Every year, thousands of dogs end up at the veterinarian because of toys that were supposed to be safe. Here’s 5 of the worst dog toys of 2025 (#2 is potentially controversial).
The Pup Parenting Hub Set Criteria:
- Choking hazard
- Toxic materials
- Breaks too easily
1. The Tennis Ball
As the speaker in the video says, tennis balls can require expensive dental extractions. He even goes as far as to use the term “tennis ball mouth”. Furthermore, there’s the toxic hazard since tennis balls have coloring dyes.
2. Dog toys manufactured outside of the United States
Hmm I wonder why when I was writing this article that this toy is currently unavailable? The problem is that there’s a greater risk that the toy you purchase when it’s manufactured outside of the United States is made of unsafe materials. Check out a review from a verified buyer:
3. Painted dog toys
The paint in dog toys could easily be chewed and swallowed. Sometimes, the paint may contain lead. Similar to the previous paragraph, toys manufactured outside of the United States don’t have as many regulations to ensure safety.
4. Pig Ears
Pig ears are another dog toy that you can pick up at several pet supply retailers. They once were considered to be ideal because they are chewy and help puppies satisfy their chewing instinct. It has since been discovered that pig ears contain harmful bacteria like salmonella. Pig ears can also break presenting a serious choking hazard for dogs of all sizes.
5. Cow Hooves
Last but not least we have cow hooves. This toy can break into shards and can serve as a choking hazard.
In conclusion, these are the worst dog toys of 2025. I hope 2026 will have better toys that are not only fun but safe for our furry friends.