Puppy is chewing the baseboards. Hand over a better chew.

Teething puppy? Hand over something cold and textured instead of your shoes. Give them a puppy chew toy, freeze it if the label allows, and trade it in every time they grab the furniture.

Skip ice cubes, antlers and bones until the adult teeth are in. Hard things can crack teeth that are still coming in.

Every pick here is built for teething puppies.

When teething starts and ends

Baby teeth fall out and adult teeth come in over the first months. Your vet can tell you where your puppy is on that timeline.

The signs: chewing everything, extra drool, a little blood on a toy, tiny teeth on the floor. All normal. A baby tooth that stays in place is a question for your vet.

The toys, by job

Each toy does one job well: bristles for gnawing, cold for sore gums, a stick shape for stick lovers. Pick by what your puppy goes after.

11. Teething puppies who gnaw everything: For all-day gnawing: Nylabone Puppy Teething Dental Chew Toy

It has raised bristles, and Nylabone makes the nylon softer for puppy teeth. It's the toy to hand over every time a shoe goes missing.

Back to our top pickNylabone Puppy Teething Dental Chew

• The catch: Not for aggressive adult chewers.
• Skip it if: Your dog has adult teeth and chews hard. This is a puppy toy.

22. Teething puppies who want something cold to chew: For sore gums: Nylabone Puppy Chew Freezer Bone

Fill it with water and freeze it. The cold feels good on teething gums, and the textured outside gives new teeth something to work on.

Best for: Teething puppies who want something cold to chew

The catch: Water can leak if it isn't frozen solid.

Skip it if: Your puppy is already big.

Check price at Amazon

Read the Nylabone Puppy Chew Freezer Bone review

• The catch: Water can leak if it isn't frozen solid.
• Skip it if: Your puppy is already big. It's sized for puppies under about 25 lbs.

33. Puppies who love to chew sticks: For stick chewers: Pupstages Cool Teething Stick Dental Dog Chew Toy (8.5 in)

A stick shape for puppies who drag sticks in from the yard, without the splinters. Pop it in the freezer for an extra-cold chew.

Best for: Puppies who love to chew sticks

The catch: It isn't indestructible and can shred with heavy chewing.

Skip it if: Your puppy tears toys apart.

Check price at Amazon

Read the Pupstages Cool Teething Stick Dental review

• The catch: It isn't indestructible and can shred with heavy chewing.
• Skip it if: Your puppy tears toys apart. Take it away once pieces come off.

Teething tips that save your shoes

• Trade, don't scold: When your puppy grabs a shoe, swap in a toy and praise the switch.
• Rotate toys: Use two or three, so one is always cold and one feels new.
• Freeze a washcloth: A wet one makes a free soother. Stay close, and take it away if it starts to tear.
• Start brushing practice: Use a finger brush and puppy toothpaste, on the teeth that are already in.

Frequently asked questions

Considered, didn't make it

• Ice cubes, antlers and bones: skip them until the adult teeth are in. Hard things can crack teeth that are still coming in.
• A toy that is not made for freezing: a regular toy can freeze too hard and crack a tooth.

Our verdict

Buy two toys: the Nylabone teething chew for everyday gnawing and the freezer bone for sore-gum days. Trade one in every time your puppy grabs something you would rather keep.

Need the rest of week one? The new puppy starter kit covers it.