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The past few years have taught a lot of us about anxiety—and one thing we’ve learned is that humans aren’t the only ones who experience it. Your dog might feel anxious sometimes, or they might experience a bigger, more consistent problem. It could be new, or it might be something that started long ago. Wherever you and your pup are coming from, you’re not alone, and there are good tools out there that can help you manage dog anxiety. One of our favorites is calming toys.
Calming dog toys are usually puzzle toys with maximum distraction power that encourage a soothing behavior, like foraging or licking. They work best when you know your dog’s anxiety triggers—the event that sparks their feelings of fear or stress. Some triggers are obvious, like thunderstorms and visitors, and some are harder to figure out (like small male dogs or people with umbrellas).
Separation anxiety, the fear that kicks in when a dog’s human leaves the home, is especially common, and toys are one of the best tools to help manage it.
To get the most out of a calming toy, you’ll want to create a safe space for your dog, then offer the toy shortly before their trigger occurs. For example, if your dog has a hard time when you leave the house, you might settle them in their crate or a cozy corner, then offer a designated separation-anxiety toy that they only get when you’re heading out. Ideally, your pup will be able to focus on the toy and bypass the tough trigger stage.
It’s best to work up to it slowly. You might start by offering the toy when you’re in another room, or when you’ll be gone for just a few minutes. You can watch what your dog does on a pet camera or plant another friendly human spy. Whatever you opt for, remember to supervise play in the beginning, since no toy is totally dog-proof.
Calming toys are a great part of a larger anxiety toolkit to help ease your pup back into a routine, promote mental stimulation, and minimize separation anxiety.
The Best Calming Dog Toys and Puzzle Toys for Separation Anxiety
We’ve broken down our picks for the best calming dog toys into a few different categories, including puzzle toys, snuffle mats, and tech toys, so you can find what works best for you and your dog.
1. Kong Classic Dog Toy (Verified Review)
When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a Kong. These rubber treat holders can hold up to hours of licks and chews. Stuff it with treats, or even freeze it with some dog-safe peanut butter for an extra yummy challenge. It will keep your doggo busy and soothed, whether they’re in their crate or just enjoying some solo playtime.
Verified review: “I use my Kongs (yes, I have multiple) constantly, not just to give my dog Buster something to do at home alone but to make him use his doggy brain to eat his meals. This thing can be frozen and put in the dishwasher, plus it bounces and floats. Buster loves it.”
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon Find on Petco Find on the Rover Store2. West Paw Zogoflex Toppl Chew Toy
Trapping treats inside the ridges, this toy invites your pup to sink their teeth into a challenge, making it a great dog toy for separation anxiety. And if that gets too easy, you can up the degree of difficulty by connecting two different sizes of the toy together, keeping your dog very occupied.
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon3. Trixie Mad Scientist Turn Around Strategy Toy (Verified Review)
This toy’s all about concentration and mental stimulation, so your dog might not even notice you’ve headed out for groceries. The flippable treat canisters come with two sets of lids with different-sized holes so you can vary the degree of difficulty. Balance and precision are key, so this is the right fit for a dog who’s no stranger to puzzle toys.
Verified review: “This toy is a little more challenging and is designed for the intermediate canine gamer. It has three rotating beakers that can be filled with treats. Each beaker can be covered with two included sets of lids which can be mixed or matched to make it easier or harder.” (For more about this toy, see our Puzzle Toy Roundup review video.)
Find on Amazon Find on Petco4. Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Plush Puzzle Toy (Verified Review)
Available in four different sizes, this plush hide-and-seek toy is full of fun. Your doggo can retrieve each of the squeaky squirrels nestled inside the soft tree trunk, one at a time. There’s even enough space in the trunk to hide some treats for longer play. Note that this toy is not advisable for destructive chewers. This calming toy will help soothe your pup when you’re away by providing them with multisensory and different types of play. You can also purchase replacement squirrels when needed.
Verified review: “This toy is like three toys in one. After my dog has pulled out all the squirrels, he likes to snuggle up with the soft trunk or toss the squeaky rodents around. It’s one of the few toys he plays with daily.”
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon Find on Petco Find on the Rover Store5. Nina Ottosson Tornado Puzzle
Take this puzzle toy for a spin—literally! From dog game creator Nina Ottosson, this toy has multiple rotating layers to explore with treats concealed in the slots. Does your dog need more of a mental stimulation challenge? Place the bone-shaped covers over the slots so your dog has dig out those hidden treats, along with spinning the layers.
Find on Amazon Find on Petco6. Outward Hound Treat Dispensing Game for Dogs
Does your anxious dog need a job to do? Try a game of “hide-and-seek” with treats. This puzzle board provides 28 possibilities for places to hide treats. It challenges your dog’s brain, keeping them too busy to be anxious. Plus, it has several different “levels” so you can start simple and build up as your dog’s puzzle-solving abilities improve. This calming toy also rewards your dog for exercising their brain and helps distract them from anxiety triggers. Now that’s a win!
Helpful review: “This was a great investment! My dog is very timid, and I was hoping to introduce some nose work at home to help build her confidence. We’ve done the puzzle together every day for the past week…she is growing in tenacity and gets excited when she sees me pull her puzzle out! It doesn’t sound like much, but for her, overcoming anxiety of something new and ‘confusing’ is a huge step forward. I would definitely recommend this for fearful-dog owners.”
Find on AmazonThe Best Calming Mat Toys for Anxiety
7. Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat (Verified Review)
It may not look like much, but this simple mat is actually a pretty great dog toy for separation anxiety and mental stimulation. It engages your dog’s sense of smell as they hunt for treats embedded amongst the fabric tufts. For more about snuffle mats, check out our article on the classic snuffle mat here.
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon8. Hyper Pet IQ Treat Mat (Verified Review)
Having different ways to serve up treats is great for keeping your dog distracted through a tough situation. Textured treat mats offer this kind of enrichment, and they’re also good for teeth and gums.
Spread a delicious dog-friendly treat over the mat and freeze for a tasty distraction. For more about this particular lick mat and how it fared with our tester’s dogs, see our article Lick Mats for Dogs: Our Dog-Tested Review.
Find on Amazon Find on Chewy9. Machao Slow Portable Feeder Mat
This is another solid option when it comes to textured mats. Sprinkle some kibble in the grooves when a stressful situation looms and your dog will happily snuffle around for those crunchies. This mat sticks to the ground to prevent slippage, and the extra challenge helps dogs slow down and concentrate on their chow time.
Find on Amazon10. Awoof Dog Snuffle Mat
This activity mat can be laid out flat or shaped into a bowl for deeper digging. Your dog will enjoy the mental stimulation of sniffing through strips of grassy green fabric to find the treats and kibble that you’ve hidden for them inside. A non-slip bottom helps keep this mat from sliding on hard surfaces—throw it in the machine to wash it for the next round of foraging.
Find on Amazon11. iDig Digging Dog Toy By iFetch (Verified Review)
If at first you don’t succeed, dig, dig, dig again. Digging is the point of this mat that has pockets and flaps of fabric in which you can bury snacks and toys. It’s a nice choice for dogs with separation anxiety who need a real challenge to keep them distracted.
How did Shirley the Pug and Olive the Boston Terrier do with this toy? See our article iDig Digging Toy: Is It Worth the Money?
Find on Amazon Find on PetcoThe Best Tech Dog Toys for Calming Pups and Solving Separation Anxiety
12. Furbo Treat Tossing Dog Camera (Verified Review)
Pet cameras are really handy for separation anxiety, since they allow you to watch your pup to see exactly how long they can handle your absence, then calibrate your training accordingly. Furbo’s live-stream dog camera lets you to speak to your pup remotely, which can offer reassurance to an anxious dog. The best part? A built-in mechanism will “toss” treats to your furry friend via the free app, making temporary separation a little better.
Verified review: “The Furbo is the ultimate ‘didn’t know I needed it until I got it’ pet tech. This treat-shooting pet spy gear is easy to set up and has a user-friendly app. You can shoot treats at your pet, talk to them through the microphone, and sneak a peek at them while you’re away via the built-in camera.
I love it because (1) I now have confirmation that my dog seems pretty content when I’m not around. (2) It sends me a push notification whenever he’s barking so I can turn on the camera and see what’s up. (Spoiler alert: It’s always the mailman.) and (3) I can remind him any time, from anywhere, that I love him. That’s definitely the best part.”
Find on Amazon13. Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy (Verified Review)
Not all toys have to be super fancy. Sometimes the simplest things bring the most comfort. Made with puppies in mind, this calming dog toy is especially effective for puppies—though we’ve found dogs of all stripes can benefit. The stuffed pup provides company and even comes with a battery-operated heartbeat and heat pack to simulate the comfort of a mom or pack mate at naptime.
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon Find on Petco Find on the Rover Store14. Pet Qwerks Talking Babble Ball
Tell them what a sweet puppy they are—even when you’re not there. This interactive ball makes 20 different sounds, including phrases to engage mental stimulation and keep your dog curious. The ball activates when touched and turns off when not in use, so it doesn’t waste batteries.
Find on Chewy Find on Amazon15. Hyper Pet Doggie Tail Interactive Plush Toy
Motion-activated to encourage hours of play, this plushy dog tail-style toy is sure to pique your furry friend’s curiosity as it wiggles, barks, and makes noises all on its own.
Find on Amazon16. Wickedbone Smart Bone Toy (Verified Review)
Bluetooth-enabled, this hands-free chew toy is recommended for medium- and large-breed dogs and has two modes: autoplay and drive. For autoplay, the bone roams around at different speeds, responding to your dog’s touch. For drive, this techy toy can be controlled via app (something we’ve tried and had a blast doing). Have your dog play with this toy in a separate room from where you are to begin easing back into periods of separation.
Find on AmazonOther Calming Dog Toys for Separation Anxiety
17. Your Old T-Shirt or Shoe
Ayla Verschueren / Unsplash
Here’s a soothing toy for anxious dogs you won’t have to pay for. Take one of your old workout shirts or retired shoes, and offer it to your dog. The more worn-in, the better, because that means it will have more of your scent on it. Your smell is soothing to your dog. Familiar objects also help make anxious dogs feel more comfortable. Give them a garment to snuggle, or let them chew on and play with a shoe when you go out.
18. Walk, walk, walk!
Andriyko Podilnyk / Unsplash
Okay, while not technically a product, walking is key. Physical activity is the number-one stress buster for people and dogs and helps tire them out physically and stimulate them mentally. If your dog is anxious, they’ll probably benefit from extra exercise. Go for a long walk before you leave the house and after you get home.
If that doesn’t work with your schedule, hire a local dog walker to give your dog a midday boost. A tired dog is calmer and may have an easier time navigating stresses. Daily exercise helps your dog work out tensions and anxieties that may be building up.
Further Reading
- What Can I Give My Dog for Anxiety? A Complete Guide to Dog Calming Tools
- The Real Story Behind Dog Separation Anxiety and Why It’s so Scary
- The Best Dog Chews and Toys According to an Overenthusiastic Doberman Puppy
- Here’s the Only Real Way to Train a Dog with Separation Anxiety
- The Best Puzzle Toys That Actually Help Bored Dogs
- Setting Up a Separation Anxiety Dog for Success
