Your Golden Retriever needs some entertainment. In this article, our veterinarian recommends some favorite toys for Golden Retrievers. We picked a few from each category for adults as well as gave some recommendations for great toys for Golden Retriever puppies.
Best Overall Toy
ChuckIt! Pet Toy Ball Launcher
One of the best types of exercise and a great way to bond with your dog is an old fashioned game of fetch. ChuckIt has leveled up the game with a new type of ball. This ball is made of tough rubber and is a different texture than the ever ubiquitous tennis ball. (My dogs can pop, skin and take apart a standard tennis ball in about 5 minutes, making it both a hazard and a waste of money.) These ChuckIt balls last a very long time and my dogs don’t seem to be able to pop or chew them. This makes them one of the best toys for Golden Retrievers of all ages.
They come in a couple of sizes so if you have a very young puppy, you can get medium balls at first and the larger ones as your puppy grows. Here I have recommended the 3.5″ size for older Golden Puppies and adults because a ball that is too small can be a choking hazard. It comes as a set with a ball thrower, making long throws easy, and a ball but you can get the balls separately if needed. For owners who work late, they also have a ball that glows in the dark.
Table of Contents
Best Toys for Golden Retrievers – Adults
We’ve separated our choices for the best toys for Golden Retrievers out into toys for adults and toys for puppies because they each have different needs. The below picks are toys for Golden Retrievers that are fully grown. For most Goldens, the toys I have recommended below will be great choices.
If your dog is known to destroy and chew up his toys, skip to the section below on toys for chewers. Reminder, as a veterinarian I have to point out that even non-chewers should not be left alone with a toy. You never know when they might get the urge to rip something up and you don’t want to be making a trip to the emergency vet.
So here are our picks for the best toys for golden retrievers:
Best Treat Dispensing Toy
Starmark Bob-A-Lot
Toys that contain or dispense treats are a great way to keep your dog entertained and happy when you can’t play with them yourself. The large size Bob-A-Lot from Starmark can fit up to 3 cups of food so you can serve a whole meal in the toy. The toy method of feeding is great for smart dogs like Golden Retrievers and keeps them from eating too fast.
Best Kicking Toy
JW Hol-ee Roller – XL
My dogs love to play “soccer” with me and my kids but kickballs and soccer balls get punctured by their sharp teeth fairly quickly. The X-Large Hol-ee Roller makes a great kick ball and it doesn’t hurt your foot when you kick it since it is made of flexible rubber. You can also add treats to the inside to encourage them to play with it. It is easy for your Golden to pick up and carry. All of this makes this one of the best toys for Golden Retrievers which is why I usually have a couple rolling around my house.
This plush stuffed critter is one of our favorite toys for Golden Retrievers.
Best Stuffed Toy
goDog Dragons Squeaker Plush
This stuffed dragon comes in a lot of colors, variation and sizes. It is fairly sturdy so it can handle a lot of shaking and a little bit of tugging. Plus it is just really cute and will pose well with your pup for all sorts of photos.
I have this toy on “auto-order” every month, because my dogs are a bit more aggressive and will take it apart in a couple of weeks. They just love it so much that I keep buying it. However, the topic of toy destroying leads to my next section on toys for Golden Retrievers who are chewers.
Best Toys for Golden Retriever Adults – Chewers
Some Goldens can be toy destroyers, and part of owning a Golden Retriever is accepting that you may be cleaning up a lot of “fluff” from stuffed toys. Ripping up toys and scattering the “remains” is fine and lots of dogs find it fun. But if your dog is eating his “kills” then you will need to switch to other types of toys.
Many companies claim their toy is chew proof but there is no such thing. All dogs should be watched carefully as they play with their toys so that you can take them away if they start eating the pieces. However if your dog is a moderate chewer, here are two that my toy destroying dogs enjoy.
Best Toys for Golden Retrievers who are Moderate Chewers
Best Toy – Mild to Moderate Chewers
KONG Wubba Dog Toy Large
The Wubba from Kong is made of a sturdy material that is harder to chew through, but if your Golden is dedicated they will be able to chew through it. The good news is that inside the toy is a Kong toy so even after they remove the fabric, your pup will still have a great toy to play with. The Wubba is great because they (or you) can throw it around, play tug, or just carry it around the house. They do come smaller for young puppies.
Best Treat Toy for Moderate Chewers
Treat Dispensing Ball
Golden Retrievers are smart dogs and can get bored if they have nothing to do. These balls dispense treats or dog food and can hold up to some moderate chewing (remember no toys will outlast a really aggressive chewer). It is about the size of a tennis ball, so it won’t hold a whole meal unless you do it a bit at a time, but I recommend putting as much of a meal as you can in and let your Golden roll it around until they get it all out. My dogs love these types of toys.
Although, warning, if your dog gets really excited, make sure that you don’t have breakable items laying around or on furniture, because this tends to cause them to bump the ball and themselves into things. Also make sure you give it in an area where it can’t roll under items and get stuck. This will keep them entertained for a bit and the larger the pieces you put into it, the longer it takes them to get them out.
Best Toys for Golden Retrievers – Puppies
Puppies have special needs in each part of their development. Although they can of course play with all of the toys listed above, we have chosen a few that are just for the little ones.
Best Puppy Teething Toys
BOSOZOKU Dog Chew Toys 6 Pack
The above set of toys is one of our favorites for Golden Retriever Puppies while they are teething. Just like human kids, Golden Retriever puppies lose their baby teeth and gain adult teeth. This happens from 12 weeks to about 6 months of age for a Golden Retriever puppy.
These Bosozoku Dog chew toys have grooves and nubs on them that help to make your pup’s mouth feel better as they grow new teeth. The linked product is a 6 pack of fun shapes so they can have one in every room.
These toys are durable, but you should always watch your puppy carefully as they chew and play with toys. If your pup starts getting some string loose, take it away immediately because string can cause GI problems.
Best Crazy Sounds Puppy Toy
JW Hol-ee Roller Giggler
Watching a puppy’s reactions to the sounds the Hol-ee Roller Giggler makes is entertainment in itself, making it one of the best toys for Golden Retriever Puppies. After they get used to the noises, they really enjoy tossing this around to get it to make the sounds.
Lesson learned: Do not give the Giggler to your puppy and then get on a conference call with work, enough said.
Best Stuffed Puppy Toy
Small goDog Dragons Squeaker Plush
A smaller version of the dragon plush toy at the top that is perfect for the youngest Golden Retriever Puppies.
In conclusion, this list of toys for Golden Retrievers includes some of our favorites. I hope you and your dog enjoy them as much as we have.
If you are looking for other recommendations for Golden Retrievers. please check out all of our articles on the Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers and Best Shampoo for Golden Retrievers.