What are your favorite crate-safe chews to leave with your puppy?
I came across that question while researching another post about the best bones and chews for puppies, and it got me thinking.
Are there really any crate-safe chews to leave with your puppy?
Turns out, the answer is “sort of, it depends.”
Totally vague, I know, but we’ll find out what it depends on and how to choose crate-safe chews.
Then, we’ll check out my top picks on Amazon and Chewy.
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Is it ok to leave puppy alone with bully stick or other chew?
Is it ok to leave puppy alone with bully stick or other chew (inside crate and out)?
Are there any safe chews to leave in the crate with your puppy?
As I said, the answer to that question is a solid “maybe,” followed by “it depends.”
Let’s discuss.
What to avoid entirely when buying crate-safe chews for puppies
First, it’s never safe to leave a puppy totally unsupervised with bones or rawhide in a crate.
In fact, some vets recommend skipping the bones entirely during puppyhood, at least until you know what kind of chewer he is.
So, let’s cross those right off our list for now. No bones. No rawhides. Check.
Next, let’s talk about supervised versus unsupervised safety considerations.
Supervised vs. unsupervised crate-safe chews
If you’re crate-training and plan to stick close by, you have a lot more leeway on what you can leave in the crate.
For example, if you’re staying right in the room, it’s fine to give puppy a bully stick.
On the other hand, if you’re planning on leaving your dog in the crate while you work full-time, you don’t want to leave anything that could break into small pieces and become a choking hazard.
In that case, you may want to consider a super strong virtually indestructible chew toy.
Even then, you’ll want to observe the way your puppy chews before leaving him alone with anything.
If he’s an aggressive destroyer, then honestly, I wouldn’t leave him unsupervised with any type of chew. Life-threatening blockages can occur in the blink of an eye. I wouldn’t want to risk it.
On the other hand, if he’s pretty laid back and just gnaws a bit before falling asleep, you can get away with some durable chew toys.
Now that we’ve sort of cleared that up, let’s take a look at my favorite mostly crate-safe chews for your puppy.
FYI, this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we earn a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Best Crate-Safe Chews to Leave With Your Puppy (on Amazon)
Let’s take a look at the best crate-safe chews for puppies on Amazon first, then we’ll look at Chewy’s offerings.
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1. oneisall Dog Toys for Aggressive Chewers
The oneisall bone-shaped chew toy is a fantastic option because it’s made with food-grade rubber and designed just for super chewers.
I love that it comes with a lifetime replacement warranty. That tells me they really stand behind their durability claims.
Dogs will love the tasty bacon flavoring and fun shape.
It comes in four sizes, so make sure you choose the best one for your dog.
2. Nylabone Puppy Chew Ring Bone & Toy
Nylabone is pretty much the biggest name in chew toys, so of course they make our list.
I bought Freya this one when she was a baby and she loved the yummy chicken flavor. It lasted a long time!
The flexible toy helps keep your pup’s teeth clean while satisfying his urge to chew with raised bristles that clean teeth and help control plaque.
I prefer this one because of the softer material for teething pups, but softer also means more destructible, so supervise your puppy until you’re sure he’s not going to totally destroy it.
By the way, if you’re pup is teething, you could even freeze this one to help soothe those achy little gums.
3. Benebone Real Flavor Dental Dog Chew Toy
Benebone is another super popular choice for puppies, and one of my favorites because of their overall mission.
The company is committed to helping dogs, both through product donations and actual community involvement.
All of their chew toys are totally made in the USA from the ingredient sourcing right down to the packaging.
They also use only real food ingredients to flavor their toys. This one fuses US-sourced real bacon all the way through.
4. Goughnuts – Indestructible Chew Toy MAXX
If you’re looking for the closest thing to a totally indestructible chew toy, you’ll go nuts over Goughnuts! Or perhaps more accurately, your dog will!
Along with extremely strong and durable materials, Goughnuts chews even have a patent-pending visual “safety indicator” that alerts you when it’s time to replace it.
Their toys are made in the USA and come in four different styles, including a donut-like ring and a pepperoni-like stick.
If you read through the reviews and Q&A on Amazon, you’ll notice that a lot of dog owners talk about how it’s the ONLY toy their pups can’t destroy, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
5. Tibetan Himalayan Yak Dog Chews
One of the few edible chews on this list, Yak treats are made from simple, natural and totally digestible ingredients.
While you wouldn’t think that something made from milk, salt and lime would last a long time, they actually do, even for super-aggressive chewers.
This particular brand is GMO-free and contains no additives or preservatives.
Since Yak chews don’t shatter like bones, I’d feel a lot more comfortable leaving my dog along with one.
As an added bonus, they don’t stink and won’t stain your dog’s crate bed.
6. KONG Puppy Goodie Bone Dog Toy
KONG is a great solution if you want to leave your puppy with a chew toy that also doubles as a tasty snack.
Fill the patented Goodie Grippers with snacks, cheese, or other healthy treats for your pup and he’ll spend more time trying to get it out than he will gnaw on the bone.
When he does get around to gnawing, this particular KONG toy is designed just for puppy teeth and gums.
In fact, it’s really made for pups up to 9 months old. Beyond that, the rubber is too soft and easy for them to get through, so I wouldn’t buy it for older dogs.
7. GoughNuts Ring Dog Toy
If you love the idea of the Goughnuts toy discussed above but prefer to grab it on Chewy and in slightly more fun colors, go for this cute orange version!
It also comes in three other colors (including the black tire-like ring we saw on Amazon).
The toy comes in three sizes, so again, choose the right one for your puppy.
Don’t get a large breed dog toys that are too small, otherwise they quickly become a choking hazard.
8. Nylabone Galileo Chew Bone Dog Toy
Forget for a moment that it looks like something you would buy in an adults-only store (you can’t un-see it now, can you?).
Oddly inappropriate shape aside, the Galileo is one of my favorite crate-safe chews to leave with a puppy because it’s designed for the toughest chewer.
The durable toy is made in the USA out of X-tra tough nylon and has raised bristles to help clean your puppy’s teeth.
The only problem? It’s pretty darn heavy! On the other hand, that makes it harder for pups to chew through in the long run.
9. West Paw Zogoflex Toppl Dog Toy
If you’re looking for crate-safe puzzle toys for your dog, this is a solid option (no pun intended).
Like the KONG, the West Paw Zogoflex is a treat-dispenser, so pups spend more time working out how to get to the tasty goodness inside than they do chewing.
That alone makes it a great choice for crates.
The fact that the toy is 100% recyclable, BPA-and-phthalate-free, non-toxic, and FDA-compliant gives it an extra edge over the competition.
Plus, the “Zogoflex” is actually a patented material that’s designed to stretch a bit without actually become too stretched out.
Just make sure you supervise your puppy at first to make sure he can’t pull it apart.
By the way, if you’re worried about feeding him too many treats, you could put some of his kibble in it instead. Peanut butter is also a great filler. Just make sure it’s xylitol-free.
10. Canine Naturals All-Natural Dental Chew Sticks
While I’m not a fan of leaving dental chew sticks in a crate with a puppy alone, I felt like we needed at least one totally chewable option, and this is my top pick.
We get these a lot for Freya. I like them because they’re all-natural.
They don’t last long, so it’s more of a treat to give as you’re walking out the door so your puppy doesn’t freak out.
Still, they’re totally digestible and not likely to cause a choking hazard because they’re thin enough to go down even if your pup chews off big chunks at a time.
Plus, as the name implies, they help clean your dog’s teeth, which is just an added bonus.
That said, I wouldn’t give my dog this one if I’m planning to be gone for long periods of time (which I never really am anyway). In fact, it’s more something to give when you’re planning to be at home but still need to crate up your pup. Like when you have company or something.
Final Recommendation
Please remember, while these are for the most part crate-safe chews to leave with your puppy, all dogs are different.
A super aggressive chewer could manage to pull off chunks of even the most indestructible toy on this list, and those chunks can pose a choking hazard.
Before you even think about leaving your puppy alone with chews, spend a good long time observing how he acts with them.
Ideally, he should be totally crate-trained and comfortable being left alone, as anxious dogs tend to chew more aggressively than mellow pups.
