Hi human! My name is Daisy, and I’m your friendly neighborhood pit bull. Yes, we can be friendly! Especially when you let us play with our favorite toys. Give us a fun, chewable toy, and you’ll soon find our fun and lovable side.
I know what you’re thinking: we destroy everything that touches our moves. Pitbulls are known for our intense choppers, and if you’ve ever been lucky enough to have one of us as a best friend, you’ve probably lost a shoe or part of your couch.
I have to apologize for all pit bulls — we just can’t help it! But our destructive chewing isn’t a reason not to get us nice things. On the contrary, there are so many toys for pit bulls to choose from that can generally withstand our intense teeth and rough playing.
Today, I’ll share with you some of my favorite toys and help you figure out how to choose the best chew toys for your pitbull to keep one of the toughest chewers entertained and away from your nice cushions.
Why do Pitbulls Chew So Much?
Most dogs tend to chew, especially when they’re puppies. However, most dogs will begin chewing less and less when they are trained and enter adulthood.
I’ll admit that we pit bulls are not like most dogs. We do take chewing to the extreme, and it doesn’t often end in adulthood. Let me put it this way: you can’t give us the same toy you would give to a chihuahua and expect it to last for more than a few minutes.
The chewing power of pit bulls sometimes leads to problems for both us and you, human. Firstly, we’ll go through so many chew toys, which will keep costing you money and may cause you to become frustrated after a while. The second problem may be that if we chew too fast, we may end up getting a piece of the toy stuck in our throats or end up swallowing it.
It’s very scary to have a choking dog and even scarier for us if we are choking. Likewise, having a piece of plastic lodged in our intestines can lead to serious health problems, such as a blockage. We can recover from this, but once again, it may cost you a lot of time and money.
None of this means that you shouldn’t give any toys. On the contrary, keeping toys away from us will end up making things worse. As pitbull, we simply must chew, and if you don’t provide us something to chew on, we’ll find something ourselves. Anything. Which can be just as dangerous as giving us a regular chew toy.
So why do we need to chew so much? Let me start by saying that it is not because of our vicious (and untrue) reputation.
Here are a few reasons why Pitbulls chew so much.
Our Big Heads
Some might say pit bulls are full of themselves, but it isn’t entirely our fault. We do have big heads, after all. Most power chewer breeds have large heads.
Even relatively small Pitbulls who weigh between 40 and 50 pounds often have heads that are the size of dogs weighing twice that much! Larger heads mean larger teeth, jaws, and muscles, leading to some pretty intense chewing habits.
Our Wide Jaws
Our bigger heads provide a lot of jaw power, but the mechanical advantage from our relatively wide jaws also plays a part in our power-chewing tendencies.
Because we often have wider jaws, we can apply more leverage and torque on the chew toys you give us, or whatever else we feel like chewing on, for that matter, allowing us to get at some of the most durable items in the house.
We Don’t Give Up
Back in the olden days, our ancestors were known for their tenacity, meaning they never gave up, no matter how badly something feels.
This fighting spirit leads us to be selected by you humans to fight, which is pretty cruel. Well, luckily, that doesn’t continue today, but we still have that tenacity today, and we take it out on our chew toys. The problem is that chew toys and other objects don’t fight back, so we usually win.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a common reason for excessive chewing in younger pit bulls. Younger dogs often go through separation anxiety from their owners, whether when you leave home to go to work or close your bedroom door to go to sleep.
One of the ways we may handle this stress is by chewing more. Don’t be surprised when you come home or wake up in the morning if you find that we destroyed half of the living room.
Usually, this behavior dissipates as we become adults, but there is a chance that your pitbull may continue to feel separation anxiety or stress and take it out on your house.
Teething Pain
Teething is one of the most common causes of chewing across all dog breeds, and pit bulls are no exception.
Chewing relieves teething pain, and like in baby humans, this pain can be quite a lot to bear. You can help relieve that pain and prevent your baby pit from chewing everything in sight by providing teething toys early on.
Chew Toys for Pitbulls Tips
I hope that you now understand why it’s important for us Pitbulls to always have a toy to chew on, but there are few guidelines to follow when choosing a toy for us. Even toys that are specifically labeled as being for pit bulls, or even “indestructible” should be given to us with caution, as we’ve been known to chew through bones, metal, and everything in between.
Here are some tips for choosing chew toys for Pitbulls.
Don’t leave us alone with a new toy
You never want to leave any dog unattended with a new toy. No matter what kind of toy it is, what the label says, or how much you pay for it, you never know how we will react to a new toy until you give it to us.
Make sure that you stay with us the first time we use our new chew toy to ensure that it really can withstand our teeth. After a successful monitored play session, it’s probably safe to say that this chew toy is right for your pitbull.
Take any broken toy away from us ASAP
If we start winning against the toy, and you see some parts of it loosening or coming off, make sure that you take the toy and the broken parts away from us ASAP.
Loose parts can get lodged in our throats or intestines and can cause serious health issues. Even if you can take the broken part, chances are the toy as a whole is weaker and no longer suitable for our chewing needs.
Pay attention to any safety or wear indicators to know when it’s time for us to say goodbye to our chew toys. Some chew toys for pit bulls present marks or change color when they get too worn for further use. If you notice any of these signs, replace the chew toy immediately.
Bigger toys are better
When in doubt, it’s always safer to get us bigger toys than smaller ones that we might easily break apart or might accidentally swallow. Always err on the large side. Plus, a larger toy will probably last us longer and be more enjoyable to chew!
Get us good quality toys
Not only are poor-quality chew toys cheaper and easier to break, but they may also contain toxic substances that can make us sick.
Although there’s no way to guarantee our safety when using a chew toy, you should give us chew toys made in the USA where they use fewer toxic substances.
Take care of our teeth
As the proud owner of a pit bull, you’re responsible for taking care of every aspect of your dog’s needs, including their teeth. If our teeth are not healthy, we won’t be able to satisfy our craving to chew. We may even try to force it, making any dental problems we may be experiencing worse.
Dental checkups should be part of your pitbull routine, just like how you have your own dental checkups. Take your pitbull to the dentist at least once a year.
When not at the dentist, you have to pay close attention to our teeth. We pitbulls not only use our teeth for chewing toys and your favorite pillows. We also use our teeth for playing and, most importantly, eating. With our teeth going through so many activities, a lot can happen between dental checkups.
I know that our teeth can be intimidating, but getting a closer look is the only way to spot dental issues.
You should also keep up with our dental care by brushing our teeth with a doggy toothbrush and toothpaste.
As a last tip, did you know that there are chew toys specifically made to clean our teeth? As we chew, the toy scrubs plaque away. This may sound too good to be true, and in some ways, it is. You have to pay special attention to ensure that the toy you get for your pitbull can clean his teeth but is also durable enough for play.
I like this squeaky chew toy that I can feel removing plaque and debris as I play with it, but can still withstand my strong jaw. Oh, and the squeaky sound is fun. The best of both worlds!
Let’s take a look at some other chew yours for pit bulls that I like.
Best Chew Toys for Pitbulls
Now that you know why we chew the way we do and how to choose the best toys for us, you’re ready to pick a new toy for your favorite pity!
Having trouble deciding where to start looking for an indestructible chew toy for your heavy chewer? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Here are some of my favorite chew toys that your pitbull will surely enjoy as well and will most likely be able to withstand even his worst days.
KONG – Extreme Ball – Durable Rubber Dog Toy for Power Chewers
You never have to be afraid of playing a game of fetch with your power chewer pitbull again with this ball!
This KONG ball is very durable and designed with aggressive chewing in mind. It has an extreme bounce, making it suitable for a fun game of catch with your pit.
One of the best features of this ball is that it is puncture-resistant so that you don’t have to worry about your pitbull’s teeth destroying it during your first game of catch.
KONG – Tires – Durable Rubber Chew Toy and Treat Dispenser for Power Chewers
This is a chew toy for determined and aggressive chewers!
The rubber tire shape of this Kong rubber chew toy is great for a game of fetch. Dog owners of all types of breeds say that this chew toy can withstand even the most aggressive power chewers. If German Shepherds can’t even break down this toy, then it should be perfect for your pity, no matter his size.
As a bonus, you can stuff treats inside of this chewing toy to give us something to work for. My favorite is peanut butter!
ABTOR Ultra Durable Dog Chew Toy
This ABTOR ultra-durable chew toy isn’t just great for chewing, it’s also great for our teeth.
With a layered texture design and extra nubs, this chew toy effectively cleans our teeth and controls tartar and plaque growth, providing long-lasting use while promoting our strong jaws. With natural rubber, this toy is safe for your pitbull to chew on hours at a time, and trust me, he will!
I also like this chew toy because it kind of tastes like beef, but I’m usually in favor of adding some peanut butter to it as well. The more flavor, the better!
Monster K9 Ultra-Durable Dog Ball
This uniquely shaped ball from Monster K9 is virtually indestructible.
Using industrial-strength rubber, this ball is for breeds like us pitbulls. This large ball is easy to hold, perfect for a game of fetch or any other activity.
This ball has an interesting shape making it easier for us to grab, and it provides a lot of bounce to make playtime that much more appealing.
Pet Qwerks Extreme Dinosaur BarkBone Dog Chew Toy, Bacon Flavor
This ultra-durable nylon chew toy indulges your pitbull’s natural instincts and is made for aggressive chewers like me. It is bone-shaped land has a bacon flavor that all dogs love (just like you humans do!).
The large size of this toy offers more surface area to chew on and reduces the chance of your pitbull breaking it apart and accidentally swallowing a piece.
Toys to Avoid Getting Your Pitbull
It should go without saying by now, but you should avoid getting your pitbull soft toys. You should especially avoid getting it soft toys with beady eyes and bells that can be broken off and swallowed. Not only are these types of toys a waste of money as they might only last a couple of minutes, but they are also dangerous. If you decide to let us play with these toys, as a treat or otherwise, you should always be supervising.
Don’t let us play with regular sports balls, like tennis balls, basketballs, footballs or soccer balls. All of these balls puncture easily and therefore do not stand a chance against our giant canines. They can be a choking hazard when deflated and might use toxic material that can prove to be dangerous if we ingest them.
Instead, it is better for our safety and your wallet if you invest in chew toys specifically made for power chewers such as pitbulls.
As an added tip, keep our favorite chew toys in rotation so that we don’t get bored of them. This might also help make them last longer.
Get Your Pitbull a Chew Toy
Well, those are my recommendations for chew toys for pitbulls based on my experience and preference. I hope you have an idea of what kind of toy your pitbull would enjoy and is good for their teeth!
There are so many toys out there, but be sure to do your research to make sure that the chew toy you choose for your pit is safe, durable, and will be thoroughly enjoyable for him!
