Dog puzzle toys are an effective method to keep dogs happy, healthy, and entertained, which is something many pet parents are constantly trying to achieve. These innovative devices provide mental and physical stimulation for dogs, improving their problem-solving abilities, fulfilling their natural instincts, and reducing boredom.
Continue reading to discover how you can provide your dog with an enjoyable and distinct playtime by exploring the features of a mental stimulation dog toy and referring to a compilation of top-rated puzzle toys for dogs.
Best Puzzle Toys for Dogs for Mental Stimulation
1. Best for Beginners
KONG Gyro
The Gyro dog toy, which is from the well-known canine company KONG, is a treat dispenser that is simple yet well-designed.
This serves as an excellent introduction to dog puzzle toys as it requires minimal strategy and produces instant results.
The sphere in the center, which is blue in color, has a gap that allows treats to be released when your dog interacts with and rotates it.
It becomes easier to leave a delicious trail as your dog pushes the treats around the kitchen floor when they are smaller in size.
By incorporating chunkier treats, you can increase the level of difficulty for your dog when using the Gyro. The dispensing hole has a diameter of approximately 2cm, which is slightly smaller than a £1 coin.
To prevent the dispenser from spinning out of control and sliding under your cupboards, the red outer ring functions to slow it down. The inner blue ball, which is transparent, allows you to see when it’s empty and can be easily unscrewed for cleaning purposes.
The only concern we have is for Power Chewers! We advise against this product for serious chewers since it is made of plastic instead of rubber. You might prefer the larger, heavier, and more substantial Bob-A-Lot mentioned later in this review.
Similar to the Bob-a-Lot that is showcased later on, the KONG Gyro can also serve as a means to feed your dog slowly or to appeal to picky eaters if your dog displays apprehension towards eating from a conventional food bowl.
Available in two sizes, we have discovered that the GYRO’s movement alone captures your dog’s attention and seems to enhance the appeal of the food.
2. Best for Enrichment
Pet Impact
To put it simply, enrichment refers to anything that triggers mental stimulation, activates a dog’s senses, and promotes innate species-specific behaviors.
Pet Impact has developed a range of four distinct toy categories that collectively offer exceptional physical and mental stimulation for your canine companion.
Combining snuffle mats to stimulate your dog’s natural foraging skills with lick mats to alleviate stress and trigger the release of endorphins creates an excellent toy combination.
Not only is the Enrichment Box designed to keep your dog occupied with toys, but it is also intended for dog enthusiasts who want to lessen their environmental pawprint.
3. Brilliant Boredom Buster
SodaPup
Durable treat dispensers serve as a cost-effective and straightforward solution to entertain your dog. Their main purpose is to be filled with your dog’s preferred treat or food, acting as a tool to alleviate boredom.
We believe your dog will also love this honey pot from SodaPup, just like Winnie the Pooh.
Although it may seem simple, do not be deceived by its simplicity.
As your dog eagerly works its way around the pot, using its tongue, they will be rewarded with a delicious and enjoyable game provided by this honey pot.
There are further advantages to consider. If you have a ravenous eater who devours their food quickly, you can present their entire meal in the honey pot to offer a greater level of difficulty and ultimately reduce their speed.
The reason why we adore the Honey Pot design is due to its exceptional ease of cleaning (even more so than the Kong). This enables you to effortlessly fill it with a variety of treats, supplements, kibble, and wet or raw dog food.
For optimal outcomes, it is recommended to combine wet and dry foods. Peanut butter, Pure Paté, and yoghurt are effective adhesives for dried foods and supplements.
This one barely survived our photoshoot!
If you want to extend the amount of time that your dog stays occupied, you can freeze the treats within – particularly useful during the hotter summer season.
We believe that the Honey Pot Treat Dispenser provides an excellent challenge for adult dogs and a wonderful diversion for young dogs and puppies.
We firmly support the SodaPup range, which includes their remarkable HoneyComb eBowl that is highlighted in the Best Dog Bowls for 2023.
If you are looking for a way to challenge your dog, an intermediate dog puzzle will be the ideal choice. These puzzles can be adjusted to be easier or harder to match your dog’s abilities, and you can modify them as they become more skilled and progress.
4. Best for Dry Treat Rewards
Bob-A-Lot
Starmark has been the world leader in pet education for over a decade, with award-winning training and behaviour tools developed by experts.
To see what all the fuss was about, we purchased and put to the test the interactive dog puzzle toy named Starmark Bob-A-Lot.
The Bob-A-Lot, with its weighted base, wobbles on the floor and is both heavy and sturdy. When your dog nudges it with their nose and paws, treats are released.
To begin, all you have to do is fill the top of the container with your dog’s preferred treat. Alternatively, if your dog follows a kibble-based diet, you can place their entire meal in it.
Once you adjust the two openings, you will be ready to release the food.
After some trial and error, we appreciated the flexibility you had in making your dog exert more effort. We managed to adjust the slots accordingly to maintain Freddie’s interest while adding a level of difficulty.
This toy is ideal for individuals who enjoy chewing, as it is both robust and highly durable.
Our only concern during testing is that it cannot be disassembled for cleaning. Therefore, we suggest using hard, crunchy treats that do not generate crumbs inside the toy.
It is worth mentioning that this is an excellent choice for dogs with a big appetite because it functions as a slow feeder, prolonging the time it takes for them to finish their meal.
Please note that this approach is only applicable when considering a diet consisting solely of kibble.
The product is conveniently fillable and comes in two different sizes, catering to both small puppies and larger dog breeds.
5. Best No-Treat Puzzle
Outward Hound
Dogs love to chase a squirrel although I’m not sure they’d know what to do if they managed to catch one! Here’s a soft toy version of your dog’s favourite pastime.
By systematically inserting the squeaky squirrels into the tube of the tree trunk, you can observe your dog retrieving them individually.
Training your dog to nuzzle into every hole and retrieve their beloved stuffed squirrel can be quite a challenge.
Finding dog toys that are both aesthetically pleasing for your home and enjoyable for your dog can be challenging.
The Hide-a-Squirrel toy from Outward Hound is an ideal choice and also provides an excellent alternative to a puzzle that relies on treats.
We tested the medium size toy, which measures approximately 17 x 15 cm and includes 3 squirrels, available in four different sizes to accommodate various dogs.
Although our cockapoo does not have a strong tendency to chew, we must acknowledge that the hide-a-squirrel dog toy has proven to be highly durable after a year, as both the log base and all three squirrels remain intact.
By incorporating human interaction, we discovered that the Hide-a-Squirrel toy effectively engages your dog without diminishing their interest.
6. Best Flexible Puzzle
K9 Connectables
The range of enrichment dog toys offered by K9 Connectables is designed to stimulate your dog’s natural instincts and encourage exploration.
These puzzle toys that have won awards provide unique play opportunities to enjoy with your dog, while being brightly coloured.
By thinking incrementally, rephrase the given text without altering the meaning, adding new details, or omitting any information. Each component has the capability to fit and align with one another, providing various combinations to meet your dog’s needs and, most importantly, ensuring the toy remains novel and captivating.
There are two options available to choose from – the original Gentle range and the newer Pro range, which is specifically designed for individuals who enjoy chewing.
It is important to mention that both ranges can be used interchangeably.
When you are occupied, they can serve as an excellent remedy to prevent your dog from getting bored, and they can also greatly improve problematic behavior often observed in younger dogs and puppies.
You can extend play with the elements by stuffing them with dog-friendly peanut butter or yoghurt, similar to how you would with a KONG, in addition to custom bone-shaped dog treats.
These puzzles are beloved due to the level of flexibility they provide in terms of difficulty customization.
These dog toys are suitable for dogs of various ages and abilities, including puppies and older dogs with experience.
The puzzle’s ability to remain stimulating and enriching is ultimately due to its flexibility.
If you are interested in learning more about K9 Connectables, you can delve into our comprehensive test and review for detailed information.
7. Best for On-the-Go Fun
Nava & Me
Ideal for using on-the-go, we have a new addition to our review: this fabric dog puzzle from Nava & Me.
If you are searching for a dog puzzle toy to keep your dog entertained in a different location, the remaining dog puzzle toys discussed in this article may not be suitable for your needs.
The fabric puzzle from the small UK company, Nava & Me, left a strong impression on us due to its stunning appearance.
The Squares + Crosses Enrichment Toy is basically a fabric pouch that can be unzipped to expose fabric treat holders.
During our testing, we assessed the larger of the two sizes, which measures 22 x 18cm, and concluded that it is both nicely designed and well built. Additionally, we observed that it is lightweight and compact enough to be easily folded and stored in a large pocket or slot within your bag when you’re ready to leave your house.
By following a step-by-step approach, you can rephrase the given text without adding or removing any information: To proceed, begin by placing a treat or a piece of kibble into each of the 18 available slots distributed across 6 separate strips. Once this task is completed, simply push the strips back into their designated positions, and you will be all set to proceed.
We loved the fact that you have the ability to conceal treats inside it prior to departing from your home. Upon reaching your intended location, whether it be the office, a café, or a nearby area, you can effortlessly remove it from your bag and place it on the ground.
Your dog is required to use its sense of smell to locate and retrieve treats hidden in different holes, much like a snuffle mat.
In our testing, we discovered that Freddie remained interested for approximately 15 minutes. As your dog becomes more confident with the idea, you can opt for smaller treats to increase their effort.
With two strong attachment loops included, the Squares + Crosses enrichment toy can be conveniently secured under a chair leg, making it perfect for small spaces where it will remain stationary without sliding on the floor.
When considering its design, it is worth noting that it is a distinctive option that is environmentally friendly, since the fabric is crafted using recycled plastic bottles. If the item requires some cleaning, it can easily be machine washed using cold water.
8. Best for Canine Einsteins
Nina Ottosson
This is the initial puzzle toy for dogs from the Nina Ottosson collection that is more challenging.
The Dog Casino, being a level 3 game, is suggested for those seeking a more challenging gaming experience.
While adapting it to suit your dog, we found that it can be easily done.
The Dog Casino is designed so that your dog can open the drawers to reach the treats that are concealed inside.
You can make it more challenging for your dog, who is skilled at puzzle-solving, by locking the drawers in place with a simple twist of the bone-shaped white handles.
To entice Freddie, we introduced the puzzle by leaving a couple of drawers slightly ajar. After Freddie pulled the drawers open and discovered the treats inside, we closed the drawers completely.
After that, we initiated the process of turning the bones in order to secure the handles, and Freddie received guidance to successfully initiate the unlocking process. It is worth mentioning that this particular stage requires great caution and skill.
Constructed with durable plastic, this item is suitable for both wet and frozen treats, and it is also dishwasher safe.
9. Best Dog Feeder Toy
Loobani
This dog puzzle from Loobani is ideal for dogs on a kibble or dry food diet.
It will require some patience on your part as it was deceptively difficult to train to use, but can keep your dog occupied for a long time.
At first, every dog that was tested with this puzzle made an attempt to use their teeth in order to take off the lids of the canisters and reach the treats.
To begin, it may be necessary for you to rotate the three canisters in order to assist your dog in comprehending the process of releasing the kibble or treats from the three openings located at the top.
Your dog will gradually acquire the skill to use its paws to rotate the canisters and dispense the treats.
Crafted out of bamboo, this item is robust with its H-shaped base ensuring stability as the canisters rotate.
Upon our discovery, it was determined that when filled, this feeder has the capability to captivate your dogs for an extended duration, making it an ideal tool for diverting their attention. Furthermore, it is particularly beneficial for dogs with a tendency to consume their food quickly, as it effectively regulates their eating pace.
The canisters are adjustable to three different heights, making it suitable for dogs of all sizes. It can be easily assembled using only a screwdriver and taking five minutes of your time.
Buyer’s Guide
When selecting a puzzle toy for your dog, it’s important to consider several factors. This guide will help you choose the ideal puzzle toy that will provide your dog with hours of fun and mental stimulation.
Durability
The toy’s durability is the most important factor. Certain dogs play roughly and a toy that breaks easily is not only a financial loss but also a potential choking risk. Seek out toys constructed from resilient, superior materials that can endure chewing. If the toy has multiple components, ensure that any destructible pieces are replaceable.
Size
When considering a toy for your dog, it is important to ensure that its size is appropriate. If the toy is too small, there is a risk of choking, while toys that are too big may be challenging for your dog to engage with. Additionally, if you plan to use a treat-dispensing toy, ensure that the size of the toy aligns with the size of the treats or kibble you intend to use.
Difficulty Level
When considering your dog’s intelligence and previous experience with puzzle toys, begin with a simple toy if they have never used one before. Once they become familiar with it, you can progressively introduce more intricate puzzles to provide a greater challenge for them.
Safety
To ensure the toy’s safety, make sure it is constructed with non-toxic materials. Additionally, inspect for any small parts that could be potentially chewed off and swallowed, as well as sharp edges that might cause harm to your dog.
Cleanability
If you fill puzzle toys with treats, they can become dirty rapidly. When selecting toys, opt for ones that are easy to clean and, preferably, can be washed in a dishwasher.
Entertainment Value
When choosing a puzzle toy for your dog, consider their toy preferences. The selected toy should be enjoyable for your dog, capable of providing extended entertainment, and suitable for different types of play.
Reviews and Recommendations
Before purchasing a toy, it is beneficial to examine the reviews and ratings of the product in order to gain valuable information about its durability and entertainment factor.
It is important to remember that every dog is unique, therefore what may be effective for one dog may not be for another. It may require some experimentation to find the most suitable puzzle toy for your canine companion. However, considering these factors can aid in your decision-making process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Dog Puzzle Toys?
Dog puzzle toys are playthings that are created to engage a dog’s mental faculties and enhance their problem-solving abilities. These toys frequently contain concealed treats or areas that dogs must figure out how to reach in order to obtain the rewards they contain. This not only provides mental stimulation for dogs but also helps alleviate boredom and promotes physical activity.
Are Dog Puzzle Toys Good for Dogs?
Puzzle toys have benefits for dogs as they offer mental stimulation, alleviate boredom, and deter destructive behaviors. Additionally, these toys can assist in regulating eating pace, promoting digestion, and preventing bloating in dogs.
How Do I Introduce My Dog to a Puzzle Toy?
To start, select a basic puzzle toy and put your dog’s preferred treats inside. Demonstrate how the toy functions by either pushing or opening it to dispense some treats. Motivate your dog to engage with the toy, and give them a reward when they achieve success. Through repetition of these actions, your dog should eventually search for and interact with the toy independently.
How Often Should I Let My Dog Play with a Puzzle Toy?
The needs of your dog and the type of puzzle toy determine whether it will be suitable for everyday use or occasional use as a special treat. It is recommended to supervise your dog when they start using a new toy until they can safely use it.
How Do I Clean a Dog Puzzle Toy?
The type of toy and its material determine the cleaning methods. Dishwasher is suitable for many plastic and rubber toys, while some require manual cleaning. To determine the cleaning instructions, it is best to refer to the manufacturer’s provided guidelines.
Can Puzzle Toys Replace Dog Walks?
Although puzzle toys can provide mental stimulation and aid in physical activity, it is important to note that they should not be seen as a substitute for regular exercise such as walks or playtime. It is crucial for dogs to engage in physical exercise in order to maintain good health, as walks also allow them to explore their surroundings, which is beneficial for their mental well-being.
What Should I Do if My Dog Can’t Figure Out a Puzzle Toy?
If your dog is having difficulty, it may be necessary to remind them of how it works. Begin by making it simple for them to obtain a treat, then gradually raise the difficulty level as they become more familiar with the task. If your dog continues to struggle, they might become frustrated. In that situation, the toy may not be suitable for them. Selecting a toy that matches your dog’s skill level is crucial, so begin with the simplest items first.