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If you have a dog who likes to swim, water toys can be a fun and enriching way for them to enjoy water time. even more. Water toys come in a great many varieties, from balls to sticks to flying discs. We’ve tested dozens of dog toys and even tried out a variety of dog-friendly pools with our pets.
We also spoke with Liv Healy, CBCC-KA, FFCP, Atlas CT, who co-owns Clickstart Dog Training Academy in Orange County, California. When choosing a water toy, Healy looks for visibility, durability, and safety. “Long floating bumper toys with handles tend to be the easiest to grab when the dog is swimming,” Healy told The Spruce Pets. “Toys should also be durable — even bite-proof, if possible.”
Healy also emphasized that safety is key with dogs and water play. Always supervise your dog closely, and build in breaks, even if your dog doesn’t seem to want them. “Overexcited dogs who love toys may be exhausted, but won’t want to stop,” said Healy. For this reason, it’s up to us humans to enforce break time. Lastly, it’s always a good idea for your dog to wear a life jacket when swimming.
The Winners
Our favorite dog water toy is the Chuckit Amphibious Bumper Fetch and Float Dog Toy, an expertly designed bumper with an attached rope. It is custom-made for easy water play and suitable for a variety of dogs, combining lightweightness, durability, and safety. For its extremely low price tag, its combination of attributes makes it pretty unbeatable as a must-have for a water toy collection. Our other top pick was the Playology Squeaky Interactive Floating Dog Stick, which we loved for its squeaker, scent, and two sizes. This hearty stick holds up in any body of water and is also super easy to clean.
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Our favorite pick for a dog water toy comes courtesy of ChuckIt!, one of the most prolific and trusted makers of multipurpose recreational accessories for eager pups. At the Spruce, we also love their resilient Classic Ball Launcher, for an easier and more sanitary fetch game, as well as their durable rubber Ultra Ball and others.
When it comes to water-specific toys, however, ChuckIt’s Amphibious Bumper Fetch and Float Toy is the brand’s standout offering. Made of nylon, rubber, and memory foam, it is maximally protected against potential water damage, no matter how much you use it or how long you leave it floating. (This also makes for easy cleaning.)
The Chuckit Amphibious Bumper Fetch and Float is one of Liv Healy’s favorite water toys. “It’s affordable and soft, and dogs love it,” they said. “Plus, it doesn’t sink when punctured.”
The toy is easy to throw a long distance without losing control of the knotty rope or letting the handle slip out of your hand. This is thanks to the friction built into the ergonomic handle design.
Chuckit makes the toy in orange and green colors that are visible to both you and your pup from a significant distance, making play additionally easy and fun. It is available in two different sizes, and you can also select the model that is ideal for your dog’s size. (Generally, the models particularly excel with smaller pups.)
The only potential downside is that, because of the lightweight material and modest size, the ChuckIt Float Toy is not ideal for very prodigious chewers. Its foam holds out pretty well against most wear and tear, though. Also—with its appealing $10 price tag—it isn’t hard to upgrade if your go-to Chuckit gets gnawed to bits.
Available in orange or green
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We love this durable, floatable fetch stick for long days at the pool, lake, pond, beach, or for use during more intensive water-training sessions. It has safe beveled edges all around, an audible water-resistant squeaker (sealed for protection), and an enticing food-like scent to thrill your water-loving dog.
This chew stick comes in two sizes: the medium size (1.75 x 2 x 6.5 inches) for dogs up to 50 pounds and a jumbo size (2.25 x 2.5 x 8 inches) for larger breeds and more powerful chewers. The jumbo size is slightly lighter than the medium bone because of the different rubber density used to keep it floating. You’ll even be able to get a value pack of two medium-sized bones. The chew stick can float because it’s made from rubber with air pockets inside that provide the toy’s buoyancy.
Your dog will likely appreciate the multiple foodlike scents embedded in the rubber fetch stick. You have your choice of beef, bacon, cheddar cheese, chicken, or peanut butter. The scent is Playology’s patented technology that embeds the scent in the rubber (it’s not just applied to the surface) and won’t wash away, though it may decrease over time. Many reviewers report that the scent lasts for months, and even over a year. Each flavor/scent is a different color, meaning beef is red, chicken is yellow, peanut butter is blue, bacon is purple, and cheddar cheese is the color of cheddar cheese.
Available in medium or jumbo size
How We Picked
Testing: We selected best-selling, highly-rated dog toys for real-world testing. Tests were conducted with dogs. Our testers primarily tested the products in swimming pools or kiddie pools, and were also tested on dry land when applicable.
Throughout testing, our volunteer testers followed a methodology created by our testing and research team to ensure we received consistent notes from tester to tester. Testers provided feedback in the following categories: ease of use, engagement, durability, quality, and value.
Equipped with their first-hand observations and scoring feedback, our editors then ranked and categorized our top picks for the best water toys to suit your dogs’ needs.
When we were unable to test products due to logistical restrictions, we based our recommendations on market research, reviews, and personal experience. We also asked pet parents about their experience with water toys. In addition, we consulted with Certified Behavior Consultant Liv Healy, CBCC-KA, FFCP, Atlas CT.
What To Look For
Safety
Obviously, it is very important to check that any dog toy you purchase is made entirely from non-toxic materials. The toys also should not be too small to prevent any possibility of choking. Pay attention to the dog’s weight that manufacturers recommend for a given toy; if you purchase a toy that is not designed for your dog’s size, it may be difficult for them to teeth on or run with. Also, as with non-aquatic toys, it’s crucial to buy playthings that cannot be chewed up into dangerously small pieces that can be accidentally consumed.
And don’t forget: Water toys should also be able to be cleaned easily to prevent unhealthy germs from building up. So make sure the toy is simple for you to clean, thoroughly washable, and store toys when not in use.
Flotation Materials
All dog water toys should be lightweight and maximally buoyant, so that it is easy for dogs to retrieve them easily. If a toy sinks—even partially—and your pup has to dive under to grab it, the risk of harm to your dog greatly increases.
Visibility
Water games are primarily designed for dogs to get some good exercise, so there’s no need to put them to the test in terms of locating their toy. Thus, most dog toys are brightly colored, and it is important to make sure you pick a bright or even neon design when looking for your go-to for aquatic fetch. Remember, also, that dogs see primarily in shades of blue and yellow! These colors are the best choices for water toy visibility.
More We Recommend
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Best Ball: It goes without saying that a ball is the most classic go-to toy for a dog, and especially perfect for burning some puppy calories and healthy teething. There are a lot of options for excellent recreational balls for dogs who like to swim, but the Project Hive Pet Company Ball Toy is our favorite. It works in and out of water, with a durable, hard rubber and plastic design that bounces erratically (when used out of water).
Our tester puppy thoroughly enjoyed playing with this toy, both in and out of the water. Impressively, her shark-like puppy teeth did not even come close to denting it, which her parent appreciated. This puppy loved batting the Project Hive Pet Company Hive Ball around in the water, and out of the water, the erratic bounce pattern kept her entertained for long stretches of time.
The Project Hive Pet Company Ball is yellow and comes in one size (2.53 x 2.69 x 2.42 inches). This ball will stand up to rough play, but always supervise your pet while they’re playing with any toy.
Made from rubber and BPA-free plastic
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Best Fetch Toy: Kong’s floating fetch toy is an entertaining, multi-purpose option for handler-dog play, whether a game of standard fetch or getting a little more serious with some tug-o-war. The adaptable toy is also available in two sizes for different types of dogs, with its classic model designed for pups between 30-65 pounds. The playfully shaped toy floats easily, thanks to its form core.
Despite its lightness, the Kong Aqua is exceptionally resistant to damage, either from rough play, teething, or water. (For a product for very heavy biters and chewers, we recommend the Kong Extreme model, which is extra-durable.) Kong fetch toys are not heavy on the pocketbook, but they are an extra good investment because they work equally well in and out of the water.
Available in medium or large
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Best Frisbee Toy: The Earth Rated Flyer Dog Toy is a floppy ring toy made from thermoplastic rubber. It’s designed to be used like a Frisbee, and can be played with both in and out of water.
We tested this toy with a very active 4-year-old Schipperke who really loved playing with it. The toy floats well in water and is also fun outside of the water, bouncing with an enticing irregular pattern that many dogs love. His parent appreciated the toy’s durability, noting that she didn’t see any teeth marks on the toy even after many rounds of tug and fetch. She also noted how easy it was to clean, as you can rinse it off quickly.
The Earth Rated Flyer Dog Toy is yellow and comes in small or large, with the large measuring 10.43 x 8.5 x 1.5 inches.
Comes in small and large
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Best Big Ball: It goes without saying, perhaps, that a ball is the most classic go-to toy for a growing dog, perfect for burning some puppy calories and healthy teething. There are a lot of options for excellent recreational balls for dogs who like to swim, but QDAN’s Dog Toy Soccer Ball is perhaps our favorite. It works in and out of water, with a durable polyurethane design that bounces far and erratically, in an entertaining way that makes for enjoyable play. If you’re worried about safety issues of any kind, worry not: the ball is designed to fit the same standards as children’s soccer balls.
The key to the vibrant-looking, brightly colored Dog Toy Soccer Ball is its nylon straps, which allow owners to hold it while playing with their dog in a variety of ways, outside of just fetch. The ball is also lightweight—while being resilient against wear and tear—allowing for it to float and bob easily. The medium size of the product is meant for medium-sized dogs between 20 and 40 pounds; the company also makes a larger ball designed for larger and heavier pups between 30 and 90 pounds.
Available in three sizes
FAQ
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How do you choose the right water toy for your dog?
When selecting a water toy for your dog, make sure to pay attention to the size recommendations. Without careful attention to this, you may find yourself with a toy too heavy or big for your smaller dog to play with, or a toy that gets destroyed quickly by a bigger dog. Pay attention to what materials the toy is made out of (for durability), and make sure it is high visibility, ideally in a shade of blue or yellow, so your dog can see it in the water.
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Do dogs need water toys?
There is no specific necessity that makes water toys a necessary part of every dog’s life. But if you are a dog parent who enjoys being near bodies of water or has a pool, water toys can be an excellent way for dogs to spend time in the elements and get quality exercise. Additionally, if you have a dog that was bred for swimming, water toys can be a great way to enhance their water time enjoyment.
Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
This article was updated by Allegra Ringo, a writer for The Spruce Pets. Allegra has completed over 300 hours of supervised dog training and hopes to become a certified CPDT-KA. dog trainer in late 2024. For this article, Allegra consulted with Certified Behavior Consultant Liv Healy, CBCC-KA, FFCP, Atlas CT, co-owner of Clickstart Dog Training Academy.
A previous version was written and researched by Andrew Whalen, a senior editor for The Spruce Pets. Andrew has hundreds of hours of experience testing pet products. For this roundup, he selected from hundreds of tested dog toys and sought personal recommendations from dog parents.
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