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There are a lot of reasons dog parents these days are excited about puzzle toys, and it’s not just that they’re fun for pups. They’re marketed as being tools for keeping a bored dog occupied, soothing anxiety in pups who struggle with separation, building your dog’s skills with their nose and paws, and encouraging engagement so powerful it counts toward exercise.
But can dog puzzle toys really do all that? Are they good for dogs in all those ways?
We talked to Sara Richter, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant with the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants about the effectiveness of puzzle toys, how to choose the best ones for your dog, and what to know before you buy.
What Are Dog Puzzle Toys?
Puzzle toys can look different, but at the most basic level, all are made to offer your dog both physical and mental stimulation.
How they go about it—and how difficult they are—varies, since puzzle toys target different senses and encourage different behaviors.
Kongs are good licking puzzles for food-motivated pups.
There are, for example, puzzle toys for dogs who like to lick. Though lick mats are on the rise, the classic Kong remains the gold standard; you fill the cavity with a spreadable treat, and your dog is challenged to work it out with their tongue. Thoroughly tested and made from non-toxic materials, Kongs are durable and encourage longer interaction as your dog takes the time to lick out all the stuffing. You can even up the time and challenge by freezing its contents. Licking puzzle toys are good for situations where a dog needs to self-soothe, such as travel or crate time. They’re typically not as effective for dogs who aren’t food motivated.
Other puzzle toys reward curious sniffers, typically by encouraging a dog to forage for cleverly concealed treats. Nose work engages a dog’s brain, and the deep breathing it requires can be soothing. The Paw5 Snuffle Mat is a good example; Rover test pups love to sniff out treats or kibble hidden in the mat’s tough fabric tendrils. Though some dogs can’t get enough of snuffle mats, they’re not the best choice for dogs who aren’t motivated by food, need more of a challenge to seek food, or are aggressive chewers.
Snuffle mats encourage nosework and deep breathing.
Puzzle toys for chewers are all about adding a challenge to the chew, typically by putting obstacles between a snack and your dog’s teeth. West Paw’s Qwizl, for example, has a tough, bouncy exterior that can stand up to chompers and is satisfying to dig teeth into. The middle and end slots hold narrow treats like bully sticks, which has the added benefit of extending the chewing experience.
Other puzzle toys target dogs who use their paws in play, batting and sliding objects around. Nina Ottosson for Outward Hound puzzle toys typically encourage paw work, and the Brick Puzzle Game is a good example: your dog uses their nose to locate hidden treats, then paws to slide bricks, open lids, and flip blocks for access.
For dogs who aren’t food motivated, there hide-and-seek puzzle toys like the plush Hide a Squirrel: a plush log with holes where you can hide soft, squeaky squirrels your dog can dig out with their paws and mouth—great for burrowers and diggers who are prey driven. The work definitely engages dogs’ bodies and brains, but it may not be interesting enough for food-motivated pups.
The Brick Puzzle Game is an advanced option for pups with good noses.
Last, there are toys for movement-seeking dogs and chasers. Toys that bounce or roll, dispensing treats unpredictably, help keep your dog interested. Some also have adjustable openings so you can change the level of difficulty. The Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball is a good example; its dimpled texture creates random, chase-worthy movements when it rolls and bounces, popping treats out arbitrarily to keep your dog guessing.
Are Puzzle Toys Good for Dogs? Experts Answer
In general, the answer is a resounding yes—puzzle toys are good for dogs’ mental and physical health. Here’s the breakdown:
Do dog puzzle toys alleviate boredom?
Boredom is one of the most common causes of a dog’s destructive behaviors. Redirecting to a puzzle toy when they’re looking for something to do can help occupy them. “Puzzle toys encourage sniffing, licking, chewing, and movement, which can all aid in arousal reduction and provide appropriate outlets for these activities that will decrease the dog’s need to seek opportunities to engage in these behaviors elsewhere,” explains Richter.
Do dog puzzle toys offer exercise as good as a walk?
Similar to exercise, the stimulation provided by puzzle toys can help tire out your pup, giving their brain a good workout. Many puzzle toys, like treat-dispensing balls, also engage your dog physically, providing extra exercise. Puzzle toys shouldn’t be a long-term replacement to exercise, but they’re a good a supplement or alternative when exercise opportunities are limited, like in extreme weather or when a dog is injured or recovering.
Ilona Shorokhova via iStock
Do puzzle toys help calm an anxious dog?
Yes—focusing on a toy can help some dogs self-soothe during times of stress, like periods of separation. Richter points to snuffle mats as a good example of how puzzle toys can work as calming aids: “[A snuffle mat] encourages deep breathing through scent exploration, and it can focus their mind and help to reduce their physiological experience of stress.” Other toys, such as Kongs or lick mats, can encourage self-soothing behaviors like licking.
Do puzzle toys build a dog’s skills?
Certain puzzle toys help build your dog’s skills, not just through mental stimulation, but by encouraging them to perform nose work and utilize their paws to achieve a reward. Toys with movable components and hidden treats are a good example, since they require your dog to use different parts of their body to forage. These toys can range from very simple to very challenging, so Richter advises trying simpler toys first: “Start small. Let your pet build confidence and grow their enrichment plan as their skills develop.”
Another potential benefit of these toys? Cultivating independence. “This is particularly beneficial for confidence building in younger dogs or anxious dogs by developing positive associations with novel objects and cultivating curious exploration,” says Richter.
Are There Any Drawbacks to Dog Puzzle Toys?
Some dog parents may be concerned that having their dog receive food through a puzzle, as opposed to providing food directly, seems unkind—but as Richter explains, that’s not really the case:
“There is a phenomenon in animal husbandry known as ‘contrafreeloading’ that occurs when animals are provided both easily accessible food from a bowl and food that requires effort to acquire, and most often they prefer the option that requires effort. The phenomenon has been observed across species since a 1963 experiment performed by Glen Jensen. We can observe this phenomenon in our pets when we offer them the same choice between food in a bowl and a puzzle toy.”
It turns out that just like humans, dogs in good health often like a challenge and enjoy ways to stimulate their bodies and minds.
That said, while puzzle toys can be helpful, no toy can deliver all things to all dogs. Richter explains that puzzle toys are just one tool in the tool kit, which should be rounded out with other activities such as socializing with other dogs, bonding with pet parents, and training.
It can also be a challenge to figure out which kind of puzzle toy is right for your dog, and what’s a hit with one dog can be a dud for another. “I’ve seen many pet owners that try one or two products and find that their pet is not showing a great amount of interest, so they give up. It can be a process to determine what your pet likes, and to familiarize them with the process of solving puzzles,” says Richter.
The Bob-a-Lot is a popular wobbling slow feeder puzzle toy.
She recommends observing your dog’s interactions with objects in general to see what might suit: “Do they use their nose, teeth, or paws? Are they nervous, or do they dive right in to sniffing, licking, chewing, or batting it around?”
Puzzle toys also come in different difficulty levels; be sure to start with easier options and level up accordingly to prevent your dog from getting frustrated.
Final Verdict: Do Dogs Need Puzzle Toys?
Richter sums it up nicely: “Puzzle toys offer physical and mental stimulation that can enrich the dog’s life and promote mental and physical health and wellness.” They’re useful for all kinds of pups: bored dogs prone to destructive behavior, anxious dogs learning to be more independent, active dogs looking to build skills, and dogs who need to exert energy on a day you’re just too busy to do long walks.
Puzzle toys aren’t, however, replacements for bonding, training, socialization, and regular exercise—they’re supplements. And they can’t solve serious behavioral issues alone. Should your dog have serious separation anxiety or frequent destructive behavior tendencies, then it’s time to enlist the help of your veterinarian and/or a certified dog trainer or behaviorist.
The sushi puzzle hides treats in the cavities behind movable rolls.
Most dogs are likely to see mental and health benefits from puzzle toys, but these pups in particular may benefit:
- Bored dogs who need mental stimulation
- Dogs with situational anxiety who need help self-soothing
- Active and high-energy dogs who enjoy training and skill-building exercises
- Dogs who sometimes miss walks due to weather or recovery
There are also a few dogs who should exercise caution around puzzle toys:
- For senior dogs and pups recovering from surgery, chase toys may require too much physical activity
- Dogs on a restricted diet might want to avoid feeder toys in favor of plush hide-and-seek toys, automatic ball launchers, motion-activated balls, and bungee tug toys.
As Richter points out, “The most effective enrichment strategies will be those that meet the needs of the individual dog. … It can take time for dogs to learn to solve puzzles, even easy ones. This can be due to previous learning, such as lots of training done on concepts such as ‘leave it’, so exploration may be repressed—suspicion of the new object, or simply confusion, not knowing how to approach and interact with it,” she explains. “If you are not having success with puzzle toys, or other forms of enrichment, it can be helpful to reach out to an accredited training or behavior professional who can provide personalized tips and advice for your pet.”
How We Chose
The products featured here were selected based on a combination of our own hands-on testing, a comprehensive look at customer reviews across a wide variety of retail platforms, and interviews with experts. We prioritized puzzle toys with durable, high-quality materials that come highly recommended. We’re also guided by the experience of living and playing alongside our own much-loved and strongly opinionated pets, who are never stingy with their feedback.
