KONG Dog Toys: Are They Worth Buying, According To Reviews?

Published on 9/1/2022 at 4:48 PM

In the pet world, KONG toys are super popular. Maybe you’ve heard other dog parents rave about them, or maybe you’re intrigued by the thousands of 5-star reviews they have on Amazon and other shopping sites.

But you can't help but wonder — are KONG toys for dogs really all that great? Well, the best KONG dog toys are multifunctional, interactive and durable. But the best ones for your pup are going to depend on your dog's play style and chewing behavior.

We decided to test out the best KONG dog toys to see for ourselves what all the hype was about. Here's what we tried:

The best KONG dog toys are durable, interactive and match your pet's play and chew styles.

KONG has a variety of toys designed to work for all sorts of play styles, including enrichment toys, fetch toys, chew toys and puzzle toys.

What's great about KONG's dog toys is the fact that they don't use a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, they have toys that are available in multiple sizes with varying levels of durability for various chew styles, like teething, average chewing, power chewing and chewing for aging dogs.

KONG also designs toys to provide solutions for things like:

We gave the KONG toys listed to three different Dodo dogs who love to chew: Lupe, Mason and Riley.

And overall, the KONG dog toys we tested got good feedback. Here's what they liked — and didn't like — about each toy.

The red KONG Classic is that one toy you probably recognize.

This rubber toy's unique shape makes it bounce pretty erratically to keep your dog entertained. It's also hollow on the inside so you can stuff it with treats or peanut butter to keep your pup busy all day.

It comes in a few different sizes:

Here's what our reviewers thought about the KONG Classic:

Pro: It's so versatile

This KONG dog toy is a classic for a reason: It's a simple, durable toy that's really good at keeping dogs entertained. And it's not just for chewing — you can use it to dispense treats and even as a fetch toy.

"The KONG Classic has been helpful in training our pets, hiding medicine, keeping them occupied and giving them a special treat," Anna Perez, our dog testers’ parent, told The Dodo.

Pro: You can stuff it with treats

Your dog's automatically going to be obsessed with any toy that has treats inside, and the KONG Classic is no exception.

Mason is super food-driven, so it's no surprise the KONG Classic was his favorite toy of the bunch.

"Mason loves peanut butter and isn't as playful as the others, so he gravitated more towards this toy than the rest. He figured out how to strategically prop the KONG against the kitchen cabinet so it wouldn't move and he could get most of the peanut butter out," Perez said.

Pro: It's a great training tool

Whether you want your pup to pay attention or get out any extra energy that's distracting him, the KONG Classic is great to have on hand during training.

"I use this toy for training basic commands (sit, shake, lie down) and when I want my pet to focus and stay occupied," Perez said. "It is also a great toy to begin a training session, by getting their play energy out but getting them in ‘focus mode.’"

Pro: You’ll get a ton of mileage out of it

The KONG Classic is really durable, so it should last a really long time.

"It also lasts and is extremely resilient! Very much worth it," Perez said.

Con: Picking the right size can be tricky

Since the KONG Classic comes in so many different sizes, it might take a little trial and error to find the perfect fit, especially while your pup's still growing.

"There's not much that I dislike about this, but would definitely recommend looking at what sizes make the most sense for your dog," Perez advised. "We've gradually moved up from a tiny puppy KONG into a larger one, and the rubber can be somewhat heavy."

(According to KONG, it's always safer to get a bigger size if you’re unsure of which one's right for your pup.)

The KONG SqueakAir Balls are basically what you’d get if you combined a tennis ball and a squeaky toy. They’re made with durable, non-abrasive felt that should hold up against your dog's teeth.

The KONG SqueakAir Balls are available in four sizes:

These balls won over all of our pup reviewers (and their human!). Here's what they thought:

Pro: They don't get torn up

If your dog loves chewing tennis balls, you’re probably used to all that green fuzz getting everywhere. But you won't have to worry about that with the KONG SqueakAir Balls.

"Unlike tennis balls, they are more durable and shed less," Perez said. "All three dogs like to play with tennis balls but end up removing a lot of the outside felt-like fabric when chewing on them, which hasn't happened with these SqueakAir balls. This makes me worry less about them chewing on them and digesting the fabric!"

Pro: You can play with them anywhere

The KONG SqueakAir Balls are the best fetch toy, whether you’re playing fetch in your living room or out at the dog park.

"These are great for fetch and playing both inside and outside," Perez said. "They also bounce well inside and are great for rolling, bouncing and training the younger two dogs to ‘fetch’ and ‘come.’"

Pro: They have no cons

All three of our reviewers loved the KONG SqueakAir Balls, and even their human couldn't find a downside.

"There isn't anything they disliked about these — other than the fact they weren't covered in peanut butter like the other KONG toys," Perez said.

Prices range from $7 to $13, depending on which size you order.

This flamingo looks like a normal plush toy on the outside, but on the inside it has a knotted rope for extra durability. And because the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo has rope on the inside, it has a smaller amount of stuffing — which means less mess if your pup manages to tear it open. It even squeaks to keep your dog's interest!

Here's what our reviewers thought of the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo:

Pro: It's so soft

The KONG Wild Knots Flamingo has a plushy exterior, so our dogs love snuggling up to it.

"Lupe and Mason loved the softness and the sizes of these," Perez said. "Mason likes to cuddle his toys and hugs them with his paws."

Pro: It's super durable

While it may be plush on the outside, don't expect your pup to tear the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo to pieces like all of his other stuffed toys. The rope on the inside is actually super durable, which reinforces the plush body.

"All of our dogs are rough on their toys, and with any stuffed animal toy, they end up tearing them apart and ripping the stuffing out of it," Perez said. "Having the rope on the inside makes this toy so much sturdier and durable, while still providing a cuddly, soft toy on the outside that they can sit down with and chew on."

Pro: It's comforting for anxious pets

Since the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo is so soft, it can be a really soothing toy for anxious dogs.

"Mason has really clung to the flamingo knot toy — he's the most anxious and the most loving, so I think he likes the soft, fluffy comfort of it while also being able to chew it," Perez said.

Pro: It's perfect for a game of tug

The rope inside the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo also makes it an excellent tug toy, since both you and your pup have something sturdy to hold onto.

"Lupe loved the squeak and the rope texture, since it gave her a little more structure to chew on," Perez said. "Riley also loved the rope inside and made it easier for her to play tug-of-war, as it provided her with a tighter grip."

Pro: Don't stress about mess

There's only a small amount of stuffing in the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo, definitely less than your typical plush toy. So even if your dog does manage to rip it, you won't have to worry about stuffing going everywhere.

"My dogs can chew on the toy and play with the squeak without it breaking easily and tearing open with a ton of stuffing," Perez said. "You can feel it has minimal stuffing, which is great for owners who are used to picking up toy stuffing and worried about their pets eating the stuffing."

Pro: No cons!

Our reviewers loved the KONG Wild Knots Flamingo so much that they couldn't come up with a single complaint or area of improvement. In fact, this toy set the bar pretty high for other toys.

"This is an innovative way to improve standard plush toys that often get ruined easily," Perez said.

Since this trial period, the flamingo toy itself has become tough to track down, but the Wild Knots line also has different designs with varying available sizes, like a bear, a fox and an eagle.

The KONG Goodie Bone is a red rubber treat toy that encourages your dog to work for his snacks. Each end of the bone is hollow so you can stuff your dog's favorite food and treats inside, or fill it with something lickable like peanut butter or KONG's Easy Treat paste.

And since it's made from KONG's signature rubber, it makes a great chew toy, too. The KONG Goodie Bone is available in three sizes:

Here's what our reviewers thought of the KONG Goodie Bone:

Pro: It kept our dog's attention

Riley's a super energetic pup, so her pet parent was happy that the Goodie Bone kept her busy for a while since Riley had to work to get her snacks out.

"It gave her a great challenge as she worked to get treats out of each side of the bone," Perez said. "She could play with this for roughly 30+ minutes at a time."

Pro: It's easy to grip

KONG's signature rubber material was so easy for Riley to grab onto while she went after the treats that were stuffed inside her Goodie Bone.

"It was easy for her to hold it still with one paw while she bit the treat out of the other end," Perez said.

Con: It's a little messy

Because Riley's treats didn't fall out of the KONG Goodie Bone naturally, she had to bite and chew them out, which ended up making a bit of a mess.

"She bit off the treats in smaller pieces, which created crumbs around the floor," Perez said.

The KONG Wobbler looks a lot like the Classic toy, except that it's designed to work as a slow feeder. The rubber toy is also hollow inside, but it has a small hole in the front to slowly dispense food and treats when your pup pushes it over. All you have to do is unscrew the KONG Wobbler to fill it with food or toys or clean it up when your pup's done playing.

To make cleaning extra easy, it's also dishwasher safe.

We also previously had a few other Dodo dogs try out the KONG Wobbler on its own, and they all loved it. It comes in two sizes:

Here's what our reviewers thought of the KONG Wobbler:

Pro: It moves in such a fun way

The KONG Wobbler was a clear favorite of Riley's. The way it moves was super engaging for Riley and kept things exciting and interactive.

"Riley is a natural herder and loves to play with toys that she can dribble and guide into her chosen direction," Perez said. "She loved the challenge that the Wobbler presented, and since it wobbled as she engaged with it, she felt like the toy was playing back with her. She dribbled it around the kitchen, and it kept her occupied for a long time."

Pro: It keeps our dogs busy

Since the KONG Wobbler is also a slow feeder, it kept Riley occupied while also helping her stay active.

"It releases treats, but not too often, and still keeps them challenged," Perez said. "For an active dog like Riley, it keeps her moving throughout a room or the house, which burns off energy vs. her sitting still playing (which is what happens with the KONG)."

Con: It can be tough for dogs to carry in their mouths

The KONG Wobbler is a bit bigger than the KONG Classic, so it can't exactly be carried around so easily.

"The only thing that was harder for Riley was picking it up with her teeth, which she attempted to do a few times," Perez said.

The KONG Extreme Ball is made specifically for durability. The black color isn't just an aesthetic decision — the black rubber is formulated to hold up against determined, powerful chewers. And even though this ball's made from a tougher material, it won't lose that bounce your pup loves.

It's available in two sizes:

Because the KONG Extreme Ball is a bit denser than some of the other toys — since it's made with power chewers in mind — it wasn't the easiest for Lupe and Mason to play with (they’re each under 20 pounds and considered average chewers).

So, Riley was the only one who ended up reviewing this toy.

Pro: It's definitely durable

Riley loved chewing the heavy-duty rubber of the KONG Extreme Ball. And her human loved knowing it was going to last for a while.

We also previously had three bigger Dodo dogs test it out individually, and it really held up against their heavy chewing.

Con: It's heavy

Because the KONG Extreme Ball is so durable, it's heavier than most balls on the market. So, it might be tougher for smaller pups to play with it.

"Definitely on the heavier side, so I'd recommend for larger and stronger dogs," Perez advised.

The KONG ChewStix Puppy Curve Bone is a chew toy made with real wood to safely create the same sensation your pup feels when he's chewing sticks.

The rubber's made with KONG's puppy-specific formula, making it a great tool for teething time. You can even pop it in the freezer to add some soothing coolness for those sore puppy gums.

The KONG ChewStix Puppy Curve Bone is coconut-scented to get your dog's attention and has a groove down the middle you can fill with treats for extra fun. It's available in two sizes:

Here's what our reviewers thought of the Curve Bone from KONG:

Pro: It's for more than just teething

While the KONG ChewStix Puppy Curve Bone is designed to help with teething, it's also good for just getting — and keeping — your dog's attention.

"Though it is a puppy-oriented toy solution for teething, it can also be a great focus toy and maintenance solution," Perez recommended.

This is a toy designed for teething puppies, so it makes sense that 9-month-old Lupe loved it. But that doesn't mean it's exclusively for puppies. While 2-year-old Riley had a lot of fun with it, 9-month-old Mason wasn't as sold (although he would’ve liked it, too, if there was peanut butter in the mix).

Anna's also hoping this chew toy will help with teeth cleaning, too.

Each pup may have liked some KONG toys more than others, but that's actually kind of the point, since every dog is unique and different KONG toys serve different purposes.

"These are all amazing toys and such a great brand for any dog," Perez said. "However, pending your dogs' energy levels and toy preference, some might be a better fit than others."

But as long as you know your BFFs play needs and toy preferences, you’ll surely find the perfect plaything for him among this bunch.

Get the KONG SqueakAir Balls from Chewy for $9

Get the KONG Wild Knots bear from Chewy for $6+

Get the KONG Wild Knots fox from Amazon for $14+

Get the KONG Wild Knots eagle from Chewy for $14

Get the KONG Goodie Bone from Chewy for $9+

Get the KONG Wobbler from Chewy for $15+

Get the KONG Extreme Ball from Chewy for $11+

Get the KONG ChewStix Puppy Curve Bone from Chewy for $11+

We picked three Dodo dogs with three different play styles to thoroughly test all these KONG toys to see which ones were the best.

Some KONG rubber toys are dishwasher safe, which means you just need to pop them in the top rack and you’re good to go. But if you’re cleaning your rubber KONG dog toy by hand, there's really only a few simple steps you need to follow:

Overall, the KONG toys were a hit with our testers, and we can't wait to try more. Just make sure to do some research before buying a KONG product so you can find the perfect one for your pup.