The Best Dog Toys in Australia (2026)

What are the best dog toys in Australia right now?

The best dog toy is the one that matches how your dog actually plays, so this guide is built around play style rather than a single winner. After studying Australian pet retailers, vet buying guides and thousands of Amazon Australia reviews, our top all-rounder is the Chuckit! Ultra Ball 2 Pack, a thick natural-rubber fetch ball that outlasts tennis balls and floats for water play. For dogs who would rather demolish than chase, the Benebone Wishbone is our pick for power chewers, and the tiny, cuddly Multipet Lamb Chop is the budget plush nearly every dog seems to adore.

Below we cover all five toy families a first-home dog owner needs to know: chew toys, fetch and ball toys, rope toys, plush toys and tug toys. We flag which picks suit tough or aggressive chewers, how to size a toy to your breed, and why natural rubber, nylon and cotton behave so differently in a dog's mouth. One rule applies to everything here: no toy is truly indestructible, so size the toy to the dog, supervise enthusiastic chewers, and remove any toy once it is damaged.

The quick answer for busy dog owners

If you just want a safe, well-loved toy in your cart today, start with these three. The Chuckit! Ultra Ball 2 Pack is the best fetch toy for most dogs, with the highest rating and the most reviews of anything on this list. The Benebone Wishbone is the chew to reach for if your dog treats soft toys as a five-minute snack. And the Multipet Lamb Chop is the cheapest pick here, a soft squeaky plush that works as a comfort toy for puppies and gentle-mouthed adults.

Those three cover fetch, heavy chewing and cuddling. If your dog also loves a game of pull, or is a teething puppy, or shreds rope, keep reading: the four remaining picks fill in tug, gentle teething chews, rope and a bigger soft toy for large breeds.

How our seven dog toy picks compare

Every toy in the table below is in stock on Amazon Australia at the time of writing, sized for the breed range shown, and made from a material we would be happy to hand a dog. Tap any name to see the current price and size options. Prices move daily, so treat the From column as a guide rather than a promise.

How we chose these dog toys

NestPath does not lab-test toys to destruction. Instead we research the way a careful owner would, then cross-check the claims against real Australian buyers. Here is what shaped this shortlist.

• We read the top Australian best-dog-toy guides and vet articles to map every play style owners ask about, then made sure each one has a pick.
• We checked live Amazon Australia listings for star rating, review count, price and stock, and dropped anything with too few reviews or a suspicious price.
• We favoured single-piece toys in safe materials, natural rubber, nylon, cotton rope and reinforced plush, over gimmicks and electronics.
• We weighted durability and correct sizing heavily, because the safest toy is one that suits your dog's jaw and cannot be swallowed whole.

Chuckit! Ultra Ball: the best fetch toy for most dogs

If your dog lives for the chase, the Chuckit! Ultra Ball is the easiest recommendation in this whole guide. It is the highest-rated and most-reviewed toy on our list, and the two-pack means you always have a spare when one rolls under the deck. The ball is moulded from thick natural rubber with a hollow, high-bounce core, so it springs unpredictably off Australian backyards and hard courts, and it floats, which makes it just as good at the beach or the dam as it is on the lawn.

What sets it apart from a supermarket tennis ball is the surface. Tennis-ball felt is mildly abrasive and wears down the enamel of dogs who fetch daily, and it shreds into fuzz that some dogs swallow. The Ultra Ball's smooth rubber wipes clean, resists punctures far better, and keeps its bounce. The bright orange and blue colouring is genuinely useful too, because you can spot it in long grass from across the park. It is compatible with Chuckit! ball launchers if you want to save your shoulder on a long throwing session, and it comes in five sizes from small to XX-large so you can match it to your dog's mouth.

Australian reviewers repeatedly describe it as the only ball their dog cares about, with several noting it survives serious chewers who destroy everything else. The 2.5 inch medium size shown here suits most medium dogs; size up for retrievers and larger breeds, and down for toy dogs.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The Ultra Ball is a fetch toy, not a chew toy. A determined power chewer can eventually gouge chunks out of it if you leave them alone to gnaw, so it is meant for supervised fetch rather than solo chewing, and you should retire it once the surface is broken. A stray one-star review or two mention a ball arriving under-inflated and flat, which is a rare quality slip rather than the norm.

Benebone Wishbone: the best chew toy for power chewers

Some dogs do not want to chase or cuddle a toy, they want to destroy it, and for those dogs the Benebone Wishbone is the pick. It is a dense nylon chew infused with real bacon right through the material, not just sprayed on the surface, so the flavour keeps a determined chewer coming back for weeks rather than minutes. The wishbone shape is the clever part: the curved arms let a dog trap it against the floor with a paw and get a proper grinding chew going, which is exactly what heavy chewers are looking for.

With well over a hundred thousand ratings, it is the second most-reviewed toy on our list, and Australian owners of staffies, French bulldogs and other committed chewers say it lasts far longer than plush or rubber alternatives. Because it is hard nylon, it also stays cleaner than a bully stick or rawhide and does not go slimy. It comes in sizes from extra-small to extra-large, so you can match it to your dog rather than hoping a one-size toy fits.

It is worth being clear about what nylon is and is not. It is not edible, and it is not designed to be gulped. Dogs shave off rice-sized flakes as they chew, which is normal and passes through, but the toy should be replaced well before it wears down to a swallowable size.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

Hard nylon is not for every dog. It is too firm for young puppies with baby teeth and for dogs with dental problems, and a very aggressive chewer can eventually chip an edge sharp, so inspect it regularly and bin it once it cracks or the ends look ready to break off. If your dog is a gentle mouther, this is more toy than they need, and a softer chew like the Petstages Dogwood will suit them better.

Multipet Lamb Chop: the best budget plush toy

The Multipet Lamb Chop is the cheapest pick in this guide and, going by the sheer devotion in its reviews, one of the most beloved soft toys a dog can own. It is a simple, extremely soft plush version of the classic Shari Lewis lamb, with a squeaker inside that sets off the carrying, tossing and gentle chewing that plush-loving dogs adore. For a comfort toy that a puppy can cuddle at night or a gentle adult can parade around the house, it is hard to beat at this price.

Plush toys serve a different job to chews and fetch balls. They satisfy the softer, prey-carrying side of play, and many dogs bond to one specific plush as their security blanket. Reviewers describe fussy dogs who ignore everything else but will not put the Lamb Chop down, and it comes in several sizes, from this pocket-sized 16 cm version up to jumbo, so you can pick one to suit a chihuahua or a labrador.

Because it is genuinely inexpensive, it is also the low-risk way to find out whether your dog is a plush dog at all before you spend more on a reinforced soft toy like the KONG Cozie further down this list.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This is a soft plush, not a tough toy, and it will not survive a dedicated shredder, several reviewers watched theirs get gutted within minutes. Treat it as a supervised comfort and carry toy, not a chew-and-leave one, and remove it once seams open so your dog cannot pull out and swallow the stuffing or the squeaker.

Petstages Dogwood: the best gentle chew for teething puppies

Teething puppies and small dogs need to chew, but hard adult nylon is too much for baby teeth, and that is the gap the Petstages Dogwood fills. It is a stick made from a blend of real wood fibre and safer synthetic material, so it has the taste and texture of a branch a dog craves without the splintering that makes real sticks dangerous. It is a moderate-strength chew, softer than a Benebone, which makes it a sensible teething toy and a good pick for gentle-mouthed little dogs.

Owners of puppies who strip the garden of sticks say this redirects that instinct safely, and because it floats and shrugs off water it works indoors and out. The textured surface also gives gums something to work against during the worst of teething. It comes in several sizes, and the small shown here suits dogs up to about 9 kg, with larger sticks for bigger pups.

If you have both a teething puppy now and a power chewer in the future, the Dogwood covers the early months and you can graduate to a tougher nylon chew as the adult teeth come through.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

As a wood-blend chew it does wear down, and a full-grown strong chewer will get through a small one quickly, so match the size to the dog and consider it a consumable that needs replacing. It sheds small flakes as it is chewed, which is normal, but supervise your dog and take it away once it is worn to a stub or the edges feel sharp.

KONG Knots Twists: the best rope toy for small and medium dogs

A rope toy is the classic two-in-one: something a dog can chew on to help clean teeth, and something you can grab for a game of tug. The KONG Knots Twists wraps internal knotted cotton ropes inside a soft giraffe or flamingo body, with a squeaker for extra appeal and only minimal stuffing so there is less mess when a dog does get inside it. For small and medium dogs who like a rope to gnaw and thrash, it is a fun, affordable option from a brand that knows durability.

The internal-rope construction is the point of difference. A plain plush would be shredded in an afternoon, but the knotted cotton core gives the toy structure and a satisfying chew, and reviewers say the long braided neck is ideal for a dog to whip around. The rope also doubles as a tug handle for gentle games with small dogs. It arrives as a random character, so you might get the giraffe or the flamingo.

Cotton rope is one of the safest tug materials, but it works best as a supervised, put-away-after toy rather than something left in the crate all day, which is true of every rope toy on the market.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

This has the lowest rating and the fewest reviews of our seven picks, and the reason is durability: a determined puppy or a strong-jawed dog can pull the stuffing and squeaker out, and a few owners saw it undone in a day. It is best matched to small and gentle-to-moderate chewers, and once the rope frays or the stuffing shows, retire it or use just the rope core for supervised tug.

SCHITEC Bungee Tug Toy: the best tug-of-war toy

Tug is one of the best ways to burn a high-energy dog's excess steam and reinforce training, and the SCHITEC Bungee Tug Toy is built specifically for it. A long, stretchy bungee handle sits between you and a mop-like chenille head, which cushions the yank so the game is easier on your arm and gentler on your dog's neck and teeth than a rigid rope. A built-in squeaker and a fluffy fleece tail trigger the chase-and-grab instinct, and the extra length keeps your hand well clear of your dog's mouth.

This is a tug toy rather than a chew toy, and used that way it is a strong pick for interactive play, agility and recall training. Owners with multiple dogs describe it as an instant favourite, and the stretchable handle runs from about 40 cm out to over 50 cm, so there is plenty of space between you and an excited set of jaws. The varied textures of the chenille head also give a dog something interesting to grip.

Used as intended, for supervised games of tug and then put away, it is a genuinely useful training tool as well as a toy, which is why we included it over a plain rope for tug duty.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The catch is right there in the instructions: the head is not built to be chewed, and dogs who treat it as a chew toy, especially strong breeds like staffies, can pull it apart and expose the stuffing. Keep it for two-player tug, do not leave it with your dog unsupervised, and stop the game if the head starts to come loose.

KONG Cozie Ali Alligator: the best soft toy for big cuddlers

Not every large dog is a shredder, plenty of big softies just want a plush to carry from room to room, and the KONG Cozie Ali Alligator is our pick for them. It is a chunky, extra-soft plush with an added reinforced fabric layer and only low stuffing, which makes it tougher than a bargain-bin soft toy and less messy if a seam does give way. There is a squeaker to keep things interesting, and the shape is easy for a big mouth to grab and cuddle.

It is the priciest toy on this list, and what you are paying for is a soft toy that stands a better chance against a large dog than a thin plush would. Australian owners of golden retrievers who have destroyed every previous soft toy report the Cozie range surviving where others failed, which is high praise for a cuddle toy. It suits dogs who like to nap with a toy or gently mouth one rather than tear it apart, and it is a natural companion to a comfy dog bed for wind-down time.

If your dog is a proven soft-toy killer, no plush is safe, but among plush toys this is one of the more resilient choices, and it is far cuddlier than a rubber or nylon toy for a dog that just wants company.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

KONG is explicit that this is a cuddle and play toy, not a chew toy, and a heavy chewer will get through it, one reviewer's frenchie removed an ear. Size and supervision still matter, and you should remove it and replace it if the stuffing starts to show, so a dog cannot swallow filling or the squeaker.

What to look for in a dog toy

The right toy comes down to three questions: how does your dog play, how hard does your dog chew, and what size is your dog. Get those right and the material and shape follow naturally.

Match the toy to the play style. Chew toys satisfy the urge to gnaw, fetch and ball toys burn energy, rope toys clean teeth and enable tug, plush toys comfort and carry, and tug toys build a game between you and your dog. Most dogs enjoy two or three of these, so a small rotation beats a single toy.

Be honest about chew strength. A gentle mouther is happy with plush and soft chews, a moderate chewer suits rubber and wood-blend sticks, and a genuine power chewer needs dense nylon like the Benebone or thick rubber like the Ultra Ball. The most common safety mistake is giving a soft toy to a dog who destroys it, then leaving them alone with the wreckage.

Choose the right material. Natural rubber flexes, bounces and floats, which makes it ideal for fetch and for stuffable chewing, though it can be gouged by the strongest jaws. Nylon is the hardest common material and lasts longest for power chewers, but it is too firm for puppies and fragile teeth. Cotton rope is great for tug and dental chewing but frays and must be supervised. Plush is for comfort and carrying, not for chewing through.

Size up when in doubt. A toy is a choking risk if a dog can fit the whole thing in its mouth, so size and small breeds want extra-small to small, medium dogs want small to medium, and large or giant breeds want large or extra-large. Every pick here comes in a size range, so check the chart against your dog's weight. And whatever you choose, remember no toy is indestructible: supervise chewers and remove any toy the moment it is damaged. If your household is still puppy-proofing, our guide to pet-proofing a new home pairs well with getting the toy box right.

How to keep dog toys clean and safe

A toy box only stays safe if you look after it. Rubber and nylon toys like the Ultra Ball and the Benebone can be washed in warm soapy water and air-dried, and many rubber toys are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. Plush toys such as the Lamb Chop and the Cozie can usually go through a gentle machine wash inside a laundry bag, then air-dry fully before they go back to your dog, damp stuffing grows mould.

Set a habit of a quick weekly inspection. Squeeze rubber and nylon toys to check for cracks and splinters, feel rope and tug toys for fraying, and check plush seams for openings. Retire anything that has worn down to a size your dog could swallow, and pull loose threads before they become a swallowing hazard. Rope and tug toys in particular are supervised, put-away toys, not all-day crate toys, because swallowed cotton strands can cause a blockage.

Finally, rotate. Keeping only two or three toys out at a time and swapping them weekly keeps play novel, extends the life of each toy, and helps you spot damage before it becomes a problem.

You'll also want a few extras

Once you have the core toys sorted, a handful of companions round out the toy box. These are all real Amazon Australia listings; check the size and current price before you buy.

• Nerf Dog Crunch Rubber Ball for a second fetch ball that crackles as well as bounces.
• KONG Wild Knots Tiger for a knotted rope-and-plush toy for medium and large dogs.
• Nocciola 12-Piece Puppy Toy Pack for a low-cost starter variety pack of small plush toys.
• goDog Checkers Dino for a plush with chew-guard stitching that stands up to gentle chewers.
• Best Pet Supplies Stuffless Squirrel for a no-stuffing plush that is far less messy when it tears.

Other dog toys we considered

A few popular toys did not make the final seven, and it is worth saying why.

The KONG Classic is a deservedly famous red rubber toy, but its headline feature is stuffing it with food to keep a dog busy, which puts it closer to feeding and enrichment than pure play. If you want food-based enrichment and puzzles, that is its own category, and our best dog puzzle toys guide covers slow feeders and treat-dispensing puzzles properly. This guide sticks to chew, fetch, rope, plush and tug.

Plain tennis balls are cheap and everywhere, but the abrasive felt wears down the teeth of dogs who fetch daily and the fuzz gets swallowed, which is exactly why the Ultra Ball earned the fetch slot instead.

Electronic balls like the Cheerble Wicked Ball are genuinely fun for solo play, but they are battery-dependent, cost several times more than our picks, and are not toys to leave with an unsupervised chewer, so we kept the core list to simpler, more durable toys.

Dog toy questions, answered

What are the most durable dog toys in Australia?

For most Australian dogs, the toughest options are hard rubber and nylon. The Chuckit! Ultra Ball uses thick natural rubber that shrugs off fetch sessions a tennis ball would not survive, and the Benebone Wishbone is dense nylon built for power chewers. No toy is truly indestructible, though, so match the toughness to your dog's jaw strength, supervise heavy chewers, and replace any toy once it cracks or splinters.

What toys do vets and trainers usually recommend?

Vets and trainers tend to steer owners toward simple, single-piece toys in safe materials: natural rubber, dense nylon, cotton rope and reinforced plush. They favour toys sized correctly for the dog so nothing can be swallowed, and they warn against anything harder than a dog's teeth for enthusiastic chewers. Rotating a few toy types, one fetch, one chew, one tug, keeps play interesting without overwhelming your dog.

What size dog toy should I buy for my dog?

Pick a toy big enough that your dog cannot fit the whole thing in its mouth, which rules out choking. As a rough guide, toy and small breeds suit extra-small to small sizes, medium dogs suit small to medium, and large or giant breeds need large or extra-large. When you are between sizes, size up. Every toy on this list comes in more than one size, so check the size chart against your dog's weight before buying.

Are rope toys safe for dogs?

Rope toys are safe for supervised play, but they are not a chew-and-leave toy. Dogs who shred and swallow the cotton strands can get an intestinal blockage, so rope and tug toys like the KONG Knots Twists and the SCHITEC bungee tug are best used for interactive games and then put away. Check the rope regularly, trim loose threads, and retire it once it starts to unravel.

What are the best toys for a teething puppy?

Teething puppies need something soft enough to protect baby teeth but durable enough to survive sharp little bites. Gentle chews like the Petstages Dogwood give sore gums relief without the hardness of an adult nylon bone, and a soft plush such as the Multipet Lamb Chop works for carrying and comfort. Always supervise a teething puppy, and swap the toy out the moment pieces start to come loose.

More new-home and pet guides

Setting up for a dog is more than toys. These NestPath guides cover the rest of the kit a first-home dog owner needs.

• Best dog beds in Australia
• Best dog harnesses in Australia
• Best dog collars in Australia
• Best dog food in Australia
• Best dog crates in Australia
• Best dog blankets in Australia
• Best dog poop bags in Australia

About the author

Anish Puri founded NestPath in 2026 after going through the Australian first-home-buyer process himself. NestPath focuses on Australian first-home buyers because the existing review sites are American, generic, or both. Anish handles editorial selection across the homeowner hub. Reach out: hello@nestpath.com.au