🎾 Tough Toys
Top 10 Durable Dog Toys
for Power Chewers in NZ
The Thorncombe Team · 7 min read · Dog Toys · Chewing
If you own a power chewer, you know the feeling: you spend $25 on a toy and it's in pieces within the hour. We built Thorncombe because we were sick of it — and because we knew there were genuinely indestructible options out there if you knew where to look.
Here are the 10 durable dog toys we actually recommend — ranked by how they've held up against the most dedicated chewers we know.
Important Note on "Indestructible"
No toy is truly indestructible with a determined enough chewer. Always supervise your dog with a new toy until you know how they interact with it. Replace any toy that shows deep gouges, cracks, or pieces coming loose.
The List
1
Our Pick
KONG Classic
The gold standard of durable toys — and for good reason. The natural rubber compound is tough enough for most power chewers, and the hollow centre turns it into a stuffable enrichment tool. Freeze it with peanut butter for a 30-minute engagement session. Available in five sizes, suitable from puppy to extreme chewer.
Best for: All chewer levels
Material: Natural rubber
Freezable: Yes
2
Best Chew
Benebone Wishbone
Infused with real bacon, chicken, or peanut butter flavour throughout the nylon — not just a coating on the outside. The wishbone shape makes it easy for dogs to hold with their paws while chewing. Incredibly durable nylon that outlasts most rubber toys with serious chewers.
Best for: Aggressive chewers
Material: Nylon + real flavour
Long-lasting: Weeks–months
3
Editor's Choice
West Paw Zogoflex Hurley
Made in the USA from Zogoflex — a proprietary material that's flexible, buoyant, and dishwasher safe. West Paw offers a one-time guarantee: if your dog destroys it, they'll replace it. That's confidence in their product we respect. The Hurley floats and bounces unpredictably — great for water play and fetch.
Best for: Power + water play
Material: Zogoflex (USA)
Guarantee: Yes
4
Great Value
RuffDawg Dawg Ball
Solid rubber construction with a grippy texture. The Dawg Ball bounces unpredictably, making fetch endlessly engaging. Buoyant, durable, and significantly tougher than tennis balls. A favourite with Labradors, Staffies, and other ball-obsessed breeds.
Best for: Fetch obsessives
Floats: Yes
Bite-proof: Near indestructible
5
Enrichment Pick
West Paw Zogoflex Tux
Like a KONG but tougher — the Tux has a deeper, wider opening for stuffing and a more complex shape that makes it wobble when pushed. Dishwasher safe. The Zogoflex material has outlasted standard rubber with serious chewers in our testing.
Best for: Stuffable enrichment
Dishwasher: Safe
Bounces: Unpredictably
Tested on Our Own Staffies
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KONG, West Paw, Benebone, RuffDawg and more. If it survived our dogs, it's on the shelf. Free Shipping Over $85*.
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6
Tug Champion
Bionic Urban Stick
Solid rubber stick with multiple bite surfaces and interior channels for stuffing. Built for interactive play — great for tug as well as chewing. The open ends can be stuffed with treats for solo engagement.
Best for: Tug + solo chewing
Stuffable: Yes
7
Budget Friendly
Nylabone DuraChew
Flavoured nylon bone at an accessible price point. Not as flavour-intense as Benebone, but very durable and widely available in multiple sizes. Good option for puppies or lighter chewers, or as a lower-cost alternative to try before investing in premium options.
Best for: Light to moderate chewers
Material: Nylon
8
Fetch Star
Chuckit! Ultra Ball
If tennis balls last 20 minutes with your dog, the Chuckit! Ultra Ball is the upgrade. High-bounce natural rubber construction, compatible with Chuckit! launchers, and far more durable than anything from a general sports shop.
Best for: Fetch addicts
Launcher compatible: Yes
9
Interactive
Jolly Pets Romp-n-Roll Ball
Large rubber ball with a rope through the centre — ideal for giant breeds and strong dogs who need a toy they can actually wrestle with. The rope gives them something to grab; the ball gives them something to chew. Unexpected durability from a fun shape.
Best for: Large & giant breeds
Interactive: Ball + rope
10
Surprise Pick
Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Squeak Ball
Made from Orbee-Tuff — a proprietary material that's softer than most rubber toys but surprisingly resilient. Infused with mint. Bounces, floats, squeaks and is gentle on teeth while still lasting. A good choice for dogs that love squeakers or those who dont set out to demolish their toys.
Best for: Moderate chewers
Floats: Yes
Mint infused: Yes
How to Choose the Right Toy
The right toy depends on how your dog chews — not just how hard. Gutters who bite and carry need a different toy to those who settle down and gnaw for hours. Watch what your dog does with toys and match the toy to the behaviour.
And remember: rotate toys regularly. Even the toughest toy loses its appeal when it's always available. A Benebone that's been away for a week is far more exciting than one that's been sitting on the floor all month.
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Every toy on this list ships from NZ. Free Shipping Over $85*. Staffie-approved.
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🐾
The Thorncombe Team
Our Staffies have destroyed more toys than we care to count. Every product on this list has survived our dogs — or comes with a manufacturer's guarantee it will.
