10 Best Toys for Shih Tzus in 2023: Reviews & Top Picks

Are you bringing home a Shih Tzu? No matter the age of the dog you’re bringing home, you’ll need to have plenty of interesting toys available to keep your pup entertained and enriched. Shih Tzus are intelligent and athletic dogs that love to play with a variety of toys, so it’s best to have a rotation of interesting toys to help maintain your dog’s interest and provide exciting and fun play opportunities.

These reviews can help you find the top toys that will draw the interest of your Shih Tzu, regardless of if they’re an adult or a puppy.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

The 10 Best Toys for Shih Tzus

The ZippyPaws Burrow Hide & Seek Toy is the best overall toy for Shih Tzus. This toy features a plush stump with multiple holes in it. Inside the stump, three plush hedgehogs reside. Your dog will love figuring out how to pull the hedgehogs out of their stump, and you can even add kibble or treats inside to increase the interest and reward of this toy. The hedgehogs each have a squeaker in them, so your dog will be enchanted with this toy.

The hedgehogs and stump are machine washable, so you’ll be able to keep this toy clean and hygienic for your pup. The size is perfect for small and medium dogs, so it can follow your Shih Tzu from puppyhood to adulthood, but be aware that this toy is not for aggressive chewers.

The Frisco Colorful Ball Knot Rope Toy is the best toy for Shih Tzus for the money. This rope toy is shaped into a ball with six individual ropes for tugging, swinging, and chasing.

This toy is made from polyester rope and recycled cotton, and it’s lightweight, making it ideal even for small Shih Tzus. It’s brightly colored and available in three sizes, but the small size is ideal for a smaller breed.

This is a fun, interactive toy for you and your dog to play with together, but it’s best not to leave your dog with rope toys unattended due to the risk of consuming rope.

The Nina Ottosson Outward Hound Hide N Slide Toy is the most premium toy on the list, but it’s a fantastic puzzle toy for your Shih Tzu. This puzzle is made to hold food and treats, making your pup solve the puzzle for their meal or snack.

This puzzle toy is a good option for Shih Tzus because it can be easily operated by dogs with short snouts and flat faces. It’s made from durable plastic that is free of PVC, BPA, and phthalate.

This is a “level 2” puzzle, which means it may be difficult for beginners, but it is not overly difficult to learn. Puzzle toys can help exercise your dog’s brain, reducing unwanted behaviors, stress, and excess energy. It may slide on hard floors, so be prepared to help your dog with this puzzle.

The Kong Puppy Chew Toy is a great chewable toy for puppies that is soft enough not to hurt their developing teeth, and it’s even designed to help soothe sore gums. It’s available in two colors, as well as multiple sizes for puppies of all sizes, although the smallest size is a good size for Shih Tzu puppies.

This toy can be stuffed with kibble, wet food, and dog treats, serving as a puzzle feeder for your puppy as well. For an added challenge, you can freeze this toy with food in it. As a chew toy, it can be tossed, and it has an erratic bouncing pattern that can be exciting and fun to chase.

For more aggressive chewers, this toy will easily be torn up, so only offer this soft chew toy to puppies and mild chewers.

If watching 101 Dalmatians was stressful for you and you wanted to take it out on Cruella, then the Disney Villains Cruella Deville and Dalmatian Toys set is perfect for you. This set includes a plush Cruella Deville and a plush Dalmatian. Both toys contain two squeakers for extra fun, and the light weight of these toys is ideal for Shih Tzus.

If your dog is an aggressive chewer or a de-stuffer, then these toys aren’t a good option for them. These toys are easy to chew up and remove the stuffing from for aggressive chewers. However, they are soft and cozy for playing and snuggling.

The Frisco Forest Friends Stuffing-Free Skinny Plush Toys is a set of three plush toys that are free of stuffing, making them a great option for aggressive chewers and de-stuffers. Each toy contains three squeakers, as well as crinkle paper inside their fluffy tails to maintain interest for your dog. These toys are large but lightweight, making them a good option for Shih Tzus, and they are a good pick for games of tug between dogs. Each one looks like a different cute woodland creature, giving these toys a charming feel.

For more aggressive chewers, you can expect the limbs of these toys to be quickly removed, so keep an eye on things to ensure your dog doesn’t consume them.

The Ethical Pet Dura Brite Treat Dispenser Ball Toy is a fun puzzle ball toy for your Shih Tzu. This ball can be stuffed with many types of kibble and treats, but it’s not suitable for wet food use. The interior maze ensures treats come out slowly, keeping your dog entertained for longer.

The natural rubber material provides a gentle gum massage, and this ball is soft enough for small dogs, like Shih Tzus, to pick up. You can use this toy as an interactive game between you and your dog, but they can also play with it on their own, staying entertained while you’re busy. Just remember to supervise them while playing with it.

The Kong Wubba Finz Toy is a brightly colored toy that is suitable for tuggers and mild to moderate chewers. The aerodynamic shape makes this toy great for throwing and games of fetch. The long tails are ideal for games of tug, while the interior ball provides bounce. There is a squeaker inside of the tennis ball in this toy as well, and the ball makes this toy still usable after being chewed open. It’s available in multiple sizes, but the small size is perfect for Shih Tzus.

This toy is not suitable for aggressive chewers, and many users report it being torn up quickly and easily by aggressive chewers.

The As Seen on TV Wobble Wag Giggle Ball is a fun ball toy that creates a unique giggling sound when it moves, thanks to interior tubes. It doesn’t require batteries to create sound. It’s made from vinyl that is free of phthalate, and it’s flexible enough for your Shih Tzu to pick up.

Since it creates sound when it moves, it will create more noise the more your dog moves it around, so it’ll keep your dog entertained for a long period as they chase and bat at this toy. If your Shih Tzu can fit this ball in its mouth and they are an aggressive chewer, then they may be able to tear up this ball quickly. It isn’t made to withstand heavy chewing.

The Foufit Hide ‘n Seek Snuffle Ball is a soft puzzle-type ball for your Shih Tzu. This ball is made from soft felt, and it can be stuffed with kibble and treats, keeping your pup entertained with an interactive toy for a long period. Since it is a puzzle toy, this ball can help reduce stress, excess energy, and unwanted behaviors in your dog, but it may take some time and help on your part to teach your dog how to use it.

Like all snuffle toys, this ball is made from soft fabric that can easily be chewed up by aggressive chewers. Your dog should always be supervised when playing with this.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Toys for Shih Tzus

Picking Toys for Your Shih Tzu

Every dog is different, so each dog will have preferences for toys. It is likely to take trial and error to find the toys that your dog does and doesn’t like. You can narrow down the toys your dog might like, though.

Choose toys that are appropriate for the size and age of your Shih Tzu. A small Shih Tzu puppy isn’t going to comfortably play with a toy that weighs almost as much as they do, but an older, more athletic Shih Tzu won’t mind a slightly heavier toy. Also, consider your dog’s chewing strength. Aggressive chewers and small puppies aren’t necessarily going to play with the same toys. Aggressive chewers need toys that can withstand their chewing habits, while chewers that are mild to moderate can be offered a wider variety of toys.

Puzzle toys are challenging by design, but for some dogs, puzzle toys may be frustrating. It’s important to select puzzle toys that are on your dog’s level of skill. You can always purchase more difficult puzzles as they learn to solve easier puzzles. Be willing to help your pup with new puzzle toys so they can understand how to use them and get rewards quickly enough to prevent frustration.

Conclusion

Out of these reviews, it’s likely that you’ve found multiple toys that are suitable for your dog. There are some top products, though.

The best toy for Shih Tzus overall is the ZippyPaws Burrow Hide & Seek Toy, which offers multiple toys in one, as well as a puzzle to solve. The top budget-friendly pick is the Frisco Colorful Ball Knot Rope Toy, which offers multiple types of play options for you and your dog to enjoy together. For a more premium product, try the Nina Ottosson Outward Hound Hide N Slide Toy, which is easy for dogs with flat snouts to use.

If you have a new Shih Tzu puppy, try the Kong Puppy Chew Toy, which will help soothe gums and teeth in teething pups.

Featured Image Credit: Castorly Stock, Pexels