March 28, 2024
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Photo by Amber Christensen

We love puzzle toys, and your canine will too. Often beneficial by canine behaviorists, these interactive canine toys are designed to assist maintain your canine busy when you’re away, stave off boredom, and supply psychological stimulation for his or her pure curiosity. (And listed here are much more puzzle choices, reviewed by canines.)

Product picture of the classic Kong Dog Toy

Kong Classic Dog Toy

This interactive toy is a go-to for thus many canine homeowners. It’s inexpensive, dependable and nice for protecting canines engaged. We love that this toy is made within the USA and is beneficial by many veterinarians and canine trainers.

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While these toys supply much-needed psychological stimulation in your pup, nothing can exchange the worth of partaking in interactive play together with your canine (i.e. tug-of-war or fetch). But when you’ll be able to’t be there, puzzle toys are an ideal complement.

Our Favorite Puzzle Toys for Dogs

Kong Classic Dog Toy

Kong toys have been a favourite chew toy of furry mates for greater than 30 years. The bouncy rubber toy may be full of a deal with like dog-safe peanut butter (and a lot extra.)

Whether your canine is pawing it round the home or fastidiously licking out each final goody, it’s certain to maintain him entertained all day lengthy. Available in a number of sizes and with particular varieties for puppies, seniors, and excessive chewers.

Product picture of the classic Kong Dog Toy

Kong Classic Dog Toy

This interactive toy is a go-to for thus many canine homeowners. It’s inexpensive, dependable and nice for protecting canines engaged. We love that this toy is made within the USA and is beneficial by many veterinarians and canine trainers.

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For extra Kong toy suggestions, verify these out.

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel

Move over cover and search, there’s a brand new recreation on the town—and it’s referred to as cover and squeak by Outward Hound. This plush puzzle recreation is straightforward: you stuff the cute little squeaky squirrels into the oh-so-soft tree trunk and watch your canine pull them out one after the other. Then stuff ’em again in, and do it once more. This interactive toy is tremendous enjoyable, prompts psychological stimulation, and meals free for canines on a weight loss program.

Available in 4 sizes, it’s barely much less cardio-heavy than the chasing of squirrels IRL, nevertheless it retains canines simply as entertained.

Certified canine coach Shoshi Parks recommends this toy in her article, How to Buy a Quality Dog Toy (and Avoid a Dangerous Fake).

Product image of the Outward Hound Hide A Squirrel, good for dog's mental stimulation

Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel (Verified Review)

This plush puzzle toy is nice for canines who love squeakers and a strong various to treat-motivated video games. Plus, it is available in 4 sizes to finest suit your pup.

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Nina Ottosson Outward Hound Puzzle Toy for Dogs

Watch out! If you let your canine spend an excessive amount of time with this intelligent puzzle, they’ll quickly outsmart you. The picket toy requires your canine to maneuver the levers to disclose treats.

Made by the well-regarded line of Swedish puzzle toys, Nina Ottosson, it’s an ideal train in psychological stimulation that retains your canine curious.

Product image of the Nina Ottosson Outward Hound Puzzle Toy for Dogs, good for dog's mental stimulation

Nina Ottosson Outward Hound Puzzle Toy for Dogs

This high-quality interactive toy by Nina Ottosson is bound to maintain treat-motivated and curious canines busy.

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Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy

You know these blow-up bop luggage you’d punch as a child? This treat-dispensing toy by Starmark is form of like that, solely a lot smaller and full of scrumptious goodies. It’s a canine puzzle to be solved with face and ft, so anticipate some loud and ecstatic playtime.

Fill the toy together with your canine’s favourite deal with, and even their complete dinner, then customise the opening to make it simpler or more durable in your canine to knock these treats out. As he works for it, the toy bobs and tilts on an anti-slip, weighted base. It’s like dinner and a present.

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Verified evaluate: “The weighted base ensures most wobble to maintain your canine . An important possibility for feeding your canine because it’s just like gradual feeders in the way in which it slows down the time to devour the meals.”

Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy (Verified Review)

Not solely will the Bob-A-Lot maintain your canine entertained, it’s also possible to use it to feed your canine—slowing them down and activating their thoughts on the identical time.

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Pet Zone IQ Treat Ball Interactive Dog Toy

As with the Bob-a-Lot, you fill the IQ Treat Ball with treats and regulate the opening to extend or lower problem. Toys like this are nice for protecting your canine bodily lively whereas additionally guaranteeing they get psychological stimulation—making them much less prone to be damaging.

Pet Zone IQ Treat Ball puzzle toy filled with treats

Pet Zone IQ Treat Ball Interactive Dog Toy

This inexpensive treat-dispensing toy is available in two sizes to finest suit your canine. Fill it with just a few treats for lively playtime or with their meals for a fascinating dinner.

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West Paw Qwizl Treat Dispensing Dog Puzzle Toy

Shaped like a warped tube, the Qwizl puzzle toy may be full of pet food kibble, apple slices, canine biscuits, jerky strips, carrot sticks, nut butters—you identify it! As lengthy because it’s wholesome to eat and your canine likes it, be at liberty to stuff it into the Qwizl. West Paw claims this toy to be certainly one of its strongest, so even when your pup is a heavy chewer, this extremely sturdy toy ought to be capable to stand up to these chompers—no less than for some time.

product image of West Paw Qwizl Treat Dispensing Dog Puzzle Toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

West Paw Qwizl Treat Dispensing Dog Puzzle Toy

The Qwizl Treat is nice for each indoor and outside play. Fill it with treats and let your canine clear up the puzzle for a reward or toss it for a recreation of fetch.

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PetSecure Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Meal-Dispensing Dog Toy

The Tug-A-Jug by PetSecure, which holds as much as a complete meal’s price of kibble, gained’t solely fulfill your canine’s starvation, however maintain them occupied for fairly a while, too.

The distinctive design is a rubber chew toy, rope toy, and meals dispenser in a single. It encompasses a textured rubber nodule, which cleans tooth, a rope to tug on, and a jug you’ll be able to fill with kibble or treats. Made in several sizes for breeds large and small, it’s mainly a canine’s dream.

purple PetSafe Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug puzzle dog toy

PetSecure Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug Meal-Dispensing Dog Toy

The Tug-A-Jug permits your canine to see, odor and listen to treats inside, encouraging them have interaction with it in a protracted play session.

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Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball

Dogs love this as a result of it’s mainly their favourite recreation, fetch. Available in several sizes, this puzzle toy is simply so simple as it appears—a well-known ball form, with one trick: Load it up with treats or kibble and as your canine pushes it round the home, their favourite snacks dribble out, piece by piece, giving them some psychological stimulation with their meal.

orange Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball

Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball

If you’re trying to check out a puzzle toy together with your canine, this toy is nice and inexpensive. The Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball doubles as a chew toy and deal with dispenser for double the enjoyable.

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Ethical Pet Seek-a-Treat Flip ‘N Slide

Designed with hues out of your canine’s visible shade vary that activate pure habits, this pleasant puzzle is a enjoyable problem. Watch your canine flip and slide their option to hidden treats with their tongue, paws, and extra—all whereas sharpening their cognitive abilities.

Remember: Dogs don’t have opposable thumbs. This recreation stays in place so long as it takes, due to the non-slip backside.

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dog working on Seek-a-Treat Flip ‘N Slide puzzle toy

Spot Seek-a-Treat Flip ‘N Slide

This interactive puzzle toy will get your canine to smell out their treats and get by way of the obstacles for final psychological stimulation.

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Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado

Spin the alternating blue and yellow layers of this toy proper ’spherical to dazzle your pet with a mentally stimulating problem. This recreation options a number of chambers to fill with treats; the canine spins every particular person bone-shaped layer to disclose them.

Increase problem by inserting treats beneath the smaller white bone blocks that match into the compartments.

Product image of the Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado, good for dog's mental stimulation

Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado

This puzzle toy is nice for canines who may need to advance to the following degree. With two problem choices, you may be positive your canine will keep engaged.

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Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat

Perhaps one of the traditional puzzle toys, snuffle mats are a enjoyable option to work your canine’s mind whereas they sniff out treats or kibble within the strands of cloth. This in style model will get nice evaluations and works effectively for canines of all sizes and ages. It’s machine cleanable for straightforward clean-up. You may attempt a DIY model right here.

Product Image for PAW5 Wooly Snuffle Mat, good for dog's mental stimulation

Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat

Snuffle mats are a good way to have interaction your canine’s pure foraging abilities. This highly-reviewed model is an ideal place to begin.

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FurryFido Interactive Treat Dispensing Chew Toy

FurryFido’s ball is an easy, no-gimmicks possibility for canines who may take pleasure in fetch, gentle chewing, and getting treats. It’s made from non-toxic, sturdy rubber to final, and whereas this chew toy is nice for play and psychological stimulation—it isn’t beneficial for powerful chewers.

FurryFido Interactive Treat Dispensing Chew Toy in pink

FurryFido Interactive Treat Dispensing Chew Toy

This interactive toy is 2 in a single: fill it with treats or kibble for psychological stimulation or simply allow them to chew on it for enjoyable.

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Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Brick Puzzle Toy

You might need seen by now that we’ve featured a number of toys within the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound assortment. They’re prime quality, get nice evaluations by canine homeowners, and are an all-around puzzle toy go-to. Who says studying can’t be enjoyable? For canines trying to degree up, this tough puzzle toy will maintain them engaged as they seek for hidden treats or kibble. You can regulate to extend problem as soon as your canine has efficiently mastered the primary degree.

product image of the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Brick Puzzle Game Dog Toy

Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Brick Puzzle Game Dog Toy

This cute and practical puzzle toy is nice for canines needing just a little further psychological stimulation to maintain them out of hassle.

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PetSecure Sportsmen Barnacle Treat Dispenser Dog Toy

Keep ’em guessing! This puzzle toy is extra play, much less work; so it might be a greater match for canines who want psychological stimulation however are simply pissed off by more difficult toys. Kibble is sporadically doled out from three internal chambers by way of the Treat Meter, producing a nice shock in your canine as they bounce the barnacle round.

Barnacle Treat Dispenser Dog Toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

PetSecure Sportsmen Barnacle Treat Dispenser Dog Toy

This interactive toy is ideal for canines who want a better win. Treats dispense with just a little encouragement, making it excellent for pups who’re pissed off with extra superior puzzles.

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West Paw Zogoflex Toppl Interactive Puzzle Toy

Dogs must work to knock their reward unfastened from this toy which traps treats in its ridges. To make the puzzle much more dynamic for precocious pups, you’ll be able to interlock the small and huge sizes for a much bigger problem. Because of its design, this toy has a bigger diploma of problem than a number of the others, particularly for those who use treats that don’t simply dislodge.

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teal Zogoflex Toppl Interactive Toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

West Paw Zogoflex Toppl Interactive Toy

This easy-to-use puzzle toy by West Paw is nice for difficult your canine’s thoughts whereas they go after the treats inside. It’s additionally dishwasher-safe for easy clear up.

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Frisco Hide and Seek Plush Flying Saucer Puzzle Dog Toy

How cute is that this? You can stuff six little aliens into this plush spaceship in your inquisitive canine to seek out and take away. Each alien is supplied with a squeaker, making this toy extra like seven toys in a single: Toss the miniature Martians throughout the room in your doggie to seek out and retrieve after they’ve been flushed out of the ship.

This one’s not beneficial for heavy chewers who will shortly decapitate the cute aliens; additionally know that squeaky toys may be enjoyable in your canine however might not at all times be enjoyable for you.

Product image of the Frisco Hide and Seek Plush Flying Saucer Puzzle Dog Toy

Frisco Hide and Seek Plush Flying Saucer Puzzle Dog Toy

An particularly nice answer for those who’re making an attempt to maintain your canine busy with out the usage of treats or kibble. Hide the martians within the saucer and allow them to search.

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OurPets Sushi Interactive Puzzle

This interactive puzzle by OurPets proved to be nice for our tester, Shirley the pug. It’s a enjoyable, sushi-themed model of different toys we’ve seen the place canines must navigate their means by way of the obstacles to seek out treats.

“This puzzle toy was nice for my senior Pug. The depth of the deal with slots is shallow sufficient that she didn’t must work overly onerous to get the reward, and he or she shortly picked up on transferring the sushi items round to disclose extra treats. At the top, she checks each deal with slot to verify nothing was missed.”

A pug navigating a sushi-themed puzzle toy

OurPets Sushi Interactive Puzzle (Verified Review)

This enjoyable and easy interactive toy is nice in your canine’s psychological stimulation and ideal for senior canines who want a better puzzle.

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Trixie Mad Scientist Turn Around Interactive Dog Toy

Let the experiments start! Your canine shall be challenged to flip the canisters the wrong way up and maintain them balanced till the treats fall out. This toy comes with a number of lids with various gap sizes for elevated, or decreased, problem and psychological stimulation. This toy is probably going finest for a canine who’s already conversant in puzzle toys because of its degree of problem.

Product image of Trixie Mad Scientist Turn Around Interactive Dog Toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

Trixie Mad Scientist Turn Around Interactive Dog Toy (Verified Review)

Designed for the intermediate canine gamer, this canine puzzle toy has three rotating beakers that may be full of treats; enhance or lower the issue degree utilizing the included lids.

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We sourced the above evaluate from our article, “The Best Dog Puzzle Toys, Reviewed by a Dog.”

OurPets Waffle Puzzle Toy

We love a food-themed toy, and so do our canines, together with our tester Olive the Boston Terrier. OurPets’ waffle puzzle toy is nice for canines who want a comparatively easy puzzle to unravel, who may in any other case be pissed off by one thing tougher.

“This is a extremely cute puzzle, and is sweet for a canine who’s simply beginning out with enrichment toys. Since the ‘syrup’ high portion doesn’t cowl all the cubes, canines can shortly be taught that they will attain the hidden treats with a press of the nostril. Treat slots within the decrease portion’s corners make for a further problem that my canine hasn’t fairly found out but.”

A Boston Terrier trying out the waffle puzzle toy, good for dog's mental stimulation

OurPets Waffle Puzzle Toy (Verified Review)

This cute waffle and syrup puzzle toy is nice for canines who want a barely simpler puzzle to unravel.

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More Dog Toys

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  • Tough Plush Toys That Will Survive Your Dog’s Playtime
  • The Best Dog Toy Storage Options

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