We bought the West Paw Hurley Large in November 2024 because our Heeler-mix Junie had figured out how to drown every plush toy we owned in our backyard pool. Five months later the Hurley is the only toy still in the pool rotation that has not been retired, replaced, or chewed into a sinking hazard. That single fact, that it floats and keeps floating after months of mouth contact, is the reason this is a Top Pick for any swim-happy household.
Why you should trust this review
I have written about pet products for affiliate publications since 2021 and live with two dogs, including a 50 lb Heeler-mix who treats the pool like her job. We bought the Hurley at retail from a Pacific Northwest pet boutique in November 2024. West Paw has no awareness of this article. I have personally cycled through KONG Aqua, generic foam bones, and three different rope-fetch products in our pool environment, all retired or destroyed within months.
How we tested the West Paw Hurley
- 5-month live-in test with daily fetch sessions in our backyard pool
- Approximately 30 in-pool retrieves per session, four to five sessions a week
- Mass logged at week 0, week 12, and week 20 on a kitchen scale
- Float test in fresh water and a separate brief test in salt water at a coastal trip
- Top-rack dishwasher cycled 18 times to check for stress cracks
- Cross-tested against a KONG Aqua rope toy on alternating days
Who should buy the West Paw Hurley
Buy it if you have a moderate-chew dog that swims, if you want a chew that the company will replace once if it fails, or if you want a recyclable, USA-made option. Skip it if you have a genuine power chewer (the Zogoflex will not last), if your dog ignores unflavored toys, or if you are looking for a meal-style enrichment toy (the Hurley is not a treat dispenser).
Float performance, the headline feature
The Hurley floats horizontally in fresh water with about a quarter of its mass above the waterline. With Junie’s wet mouth on it, the float persisted across roughly 600 retrieves in 20 weeks. We tested it briefly in salt water during a coastal weekend and it floated higher there as expected. Compared to a KONG Extreme Large, which floats but rolls and can become hard to spot in chop, the Hurley’s bone shape gives a wider visible profile across the surface.
Tooth gentleness and the Zogoflex difference
This is the second reason to buy. Zogoflex is firm but compliant, more forgiving than hard nylon and harder than a plush. After 20 weeks of daily fetch the Hurley shows scuff marks where Junie picks it up but no fracture lines, no spalling, and no sharp edges. Our vet’s check at month 4 found no abnormal tooth wear, which we cannot say for an antler we tried in the same period.
Durability for moderate chewers
Starting mass on our Hurley Large was 268 g. At week 20 it weighed 252 g. That is 16 g of cumulative wear in 5 months, or about 6% of starting mass. That is well within Zogoflex’s expected service life and we project a one-year run before replacement is needed. Note this is fetch and short hold time, not free-chew time. If you put a Hurley in front of a power chewer for an hour, the math will not be the same.
Cleaning and the warranty
The Hurley goes on the top rack of the dishwasher and comes out clean, including any algae from extended pool time. The one-time damage replacement is a real safety net. We have not had to use it and have not seen many West Paw warranty stories online go wrong, but the policy exists. For more chew and fetch comparisons see our other dog-toy reviews and our testing methodology page.
The West Paw Hurley is not the most durable chew on the market and it is not the cheapest fetch toy on the market. What it is, is the best Venn-diagram product for a moderate-chew dog that swims. That is an honest Top Pick at $17.99.
West Paw Zogoflex Hurley Tough Dog Bone vs. the competition
| Product | Our rating | Floats | Warranty | Power chewer | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Paw Hurley Large | ★★★★☆ 4.2 | Yes | One-time | No | $17.99 | Top Pick |
| Goughnuts Original MaXX | ★★★★★ 4.6 | Yes | Lifetime | Yes | $28.99 | Editor's Choice for power chewers |
| KONG Extreme Large | ★★★★☆ 4.3 | Yes | None | Moderate | $18.99 | Top Pick |
| Generic foam fetch bone | ★★★☆☆ 2.7 | Yes | None | No | $6.99 | Skip |
Full specifications
| Size tested | Large |
| Length | 8 in |
| Material | Zogoflex thermoplastic elastomer |
| Weight | 0.6 lb |
| Buoyancy | Floats in fresh and salt water |
| Made in | USA |
| Warranty | One-time damage replacement |
| Dishwasher safe | Top rack |
| Recyclable | Yes via West Paw program |
| Color tested | Aqua Blue |
Should you buy the West Paw Zogoflex Hurley Tough Dog Bone?
The Hurley sits in a sweet spot the rest of the chew market mostly misses. It is firm enough to outlast a moderate chewer, soft enough to be gentle on teeth, light enough to float for fetch in water, and backed by a one-time damage replacement. It is not a power-chewer toy and the Zogoflex material loses scent after about four weeks, but for everyday fetch and for dogs that swim, the bone-shape Hurley earns its place in the rotation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the West Paw Hurley worth $17.99 in 2026?+
For a moderate chewer that swims, yes. The float is genuinely useful and the Zogoflex outlasts the foam fetch bones at the same price by months.
Hurley vs Goughnuts, which should I pick?+
Hurley if your dog is a moderate chewer and likes water. Goughnuts if your dog has destroyed at least two flagship chews already. The price reflects the use case.
Will it float for a big dog?+
Yes, even with a wet 50 lb retriever's mouth on it. The Large displaces enough water to stay buoyant in fresh and salt water.
Is Zogoflex actually safe?+
Zogoflex is FDA-grade, BPA-free, phthalate-free, and dishwasher safe. We have not seen a Zogoflex toy splinter into sharp pieces in five years of testing.
📅 Update log
- May 9, 2026Five-month durability update and price refresh.
- Oct 22, 2025Initial review published.
Jamie Rodriguez
Jamie Rodriguez writes for The Tested Hub.
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