puppy toys / chews

[freshstart24]

We have a beautiful 11 week Labrador puppy. He's settled really well so far (dong want to speak to soon).

We bought him a puppy safe soft toy, a couple of nylabone puppy bones and a small kong to keep him occupied and as something to chew.

Nine of these items hold much interest for him.

From the brief moments when he's grabbed my crock, an item of recycling or a plant pot I am sure there are things that he'd like to play with- I just haven't found a puppy safe one!

I've been told he shouldn't have edible chew items, as he could choke on them (although this was by a friend so could be wrong). The local pet shop also told me not to use the kong squirty filler as it contains a high amount of wheat products which are bad for a dogs tummy.

It would be great to be able to give him these things for those moments when he is learning to amuse himself......

[JustCallMeBaldrick]

I don't know how safe this is for a puppy, but ours will play for ages with an empty plastic milk bottle...
I was looking at the pet shop yesterday, and couldn't see any 'edible' chew toys suitable for under 4 months, which was annoying.
I think I need to get him a Kong, and fill it with soft cheese 😀

[BiteyShark]

I used the squirty Kong puppy one when mine was 8 weeks old. With toys that were apparently for older dogs I just supervised him playing with them so I could check he was fine.

[BiteyShark]

The puppy squirty paste said it was ok for puppies 8 weeks and upwards.

[Dottymum2]

Mine loves a cardboard box or egg box (especially if there's a hidden treat!).

[willdoitinaminute]

Cardboard boxes are great. They love to tear them up. But don't hide food in them and close them up otherwise you'll end up with a pup with its head stuck in the box blindly running around banging into everything. Side splittingly funny but not good for the pup (unless it's bombproof like our lab).
Vet bed is a favourite as well, it isn't chew proof but takes them a bit of time to get through.
I bought a cheap squeaky toy bone and cut out the squeak enlarging the hole so there was just enough room for puppy food to drop out. Filled it with some food and it took our pup a short time to work out how to get the food out and kept her occupied for tens minutes or so. She loved that toy and would bring it to me to fill up. I now fill her large Kong with food and seal up the hole with a plug of bread ( she is an adult now) or cheese or peanut butter.

[Cocobananas]

My pup never showed any interest in nylabones but loved cardboard boxes, cardboard inner tubes of wrapping paper, her Kong stuffed with veg leftovers, sardines, primula cheeses etc. I also gave her natural dried chews such as tripe sticks and cows ears rather than rawhide chews which are junk food for dogs and the choking hazard your friend probably meant.
You could also put a few treats tied up in an old tea towel or pair of old socks rolled up. Pup has grown out of shredding cardboard now but still stalks me around the kitchen at six ish waiting for her brush and comb and then a tripe stick and then her day is done.