Chew toys aren't optional for most dog owners — they're survival tools. A good chew toy keeps your dog occupied, satisfies their natural urge to gnaw, and saves your furniture from destruction. But the wrong chew toy can break into pieces, cause gastrointestinal blockages, or just bore your dog after ten minutes.
We tested three of the most popular chew toy brands — KONG, Nylabone, and Benebone — with a panel of five dogs ranging from gentle chewers to relentless destroyers. Here's how they performed.
The Testing Method
Five dogs participated: a Golden Retriever (moderate chewer), a Pit Bull mix (aggressive chewer), a Shih Tzu (casual chewer), a German Shepherd (heavy chewer), and a Beagle (moderate chewer with strong prey drive). Each toy was given to each dog for one week. We measured durability, engagement time, safety, and value.
KONG Classic (Red)
Price: $11.99–$16.99 | Material: Natural rubber | Sizes: XS–XXL
The KONG Classic is the most recognizable dog toy in the world for good reason. It's a simple cone-shaped rubber toy with a hollow center that you can stuff with treats or peanut butter. The unpredictable bounce makes it fun to chase. The hollow center extends engagement time when filled.
Durability: The standard red KONG held up well against all but the most aggressive chewer (the Pit Bull mix managed to tear the tip off after three days). The black KONG "Extreme" version lasted the full week with all five dogs. For most dogs, the red KONG provides months of use.
Engagement: Unstuffed: 15–45 minutes. Stuffed with peanut butter and frozen: 60–120 minutes. The stuffing capability is the KONG's real advantage — other toys on this list don't offer anything comparable.
Safety: High. KONG rubber is non-toxic and dishwasher safe. Even when damaged, pieces tend to stay connected rather than breaking into small swallowable fragments.
Verdict: The most versatile option. Buy the black "Extreme" if your dog is a heavy chewer. Buy the red for everyone else. It's not the most exciting toy by itself, but stuffed and frozen, it's unbeatable for quiet time.
Nylabone Power Chew
Price: $8.99–$14.99 | Material: Nylon with flavor infusion | Sizes: Wolf, Souper, Dura Chew
Nylabones are hard nylon bones infused with flavor (usually bacon or chicken). They're designed to be gnawed on over weeks and months. As the dog chews, tiny bristles form on the surface that help clean teeth.
Durability: Excellent. The nylon is tough. Our Pit Bull and German Shepherd made noticeable grooves but didn't destroy the toy. The Beagle lost interest after two days — the hard texture didn't appeal to him. The Shih Tzu couldn't make a mark.
Engagement: Highly variable. Dogs who like hard chewing will work on a Nylabone for weeks. Dogs who prefer softer textures will abandon it. The flavor infusion wears off after a few sessions, and once the flavor is gone, many dogs lose interest.
Safety: Moderate. Nylabone claims their toys are "safe to ingest" in small amounts, but the wisdom from most veterinarians is that large pieces of swallowed nylon can cause gastrointestinal issues. Once the toy wears down to a small cap or develops sharp edges, it should be replaced. Our rule: replace when the nubs are gone and the bone is smooth.
Verdict: A good option for aggressive chewers who need something to gnaw. Not ideal for dogs who prefer softer textures or who need high engagement. The teeth-cleaning bristles are a genuine benefit.
Benebone
Price: $9.99–$15.99 | Material: Nylon with real food ingredients | Sizes: 3 sizes × 4 shapes
Benebones are similar to Nylabones but curved to make them easier for dogs to grip with their paws. They're made with real bacon, chicken, or peanut butter in the nylon itself, not just as a surface coating.
Durability: Comparable to Nylabone. Our aggressive chewers made similar progress. The curved grip design actually caused one issue — the Pit Bull managed to get a better grip and chewed through the thinner parts faster.
Engagement: Slightly better than Nylabone because the flavor is throughout the material, not just coated. The curved design genuinely helps dogs hold the toy, and they seemed to enjoy the paw-grip feature. The Beagle engaged longer with Benebone than with Nylabone.
Safety: Same concerns as Nylabone — nylon is hard and can cause dental fractures in aggressive chewers. The "real bacon" label sounds reassuring but doesn't change the material composition significantly. Like Nylabone, replace when worn down.
Verdict: A slight edge over Nylabone for flavor longevity and ergonomics. Best for dogs who like to hold their chews with their paws.
At a Glance Comparison
| Feature | KONG | Nylabone | Benebone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Engagement + stuffing | Hard gnawing | Paw-held chewing |
| Durability | Good (black=excellent) | Excellent | Excellent |
| Engagement time | High (stuffed) | Medium | Medium-High |
| Safety | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| Teeth cleaning | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best price | ✅ | ✅ | — |
Our Recommendation
If you can only buy one: get a KONG. The stuffing versatility makes it more useful across more situations — quiet time, crate training, rainy days. Buy the black "Extreme" version and you'll have it for years.
If your dog is an aggressive chewer who destroys everything: add a Benebone for the supervised gnawing sessions and a KONG for the stuffed-and-frozen sessions.
If your dog has excellent dental health and you want a long-lasting gnaw toy: Nylabone is the trusted classic, but consider Benebone for better grip and flavor retention.
No comments yet.