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1. A stimulating snuffle activity mat because it has so many benefits: 1) It can help keep their smell skills sharp, 2) It can engage their natural foraging instincts, which stimulates their brain and can help prevent boredom, 3) It can help dogs burn some energy, and 4) It can help slow fast eaters.
Promising review: "My dogs love it. Keeps them occupied and searching for all the morsels. After they are done it cinches up and stores easily." —Kdk Schwien
Get it from Amazon for $12.79.
2. Or a large activity mat with different textures and shapes for your dog to explore.
Promising review: "My puppy LOVES this mat! He gets super excited whenever he sees it. He sometimes doesn't like to eat his kibbles in his bowl, but he has so much fun finding and eating kibbles when I hide them into this mat. I heard nose work is also good for reducing separation anxiety in dogs, so I give him this mat whenever I need to leave more than two hours. He deals with separation way better with this. I'm 100% satisfied!" —Bom
Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in two sizes).
3. A roll-up dog toy that'll be equally fun for your dog to play with after they solve it. Once they learn how to unroll the snail toy, open the Velcro pockets, and extract the treats or kibble, they'll have a brand-new tug toy.
This is designed for smaller dogs and dogs that are not aggressive chewers. This review is really helpful if you're trying to decide what treats to hide inside the snail.
Promising review: "I didn’t have high expectations that this toy would survive my pup’s 2nd birthday but it still is intact two weeks later. It made for a cute photo too!" —CarolNJ66
Get it from Amazon for $12.75.
4. A hide-and-seek dog toy if your pup loves to get into places they shouldn't be. Let them happily root around their new gym bag and sink their teeth into some squeaky crinkle toys: an equally adorable and hilarious pair of socks and matching undies.
These toys are on the smaller side so are better suited for smaller dogs and puppies.
Promising review: "Not only does my doggo love this, but his mama loves it, too! I put treats in the bag and stuff the socks and undies in there — it’s a great interactive toy for him and a great distraction for me!" —Kelly
Get it from Amazon for $16.49 (available in three other styles).
5. Or a hide-a-squirrel dog toy so you can kindle your dog's natural hunting instincts with a plushie tree trunk filled with squeaky stuffed squirrels. Said squirrels also make for a fun game of fetch!
Promising review: "My son's yorkie poo stays at my place a lot, mostly because I take him to a nearby university campus, where, well-trained as he is, I can let him off-leash and [he can] chase squirrels to his heart's content. He is obsessed with squirrels now, so we thought this would be a fun Christmas toy for him. We followed the advice of other reviewers and supervised to try to delay the death of all the squirrels. We let him play with the tree trunk after he had rooted out all the squirrels and tried to kill them, as a dog will do. He loves the tree trunk — so much so that he makes love to it every time we let him play with it. If we have guests, it's a floor show. He doesn't care. I'm not quite sure what to make of all this, but as long as it makes him happy." —PBH
Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four sizes and a variety of styles).
6. A hide-and-slide treat puzzle to challenge your furry Einstein. This puzzle requires several levels of problem-solving — drawers, swivels, locks — in order for your dog to unlock a treat.
Promising review: "My standard poodle mix, who is 10, loves this puzzle. He is difficult to buy for since almost every puzzle toy I've bought for him is too easy to keep him entertained. This puzzle was challenging for him when I first got it out of the box (I didn't show him how to work the drawers and locks at all as an extra challenge), and it quickly became one of his favorites. This is also durable, as it was tested a few times during his frustrations when he would pick it up and throw it or try to dig the locks apart. I bought this back in February, and I've waited to write a review until he finally mastered it to see if it would survive. Overall, a well-made, difficult puzzle for a wicked-smart old man!" —ANWFlock
Get it from Amazon for $9.55.
7. And if that's too easy, a genius-level puzzle mat because it's another level harder and requires your dog to complete specific steps in the correct order.
Promising review: "I got this for my border collie mix who has managed to beat any other puzzle games I’ve given her. This one takes her about 15 minutes to complete, sometimes a little longer, which was what I was looking for — something that would actually challenge her intellectually. She seems to love it and will ask for me to put treats in it by smacking it, haha, so I’d say it’s a win!" —Bethany
Get it from Amazon for $21.26.
8. A beginner-level treat-dispensing ball for dogs who are new to puzzle toys. Reviewers even suggest filling it with your dog's kibble if they're fast eaters as this will force them to slow down and may help with their digestion.
Promising review: "My dog is a fast eater. This toy keeps her busy for hours trying to get treats out of the ball. I put larger pieces of treats inside to slow down kibble from coming out of the ball. It's larger than others so it doesn't get stuck under furniture." —Lauren Howroyd
Get it from Amazon for $7.49+ (available in two sizes/colors).
9. Or a treat-dispensing toy with a geometric design that'll roll and bounce unexpectedly so your dog must always be on their toes. Plus, the minimalist and modern appearance of the Odin won't ruin your home's aesthetic.
The toy balls interlock so you can attach them for bigger dogs and to keep playtime fresh.
Up Dog Toys is a family-founded small business.
Promising review: "This is a great toy/activity for our dog — a 50-pound female black lab. It's durable and a hard rubber with just enough give to put the treats inside fairly easily. If you have an especially chewy dog or a destructive dog, they could tear it apart as some reviewers have said. But, if your dog is not a big-time chewer, this will give them plenty to do for a while. We put in a small handful of kibble, and our dog will roll this around for a good hour trying to get them out. We've had this toy for about four months, and she still enjoys it. If she tires of it, she'll rest and a while later will spot it again and begin rolling it around again...it's one of her favorites." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $18.99 (available in four colors).
10. OR! A freezable treat-dispensing toy if you need some help prolonging playtime or mealtime. This durable pouch holds treats, frozen snacks, smears of peanut butter, and kibble. The curved bottom causes it to roll erratically, so your dog will have a blast chasing it every which way. Pop it in the dishwasher when it needs a cleaning, and it's ready for the next time boredom strikes.
Promising review: "I’ve only used this twice, but both times have been approximately 35-minute adventures for my dog. He’s a 1-year-old German Shepherd with lots of energy and strong jaws. He will give this 100% attention the entire time he is using it, and even after he’s done, he likes playing with it. Definitely worth the money! If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would!" —Lauren
Get it from Amazon for $20.95 (available in three sizes and three colors).
11. An adaptable puzzle block toy so you don't have to buy a new toy whenever your dog is ready to advance. This pull-apart toy has five difficulty levels that you can adjust according to their skill.
And it's dishwasher safe so you can toss it in your machine when it's ready for a clean.
Promising review: "Nicely designed doggie toy. Each section has one hole and five knobs to fit in the hole. Each knob is a slightly different size. The smallest knob is very loose and makes it easy to take apart; the largest is quite tight and is much more difficult to take apart. My one dog is very talented and can easily disassemble the tightest knob. The other dog is not nearly as skilled and gets very frustrated with anything other than the loose knob. He ends up just barking at the toy until I help." —Mountain Gator
Get a four-pack from Amazon for $29.99 (clip the coupon on the product page to save 10%; also available in a six-pack).
12. A novice-level windmill puzzle toy to get your pooch acquainted with interactive play, or to help your senior dog stay sharp. This "spin to win" toy has eight lids so you can customize the difficulty.
Promising review: "Ordered this for my 2-year-old Akita. I wasn’t sure how he would like it. He’s not very food motivated. The first several days I had it set up, he didn’t care to play with it unless I spun it for him (spoiled LOL), but one night I woke up to a light rattling sound and realized that he sits there and spins it for treats while I’m sleeping. 😂😂 Turns out he loves it! I just started filling it with his dry food because he’ll play with it all night long." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $7.69.
13. And once they've got the hang of things, an intermediate vial puzzle toy because it'll bust boredom and redirect your dog's attention when they're pawing at your arm every 30 seconds asking to play and you've got a boatload of work emails to answer.
Promising review: "This dog toy is perfect if you want your dog distracted or to help mental stimulation! Our dog, Bodie, absolutely loves this toy, and he gets so excited when he sees we’ve filled it up. So much so, we used it to help with his separation anxiety. We usually only use it for this purpose when we leave the house so he has something exciting to do that he loves. He’s chewed on it a few times in the process, but it is very durable! Great quality and overall great product! Highly recommend!" —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $10.03.
14. A multi-layer slow feeder for nourishing their brain and their bellies. It's a great option for fast eaters as your pup will have to think hard about how to access kibble on the lower levels.
Promising review: "I have a 6-month-old German Shepherd who is a picky eater and is also full of energy and needs to stay busy. I use this almost every day. When she doesn’t want to eat, I put her food in here and drop two or three small treats in — she eats it all. When I need to keep her busy, I fill it with food and break up a couple of other things in it. She loves this thing. If you have a picky eater or a dog that needs more stimulation, give it a try. Worth it!!!" —Jordan Elizabeth Gaston
Get it from Amazon for $20.17.
15. A mummy dog toy that'll make you cheer for once when your dog pulls out the stuffing of a toy. Inside are nine squeaky toy organs that will make the most satisfying crunches when your dog bites down.
Promising review: "This guy is so cute. Great for dogs that like to shake and kill prey. Adorable organs fly everywhere. Also, dogs that like to dig for prey like terriers. Unzip and let them root around inside. The color is bright white so it did get dirty quickly, but the fabric is washable." —e shifko
Get it from Amazon for $19.95.
16. A puzzle toy with a built-in squeaker if you want to be part of the fun. You can press the button when the toy is filled with kibble or treats to let your dog know that it's ready for 'em — and then they can press the button when they're done to let you know the puzzle is solved!
Promising review: "I have a 70-lb American pit bull terrier, and recently, she has had to spend a bit more time home alone than she is used to. I wanted to get her something to occupy a bit of her time and help her keep herself out of trouble, so I ordered this. She absolutely loves her puzzle, and it really does keep her entertained for quite some time. I always know when she eats all the treats/pieces of dog food because she squeaks the button in the middle a few times — so cute! I was worried she would destroy the puzzle since she is so big, and 99% of her toys last less than 10 minutes, but we’ve had it over a week, and it still looks and works perfectly (a week may not sound like long, but in our house that is a record). I fill it with treats or dog food twice a day, once when I leave for work and once when I’m back on break, so she has had plenty of opportunities to destroy it like she typically does. I definitely recommend this for any dog, and I am more than happy I decided to get one for our home!" —Jocelyn Nice
Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two sizes and three difficulty levels).
17. And speaking of buttons, a push-to-dispense puzzle toy so your canine can control mealtime. Reviewers also rave that it's a great slow feeder.
Mung Mung is a family-owned small business.
Reviewers say it holds about a half cup of food, so if your dog eats more than that for meals, you'll need to refill the chamber.
Promising review: "Our little 5-month-old Cavapoo puppy LOVES this new toy. It took a little bit of getting used to it, but after a few tries, she’s a pro! She usually eats her kibble way too quickly, so this definitely helped slow her down. As an added bonus, I feel like it’s good for her mental stimulation as well since it intrigues her to press the button and find out where the treats fell out in the bowl. Cleaning it is easy, and assembling the top piece is easy as well." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
18. A snuffle ball to really get your dog going. It combines the brain-stimulating benefits of a snuffle mat while satisfying what is seemingly every dog's love for tugging at things. You can even roll kibble into the strings for extra enticement!
Promising review: "Perfect for my blind senior poodle with dementia!!! My senior dog with health challenges loves this toy. It’s perfect and keeps her stimulated and makes her happy. I can’t recommend this toy enough!" —Thinking Woman
Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in four colors).
19. A puzzle feeder because you have your iPad to entertain you during mealtime and your dog will have this!
Promising review: "Our 15-week-old Aussie/heeler LOVES this puzzle. He will carry it around the house hoping that we’ll put treats in it for him. He chews on it, scrapes his claws on it, and throws it around the house, and it’s still in one piece! Great starter puzzle — now we just have to find something more complicated for him. :)" —Erin
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two difficulties).
20. A carrot snuffle mat for when you want to entertain your pets without involving treats or kibble because some pets have strict diets! (There are slots to hide treats or kibble if you'd like.)
Promising review: "This is my chihuahua's favorite toy right now. I take one big jerky and break it into little pieces, put some in the little pocket openings of each carrot, larger pieces in the bottom of each big felt hole, and then stuff the carrots in the holes at different heights — it takes him a good 10–15 minutes to get all the little pieces of treat and keeps him busier than any other puzzle toys we've tried before. I love that you can play with this in a few different ways to keep it tricky and interesting, it's a little different every time. My dog is obsessed! PS: My dog is an old little chihuahua, not interested in chewing on things or ripping them apart. He's not a huge slobbery chewer or a puppy — not sure how durable this would be for other dogs. This will last us a long time, though, and the felt cups have held up to him scratching/biting at them quite a lot." —Shannon Jennings
Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in small or large).
21. A ring toy that'll stand up to your strong chewers. If your pup is a destructive chewer, let them gnaw on this instead of your shoes! It'll both exercise their brain *and* help keep their teeth clean thanks to the textured grooves and knobs.
It comes with four rawhide treat rings to put around the toy.
Promising review: "This is the only puzzle/toy that takes my dog long enough that he leaves the job unfinished. It’s great because it lasts him all day. The Nylabone-type material it’s made of is also super durable and gives him something else to chew when he takes a break from trying to get the treat. Absolute 10/10." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $6.95+ (available in three sizes and two colors).
You watching your dog solve their new puzzles:
