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10 amazing toys from Petco, tested and approved by real puppies

These adorable rescue dogs loved chomping and chasing after these toys.

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

As pet parents, we want the best for our dogs. The best food, the most comfortable collars, and toys that they’ll want to tear to shreds. There’s honestly nothing more disappointing than buying a stuffed squirrel for your furry friend, only to have them turn their nose up at it and return to chewing on your slippers.

To solve the challenge of finding something our pooches will get riled up over, we set out to find the best toys you can buy at Petco that will last a while and keep your dog’s interest piqued—and they’re all under $12, which makes them even better. By shuffling through reviews and relying on our own experience, we rounded up 10 toys that should perk up the ears of every kind of breed.

To take things a step further, we invited a pack of rescue dogs from Last Hope K9 to come in and play with these top-rated dog toys from Petco as well as try some of our favorite pet products like automatic feeders, leashes, and pet carriers. Let’s just say, we enjoyed watching these dogs play as much and they enjoyed testing these toys, but beyond all the cuteness, we learned a lot about what these dogs did and didn’t like about these toys.

Here are the 10 most popular toys you can find at Petco that were tested and approved by puppies and seniors dog, Mac and Johnson.

1. A durable toy that will last for years

Kong Small Wubba Dog Toy
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Axl have the best time gnawing and squeaking this toy.

Reviews: 321 Average rating: 3.9 stars

No matter how strong your dog's jaws are or how sharp their teeth are, this “wubba” is basically indestructible. This toy is basically a tennis ball and a squeaker ball (because what dog doesn’t love squeaky toys?) covered in reinforced nylon fabric. This fabric is tough to tear through, which means it will last for a while. It’s perfect for both tugging and tossing activities, and Axl (pictured above) really loved crunching down his puppy teeth on the Kong Wubba Dog Toy. We noted that it was super easy for him to make it squeak and great for countless games of fetch.

Get the Kong Small Wubba Dog Toy for $7.99

2. A fox that won’t leave fluff behind

Leaps & Bounds Unstuffed Rabbit Dog Toy
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa

No stuffing? No problem!

Reviews: 57 Average rating: 4.7 stars

One of the downsides of bringing a new toy home for your mutt is finding little fluffs of stuffing scattered throughout the house for weeks to come. But this fox from Leaps & Bounds solves that problem. It comes without any stuffing at all, which means your hound can tug, tear, and shake but no stuffing mess will appear. We were able to steal this toy back from mischievous dogs like Peter without tearing it, which is an attest to its durability and fun factor.

Get the Leaps & Bounds Unstuffed Fox Dog Toy for $9.99

3. The classic rubber Kong toy for puppies

Puppy Kong Dog Toy
Credit: Kong

Puppies will love teething on this soft rubber.

Reviews: 360 Average rating: 4.7 stars

There’s a reason you always see those red, rubber Kong toys in every dog-friendly home. They’re super durable, affordable, and pooches just love gnawing at them. This one, in particular, is made with a softer rubber, so it’s safer for growing puppy teeth. It also has a hole you can fill with treats like peanut butter or doggy ice cream to keep dogs entertained for hours.

The quiet Yorkie pictured above, Coco, loved chomping on the classic Kong toy. Once we filled it with some peanut butter, she settled down in a nice little corner and went to town.

Get the Puppy Kong Dog Toy, Small for $6.49

4. A lightweight flying disc you can use indoors

Chuckit! Paraflight Dog Toy
Credit: Chuckit!

An easier frisbee to catch.

Reviews: 65 Average rating: 4.5 stars

For smaller dogs and puppies, a hard frisbee can be tough on their little mouths—and not to mention a challenge to catch. That’s why we (and our furry friends) love this lightweight flying toy by Chuckit! It’s easy to throw and catch, so you and your four-legged friend can spend hours playing fetch in the park. It also floats on water, which is perfect for every trip to the lake, pool, or beach trip.

All the dogs from Last Hope loved this toy, especially Lucy, Axl, and Charro, who definitely had the most energy out of the pack. No one was quite talented enough to catch it mid-air, but once it hit the ground, they'd all boop it with their noses until they could get a good grip on it and bring it back for us to toss again.

Get the Chuckit! Paraflight Dog Toy for $11.93

5. A long toy for dogs of all sizes

Petco Original Loofa Terry Dog Toy
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Axl and Charro had a great game of tug-of-war with this loofa.

Reviews: 209 Average rating: 4.1 stars

This soft, squeaky toy is perfect for both large and small dogs alike. From both reviews and our personal experience, we learned that this toy is hard to rip apart and dogs absolutely love the squeaker. Seriously, we had a small pack of dogs chasing after this thing and trying to hide it from the other tail-waggers. Charro and Axl liked the Loofa Terry Dog Toy the most because it was great for tug of war. Mac also hopped up on the table and grabbed it as his first choice within five minutes of arriving, because it was long and better suited for big dogs like him.

Get the Petco Original Loofa Terry Dog Toy for $3.39

6. A lamb that will last longer than a day

Multipet Lamb Chop Dog Toy
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Peter and Lamb Chop were a match made in heaven.

Reviews: 209 Average rating: 4.4 stars

This plush “Lamb Chop” won’t be tossed to the side in your house. Seriously, dogs love squeaking, chasing, and chomping on this little lamb. Peter especially loved Lamb Chop because it looked a lot like him, soft and fluffy too. Although it’s not meant for aggressive chewers, one of our editors has this toy for her small dogs and confirmed its durability.

Get the Multipet Lamb Chop Dog Toy for $3.99

7. The easiest way to play fetch

Chuckit! Mini Ball Launcher
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

This toy apparently doubles as a ball launcher and chew toy.

Reviews: 172 Average rating: 4.8 stars

Whether you suck at throwing or are just plain lazy, this ball launcher will make playing fetch 10 times easier. It comes in different sizes and makes playing with your best friend super easy. We used a medium-sized one for light tosses around the office near the end of our long, rambunctious day and somehow managed not to break anything.

Axl and Peter fought over the Mini Ball Launcher—not the ball it launched, but the stick itself. That part is not supposed to be a toy, but, hey, whatever works.

Get the Chuckit! Mini Ball Launcher, 14" for $7.95

8. Chew bones for every type of dog

Nylabone Small Dog Value Pack
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Lucy loved the taste of the bacon flavored Nylabone.

Reviews: 78 Average rating: 4.5 stars

When we found out dogs were coming to the office, we wanted to make sure they had plenty of things to chew to their heart’s desire. This variety pack of chew bones was ideal because it came with Dental Chew, Healthy Edibles Bacon Flavored Bone, and a Flexible Pooch Pacifier. Not only are they all great for keeping your pet’s teeth healthy and strong, but the rescue dogs loved picking through to find their favorites. Lucy, shyer than the other puppies, grabbed the bacon-flavored Nylabone right away and found a quiet place to gnaw away at it in peace.

Get the Nylabone Small Dog Value Pack for $5.19

9. A pack of squeaky tennis balls

Kong SqueakAir Tennis Balls
Credit: Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Dogs will love catching and squeaking this tennis ball.

Reviews: 241 Average rating: 4.7 stars

You didn’t think we’d get through this list without including any tennis balls, did you? This three-pack from Kong is particularly popular because they’re super squeaky. They're also durable and easy to throw, and the squeaker really got the pups excited about playing and even brought a few out of their shell. Johnson the Chiweenie who was constantly trying to escape the room, enjoyed playing with the mini tennis balls when he finally realized he wasn’t going anywhere. He was the smallest one of our four-legged guests and we think he enjoyed having a toy that was pint-sized, just like him.

These tennis balls come in a variety of sizes, so you can order one for a large pooch, too.

Get the Kong SqueakAir Tennis Balls Pack of 3, Small for $2.09

10. A cute teddy bear you’ll want to snuggle with

Kong Teddy Bear Dog Toy
Credit: Kong / Reviewed / Melissa Rorech

Dogs of all sizes will tire out after playing with this teddy bear.

Reviews: 200 Average rating: 4.0 stars

Every dog needs a cute teddy bear to snuggle up with—or tear its head off. Thankfully, this guy’s head is securely in place and super durable. It’s also made without stuffing, so you won’t have to deal with a mess even if it is torn up. Despite its tiny size, this toy was a hit even with the larger dogs, who managed to play without tearing it apart. We could tell that Marsala loved the Mini Kong Bear the most because she got sleepy after playing a while and got to snuggle up next to it (pictured above).

Get the Kong Teddy Bear Dog Toy, X-Small for $2.09

Bonus: A stick without all the bugs and wood

Petstages Durable Stick
Credit: Petstages

Your pooch will spend months chewing on this "stick."

Reviews: 171 Average rating: 4.4 stars

It breaks your heart a little every time you have to tell Fido he can’t bring his stick inside. But with this one from Petstages, he can have the same fun in the living room as in the park. Plus, unlike real wood, this stick is not made of wood, but rather a non-toxic material that is safe to chew on and swallow. The dogs from Last Hope K9 weren’t too interested in this stick compared to the other fluffy and squeaky toys, but my family’s dogs love chewing on these sticks. They’re super durable and it will take most dogs months before they gnaw through one entirely. Fair warning: These toys are painful when stepped on with human feet, so watch where you're walking.

Get the Petstages Durable Stick, Medium for $4.79

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