Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds

If you’re on this page, you’re looking for indestructible dog toys for German Shepherds, and you’re in the right place.

Now, I must confess I have an obsession with dog toys like other women obsess about shoes.  

So I can tell you a thing or two about them – toys that is – not shoes!

I’m glad you’re here though!  Because buying toys for our powerful German Shepherds is an investment for 5 reasons…

• First and foremost for the safety of your GSD.
• High quality, durable toys are an investment in your dog’s development. They help you raise puppies and keep adult dogs happy.
• Toys support your German Shepherd’s working gene. They satisfy your dog’s innate need to shred, tear, pull, and chew like they would their prey in the wild.
• They prevent destructive chewing. I mean, I think I’d cry if one of mine gnawed away to my cherry wood dining set.
• And, you want to stop spending big bucks on junk toys that end up where destroyed toys go to die – the garbage.

If you’ve got time and want to hang around, just use the links below and be magically transported to any section you’re interested in.

Quick Navigation Menu

1. Are There Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds?
2. What Should You Avoid for Your Mighty-Mouth GSD?
3. What are Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds Made From?
4. Quality vs. Cost
5. 3 Trustworthy Dog Toy Manufacturers
   • GoughNuts
   • Kong Dog Toys
   • Ethical Pets
6. Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds
   • Kong Extreme Dog Toy
   • GoughNuts Interactive Dog Stick
   • Ethical Pets Play Strong Rubber Bone
   • GoughNuts MAXX Black Tug Ring
   • Kong Extreme Black Rubber Ball
7. Conclusion

Most run-of-the-mill toys don’t last very long with power chewers like German Shepherds.

So…

Are There Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds?

Doomed from the Start

My German Shepherds have taught me that ALL toys, no matter how tough, are doomed from the start.

As German Shepherd guardians, we should look to buy high-quality, durable, and safe toys, that last for months and even years.

Not to search for something that doesn’t exist.

There is a silver lining though…

There are toys that come pretty darn close to indestructible.  And that’s what you want.

Read on and you’ll see what I mean…

What Should You Avoid for Your Mighty-Mouth GSD?

Plush Toys are a no-no!

Yes, they’re cheap and cute but that’s as far as their usefulness goes.

For a heavy chewer or strong tugger, their durability is off the charts – in the wrong direction.

From a safety point of view, the stuffing is a problem.

Your GSD will swallow the stuff.

Besides… Stuffing is meant for a turkey, not a dog toy for German Shepherds.

And then there’s the squeaker.  That’s a definite choking hazard. And your GSD will have that thing out in less than a minute.

Latex and Vinyl Toys

In my opinion, neither of these materials are tough enough to take a beating from a German Shepherd.

And again, watch out for those squeakers!

Also, your GSD should be supervised with new toys.  Just until you know the destruction will be over time.

And when the toy is kaput, chuck it in the bin before pieces start coming off.

What are Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds Made From?

Rubber Toys

Real hard rubber toys are the ones I mentioned that come pretty darn close to indestructible.  And they are by far tough enough for the heavy chewing GSD.

These are easy to clean by rinsing with a little organic soap and warm water.  You’ll find some that are dishwasher safe too!

Natural, Strong Rope Toys

I’ve bought a few junk rope toys before.

Yup, I took the long road to find indestructible dog toys for German Shepherds.

Although my German Shepherds are not crazy about rope toys.

If yours are then this is what you should look for in a rope toy;

• One that’s made from natural fiber – preferably cotton.
• Contains no dye.
• Woven with many, many chunky threads to make a thick, strong rope.

Buy these and you’ll be happy to know they are super easy to clean.  So no more smelly toys.

Cheap rope toys are notoriously difficult to clean.  Washing them usually means they fall apart at which point they end up in the bin.

Quality vs Cost

I’m not going to lie to you, high-quality toys are not always cheap.  But what’s the point of buying a junk toy for 5 bucks that last all of 30 minutes?

Or a month for that matter…

You want toys that will stand the test of time and take German Shepherd-style hammering.

Don’t take the long road of trial and error as I did.

Make your choice based on the recommendation of someone who’s spent more money on dog toys than facials at the beauty spa.

I have toys that have lasted over 3 years and helped me raise 2 puppies – who are heavy on toys – into adulthood.

3 Trustworthy Dog Toy Manufacturers

I’ve made a lot of bad toy-buying decisions so I know it’s tough to find the perfect toys for a heavy-on-toys GSD.

I’ve found that high-quality toys come from a handful of manufacturers.  And if they offer some kind of guarantee they already have my attention.

So before we get to the good stuff…

Here’s a quick run-down of the dog toy makers and the guarantees they offer.

GoughNuts

Goughnuts offers a lifetime replacement promise.

And each toy has the most genius safety feature.  It’s called their ‘Chew Toy Safety Indicator’.

In a nutshell, IF your GSD chews through the outer layer – which is seriously tough anyway – a red indicator will alert you that it’s time to take that toy away.

Yes, if the red indicator shows up – you get a new toy!

Every time!!

So, you really have an endless supply of toys!  This feature alone makes these toys a must for GSD toy cupboards.

Kong Dog Toys

Kong does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.  If you or your GSD are dissatisfied you get your money back.

Besides that, it’s the origin of the toys is interesting…

They were designed for the founder’s own dog – a German Shepherd named Fritz.  I think it’s safe to say the guys at Kong know what they’re talking about!

Ethical Pets

Ethical Pets operate under the SPOT brand. These folks make heavyweight toys for tough chewers.

And they’re focused on doing this in an ethical way too.

Their products have been cited as leaders in a survey conducted by PetAge Magazine.  And they’ve won awards at the Global Pet Exposition Show.

They also offer a one-time lifetime replacement guarantee.

So, if or when your GSD destroys one of their toys you get another free.  It saves you forking out money for a new toy. Bonus!

Now for those toys…

I’ve put together a list of the cream of the crop indestructible dog toys for German Shepherds available on the market.

Indestructible Dog Toys for German Shepherds

Kong Extreme Dog Toy

Everyone knows about Kong dog toys! There are different colors to make it easy for us to pick the right one. Depending on how powerful of a chewer your GSD is.

The black Extreme toy is designed with the most powerful chewers in mind.

The people at Kong recommend picking the Kong Extreme based on weight.  But you know your dog the best so I suggest going with the one that meets your dog’s chewing needs.

You have a few options, and Kong is pretty good at breaking down your choices into the size of the toy and the weight of the dog.

The large is 4 inches and for dogs between 30 and 65 lbs. the X-Large option is 5 inches and ideal for dogs weighing 60 and 90 lbs. And the big daddy, XX-Large is 6 inches and suitable for dogs that weigh 85+ lbs.

The toys are non-toxic, made in the U.S. from Ultra Flex carbon, exclusive to the Kong brand. And they’re not exaggerating when they say it’s virtually indestructible.

To give you an idea, the Extreme is the toy of choice for law enforcement, military k9 units, and in competitions like Schutzhund.

It’s great for stamping out boredom and separation anxiety.  Stuff it with treats and keep your GSD busy for hours as they puzzle their way through getting those yummies out.

Use it as an interactive toy.  It has a bounce that’s so unpredictable you’ll keep your dog on his or her paws for an entire game of fetch.

Compare the Kong Extreme Dog Toy on Chewy

See the Kong Extreme Dog Toy on Amazon

GoughNuts Interactive Dog Sticks

These sticks come in different colors and strengths.  You decided which one is the best for your GSD depending on jaw strength and chew drive.

Remember the lifetime replacement guarantee I mentioned earlier?

Well, these are ’em toys!

If your GSD chews through the outer layer to expose the red inner layer you get a brand spanking new one! A nice safety feature and a class act!

And as far as indestructible goes, this range of toys is about as close as you’ll get.

They are made in the U.S. from all-natural rubber.  And designed by some pretty smart mechanical and polymer engineers.

These folks have over 40 years of experience in the rubber industry.

You can use the stick as an interactive toy for a game of fetch.  And if your GSD is a water fanatic, the stick floats too.

Or just offer it to your dog as a challenging chew toy.

Here’s what Scott from Colorado had to say about GoughNuts…

“How do I tell all this in a few lines? I wish you were around twenty years ago. My current beloveds are a two year old Yellow lab (Merlin) who will fetch anything (!) and a new German Shepherd puppy (Freyja) now 7 months old.

I bought the Black Stick about two months ago. Fantastic!

The common refrain from my wife is, “you can’t throw that in the house!”. Heh.

Its best as an outside toy, but they LOVE the stick!.

How strong is Freyja? A couple weeks ago our cross between a Mako shark and a German Shepherd got her maw around a can of corn. In the minute where we couldn’t catch her, she’d punctured the can and ran around dripping the juice.

Dog lovers don’t care about carpets!

Bottom line? The Goughnut is a great investment! Forty bucks for a dog toy? Yup. The last $12 tennis ball/rope toy from the pet store lasted about 8 minutes with Freyja. The quickest time was six minutes for a toy before I had to take it away and hope she didn’t swallow any.

A few weeks ago, she destroyed a Kong toy. From what I’ve seen, Kong needs to up their game to compete with GoughNuts.

Thank you, Gabriella, for letting us know about this great company!”

GoughNuts Green Interactive Dog Stick

The green kind is designed to challenge moderate chewers 40lbs and up.

It offers all the safety features and of course the lifetime replacement promise.

See the Green Goghnuts on Chewy

GoughNuts Orange Interactive Dog Stick

This baby is designed with aggressive chewers in mind 40lbs and up.

And comes with all the bells and whistles you can expect from a reputable company like Goughnuts.

If your GSD is an aggressive chewer, you should add this GoughNuts stick to your arsenal of toys.

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

GoughNuts MAXX Black Interactive Dog Stick

This MAXX black GoughNuts stick will definitely challenge a strong chewer, 40 lbs and up.

It’s thick and reasonable in length – 9.25″ long and 1.75″ thick.  It’ll take some serious effort for your GSD to beat this stick down.

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

GoughNuts ’50’ Yellow Dot Interactive Dog Stick

This bad boy was crafted with the GSD with an extreme chewing drive weighing 40 lbs and up.

’50’ indicates the strongest materials are used.  You can also spot these almost indestructible sticks by the distinct yellow dot.

If your GSD is an extreme chewer then you know the kind of hammering toys take.  And this interactive stick will withstand an intense thrashing from your GSD.

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

Ethical Pets Play Strong Rubber Bone Dog Toy

This toy is designed with dogs who are tough on toys.  It’s made in the U.S. using a unique rubber formulation. So it’s safe for your dog.

It has more than just a chewing function.  The bone is hollow, so stuff it with treats and watch your GSD ‘work’ to get to those treats.

The unique ‘S’ shape adds more of a challenge to this game.

It’s perfect for a game of fetch and it floats too!  A toy with multiple uses is fun and entertaining for your dog and it saves on your pocket!

To change things up and keep your GSD interested and stimulated add this bone to your toy box.  Rotate it with other almost indestructible toys.

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

GoughNuts MAXX Black Tug Ring

I know, I know here we are back with GoughNuts! But hey, I love M & M’s so I keep going back for more…

So why not with dog toys too?  Especially if they’re indestructible dog toys for German Shepherds!

Finding durable, safe tug toys for your GSD is not an easy feat.

I mean think about it…

A large powerful dog anywhere between 70 and 90lbs yanking on a tug toy.  There’s not much chance of survival if it’s anything other than extraordinary.

The MAXX Black toy range will be challenging for a GSD who enjoys using the strength of their jaw.

If your GSD is such a dog, he or she will be super excited to clench their jaws on this one.

As always with GoughNuts, the toy floats and can double up as a fetch toy.  It also has the smart ‘Chew Toy Safety Indicator’ I mentioned earlier.

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

Kong Extreme Black Rubber Ball

You can spot the Kong toys designed for dogs tough on toys by their black color and ‘extreme’ label.

This ball is made especially durable for those of us who live with GSDs that are power chewers and love using the strength of their jaws for a rough game of fetch.

As with all Kong toys it’s made in the U.S. and it’s non-toxic.  It’s also puncture-resistant.

It will end up with some scuff marks if you’re going to use it as a fetch toy.  But, what are a few scuff marks between your dog and an awesome toy?

The ball is larger than a tennis ball so it is the perfect size for a large dog’s mouth.  No need to worry about your GSD choking.

It is heavier than a regular ball so avoid letting your GSD drop it on your foot.  You will regret it!

Click here to see Pricing on Chewy

Conclusion

It’s smart, safe, and cost-effective to look at toys as an investment in your dogs’ development.

Finding those indestructible dog toys for German Shepherds is no easy feat.  It’s been a lot of trial and error for me.

But now you’re equipped with the knowledge and my recommendations, choosing the best there is for your GSD will be a breeze.

The only downside?

There are just so many amazing toys to choose from!

Check out my 2 favorite indestructible toys on Amazon…
GoughNuts Tug Ring
GoughNuts Interactive Dog Stick