outgrowing starter toys fast is totally normal. Teething is one of the most intense periods of puppyhood, and having the right chew toys available — firm enough to satisfy but safe for developing teeth, and ideally chillable to soothe those sore gums — genuinely changes how much of your furniture survives. Before I point you in the right direction: how old is your pup exactly, what size are they now, and is the main concern the chewing itself, or are there specific things in the home they're targeting?

9kg at 17 weeks — he's going to be a big lad. Good news is you're already thinking about this before the furniture becomes collateral damage. At this size and age, the standard puppy KONGs are genuinely undersized for him now, so sizing up is exactly the right move. What I'd recommend is the KONG Classic in Large — it's a step up from the puppy line, made from a denser rubber that suits a Boxer's jaw strength much better. You can stuff it with soft food or peanut butter and freeze it overnight, which doubles as a teething soother. It gives him something genuinely satisfying to work on rather than going looking for something else. Have you been stuffing and freezing the ones he's had so far, or just giving them empty?

Completely understand — unstuffed they're just not that interesting for long. Here's an easy trick: pack it with a bit of his normal wet food or a smear of plain peanut butter, seal the small hole with a chunk of banana or soft treat, then freeze it solid. Takes 30 seconds to prep and it buys you a solid 20–30 minutes of focused chewing. The frozen element is especially good right now because his gums are genuinely sore — the cold numbs them a bit. At his stage and size, the KONG Classic Large is the one I'd go for. It's widely available on Amazon UK and it'll stay relevant well past the teething phase — Boxers tend to be lifelong chewers so this won't end up in a drawer after a month. Is he the kind of dog who loses interest quickly if something isn't food-filled, or does he stick with a good chew toy on its own?

Then the frozen stuffed KONG Large will absolutely do it — the food reward keeps him engaged from the first sniff, and once he's in the habit of going to it when he needs to chew, you've basically built the behaviour you want before bad habits form. That's the real win at 17 weeks: you're not just managing now, you're training what chewing looks like for the next year. Grab the Large rather than the Medium — at his current weight and breed, he'll be in Large territory for the rest of his life anyway.

Perfect. One last tip: if you want to make prep even easier, keep a few prepped and frozen at once so there's always one ready to go. It's a game-changer on the days he's particularly restless. Good luck — Boxers are brilliant, and you're handling the tricky bit really sensibly.