Dog puzzle toys are a fantastic way to provide your dog with mental stimulation and enrichment. For the holiday season, we’ve gathered some top toys to gift! Especially when you’re not able to give your dog your full attention all the time, these puzzles can be a fun way to engage your dog’s mind. You can even make DIY puzzles at home by hiding some of your dog’s kibble or treats in empty clean cardboard boxes. Give your dog a gift that’s great for them (and great for you)!
Puzzle toys come in a wide variety of styles and difficulty levels to meet your dog’s individual preferences for play. Puzzles are not chewing toys and can have pieces that could be chewed off so it’s important to always supervise your dog or puppy when they are playing with puzzles.
1. Slow Feeder Dog Bowl by Outward Hound
An easy way to introduce your dog to puzzles is by using a slow feeder bowl. These bowls are molded plastic with differently shaped raised areas inside. Slow bowls require dogs to slow down while they are eating. Not only can using a slow feeding bowl provide mental enrichment for your dog, but it can also help improve your dog’s digestion and stop overeating or eating too quickly. Put your dog’s dry or wet food into the slow feed bowl and let them explore the puzzle with their tongue as they eat.
2. KONG – Wobbler – Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy, Dishwasher Safe
This treat-dispensing toy is a fun way to provide mental enrichment for your dog and introduce them to puzzle games. Unlike the rubber KONG toys you might be familiar with, the Wobbler screws open and can be filled with your dog’s kibble and/or small hard treats. Screw the wobbler back together and let your dog start playing. The bottom of the wobbler is rounded and weighted giving it an irresistible and unpredictable movement. The wobbler has a treat dispensing hole and as your dog paws at the puzzle toy and pushes it around treats/food will be dispensed at random to keep dogs interested in playing.
3. Brick Interactive Puzzle Toy For Dogs
This intermediate-level puzzle is great for dogs who have had some experience with slow-feeding bowls or treat-dispensing puzzle toys. To solve this puzzle owners can hide food or treats in the different treat compartments so then dogs can solve the puzzle to get their treats. There are three different types of treat compartments with this puzzle: flip-open compartments, lifting compartments, and sliding compartments. This puzzle builds on your dog’s problem-solving skills. Additionally as dogs puzzle it’ll reduce boredom and provide much-needed mental enrichment.
4. Dog Enrichment Carrot Snuffle Mat Toy
For dogs who are more sensitive and don’t like hard plastic puzzles, this plush puzzle is a great option. This puzzle includes 8 squeaky carrot toys and a floor mat for the carrots to be “planted” into. You can also hide your dog’s food and treats in the pockets in the mat as well as in the treat pockets in the plush carrots. To solve the puzzle your dog can pull the carrots out to find the hidden treats. You can use this puzzle for your dog’s meals or for treats during playtime.
5. Omega Paw Authentic Tricky Treat Ball – Medium
This durable treat ball is a puzzle that can help keep your dog entertained. You can fill this ball with your dog’s kibble or treats then give it to your dog to play with. As your dog pushes the ball around your house it will distribute treats for your dog to find and eat. In addition, the textured vinyl surface of this puzzle makes it easy for dogs to grip, carry, and roll while also making it soft enough not to damage floors and furniture while your dog solves the puzzle.
6. TRIXIE Strategy Games
This advanced puzzle is ideal for dogs who have mastered simpler puzzles and are able to solve them quickly and easily. This stacking puzzle involves six cones with a variety of levels, sliders, and slots where treats and food can be hidden. Most importantly, this puzzle grows depending on your dog’s skill level. So the better they get, the more complicated you make the puzzle. For an extra challenge use the cones as stoppers and dogs move the puzzle pieces to get to the treats. The puzzle base has non-slip rubber feet so it stays in place. And the puzzle comes with a training guide to help you teach your dog how to solve this more difficult puzzle.
7. Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy
For the best canine problem solvers, this complex puzzle will keep your dog’s mind occupied. To solve this puzzle dogs complete a series of steps in a specific order to uncover the hidden treats. This puzzle involves compartments that must be spun, slid, lifted, and maneuvered to unlock and release the treats. And this puzzle is made with food-grade material and is easy to hand wash after use if you use sticky treats.
8. NEECONG Dog Snuffle-Mat Slow-Feeder-Bowl
An easy and enriching puzzle for dogs of all ages is a snuffle mat. Drop your dog’s food, treats, or even toys into the dense fabric flaps of the snuffle mat. The snuffle mat has a non-slip bottom cloth that helps keep them in place while your dog sniffs through the mat to find their treats. This puzzle utilizes natural foraging instinct to find hidden treasures. Above all it mentally tires your dog out while keeping them quiet if it’s too rainy to play outside, or they are recovering from an injury.
9. Dog Puzzle Toys, Dogs Food Puzzle Feeder Toys for IQ Training & Mental Enrichment, Dog Treat Puzzle
This interactive puzzle toy is made specifically for small dogs and puppies. The puzzle also has different compartments to hide your dog’s food or treats. Then, slide the puzzle pieces over the compartments. To solve the puzzle your dog will push the sliding pieces aside to reveal their hidden treats or kibble. This puzzle challenges your dog to develop problem-solving skills and is great for mealtime or playtime.
10. Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Squeaky Puzzle Plush Dog Toy – Hide and Seek Activity for Dogs
This classic hiding squirrel plush puzzle toy is a favorite for many dogs. It serves as a great intro puzzle for dogs learning about puzzles and is great for quiet play. The puzzle consists of a plush log with holes and small plush squirrels that your dog must pull out. Each of the three plush squirrels has a squeaker for extra fun for your dog. To make the puzzle extra engaging, you can also add treats or UnKibble into the log for your dog to discover as they play. Finally because this puzzle is plush it Is soft on dogs’ mouths who may be sensitive to hard material of other puzzles.
