You puppy should only have 2-3 toys out on the floor at any given time. Too many toys and a dog will get bored and want to be entertained instead of chewing or playing with them.
§ Chew Toys
Puppies love to chew. It is what they do best, especially when they are going through their teething phase: 5-9 months of age. Both hard and soft chew toys offer relief from their chewing desire and help protect furniture and clothing. Safe chew toys are made of nylon and are available in rigs, bones and various other shapes, sizes and durability. It is best to avoid toys that look like household items or your puppy may have difficulty making the distinction between the shoe shaped chew toy and your favorite pair of shoes.
Cone-shaped or asymmetrical toys bounce in different directions when bated about by a playful pup, which keeps them even more focused on the toy. Some cone toys are hollow in the middle. Creamy foods such as peanut butter can be placed in the center, and the toy can be left alone with the puppy to gnaw on to its heart’s content.
Some of the softer nylon toys have metal squeakers inside of them. These toys in all of their auditory glory can become tiresome to you, but not to the pup. On rare occasions, these metal squeakers may be ripped out of the toy’s innards and cause the pup considerable harm. This is a toy rated for owner supervision.
Rawhide bones can be beneficial but according to Thompson, you should purchase only the compressed bones because they hold together better and last longer. Pieces of these bones can easily be swallowed, so provide you puppy with this chew only under your supervision and immediately discard separated pieces.
§ Plush Toys
Made to help puppy feel warm and fuzzy, these toys comfort the very young pup – a good toy for the kennel. Pups love to kep these toys close at hand and at mouth. Check these types of toys regularly for pieces that may come off and be swallowed or choked on by puppy.
§ Fetch and Interactive Toys
Designed to encourage bonding and interaction, these toys require human participation, especially the fetch kinds. Fetch toys come in all forms and are appreciated by all breeds, even the nonfetching types.
Then there is the cube and other ball toys with hollow middles where a treat can be inserted for the puppy to probe out. This toy is the greatest puppy-sitter of all time. “Keeping your puppy mentally stimulated is a way to tire it out,” Thompson says.
§ Tug Toys
Tug-O-War toys should be avoided for Great Dane puppies and all dogs in general. It stimulated aggressive behavior and allows the dog to “fight” for a dominance roll. Besides encouraging bad behavior, tug toys are terrible for your dog’s teeth.