Including treat dispensers, hide-and-seek toys, and even a windmill!
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As dog parents know, an important part of raising your pup is making sure they're physically and mentally healthy. In addition to keeping up with vet visits, outfitting them with the best collar, following a healthy diet, and ensuring they get the right amount of exercise, you'll also want to think about ways to provide mental stimulation.
One tool pet owners use are dog puzzles. These affordable toys are a great way to give your furry friend a little bit of a challenge and keep their mind engaged. We've rounded up the best dog puzzles—from easy new puppy options to more challenging choices for older pals. Pro tip: Most versions allow you to hide rewards within the toy, as extra motivation to peak your pup's interest. And as you'll see from reviews, these toys can also be used to help slow down your dog's eating, like slow feeder dog bowls.
Many customers also say these puzzles have been useful in keeping their dogs from becoming destructive or anxious when they're bored. Some of the most intelligent dog breeds need a lot of mental stimulation, and these help provide it. Keep scrolling to see our picks for the best dog puzzles to shop in 2023.
This feeder puzzle gets plenty of love from pet parents who appreciate that it keeps their pups occupied. "This thing makes my corgi go nuts," said one reviewer. "Just the entertainment value of watching him play with it to get the treat is worth every penny. It's fairly durable and has provided hours of entertainment." Key features:
A great choice for your puppy or as a first puzzle, this toy is very simple, just requiring your pooch to get underneath the bone-shaped lids, which are made of durable plastic, to retrieve his or her favorite treats
Doesn't every dog deserve their own personal treat windmill? This puzzle requires your pup to rotate the windmill in order to make the treats fall out. You can change the end caps to adjust the difficulty level.
We love this woodland-inspired toy that lets your fur baby dig into the log to pull out all the squeaky squirrels. Some reviewers say they also hide treats in the toy along with the squirrels for an extra reward.
This is a favorite among dog owners. It's a chew toy, but can also be a puzzle that provides stimulation if you stuff it full of treats or food. It comes in both small and large versions for breeds of all sizes.
Opt for this puzzle if you have a dog who's ready for something a little more challenging. The pieces slide back and forth to reveal his or her favorite treats.
This durable puzzle gets tons of rave reviews from owners who say it gives smart, high-energy pups something to focus on. You can hide treats or food in the various compartments and watch your dog figure out how to slide the pieces around. It's fun for everyone!
Your dog won't need to slide pieces around with this one, just roll the ball so that treats fall out. Easy-peasy! As your pooch gets more familiar with the puzzle, you can adjust the difficulty level using the interior disc.
This hilarious puzzle is sure to lead to some laughs for the whole family. It has nearly 1,000 5-star reviews from customers who confirm that their pets love this toy that lets them rummage around for those vicious dinosaurs and pull them out of the volcano one by one.
Try this simple one for dogs who might get frustrated with some of the more complex sliders and puzzle toys out there. Not only is it adorable, but it also makes it easy—but not too easy—for them to get their reward.
If you've got a dog that's just too smart for his or her own good, give this puzzle a try. "I have searched high and low for a toy that is actually challenging for my two very clever Border Collies," shared one reviewer. "This toy is fun for the dogs, isn't noisy and doesn't really take any planning on my part at all." Key features:
There's not much to figure out with this puzzle, but reviewers say it's still a great toy to keep their dog busy and entertained. Load up the layers with their food or treats. For an added challenge, fill the toy with water, peanut butter, or yogurt and put it in the freezer for a few hours. They'll be licking away at this all afternoon!
We love that there are so many possible uses for this toy. Of course, you can use it to play fetch, but it's also a puzzle. Pop a few of their favorite treats in there and watch your pup figure out how to shake them out. Other reviewers have put crumbled paper or other safe items inside for their dogs to pull out.
For an easy puzzle, get your furry friend one of these soft mats. Drop some dry food or treats on the mat and let your dog go on the hunt for it. It's a great way to slow down their eating and provide an activity that's fun but won't get them riled up.
If your fur baby needs to get some energy out, try this barbell-shaped toy that scatters treats as it rolls around. "My dog loves this interactive puzzle," wrote one reviewer. "It takes him about 20 minutes to finish the food. I use it once or twice a week for his evening food portion. He loves it." Key features:
When your pup has torn apart every toy you've ever tried, you'll want to add this to your cart. These extra-durable puzzles will stand up to aggressive chewers, and you can put treats inside for an added challenge. "My husky destroys every toy we give him, until these," shared one reviewer. "He LOVES them, plays with them everyday and he hasn't been able to damage them at all. Love that we can hide treats inside too that he has to work for." Key features:
It's a flying saucer! But there are no extra-terrestrials here, just treats, which we (and your pup) think is way better. The intermediate-level puzzle requires your dog to spin and flip it to get the treats out.
Your pet can use this toy in two different ways. The first is to simply hide food or treats in the compartments and watch them learn to slide or flip the lids. Once they've mastered that, they can learn to press the top of the main compartment to distribute the food into the other sections.
This toy might remind you of the activity boards parents buy for babies or toddlers to help their development. This one does the same thing but for your pup!
With this multi-faceted toy, your pooch nudges off the white pieces and then slides the remaining red pieces to uncover their treats. "We have an older doxie and he gets a bit lazy and set in his ways," shared one reviewer. "So I decided to try this puzzle game. He really likes the challenge and our excitement cheering him on. He gets better all the time."
Jamie Ballard (she/her) is a freelance writer and editor who covers news, lifestyle, and entertainment topics, including sex and relationships, TV, movies, books, health, pets, food and drinks, pop culture, shopping, and personal finance. She regularly contributes to Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, and YouGov, among other publications. When she’s not working, you can find her running, traveling, or scrolling TikTok. Follow her on Twitter.
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