Mental stimulation that taps into a dog's natural instincts can help prevent boredom, depression, and anxiety while also building confidence, independence, and problem-solving skills. One of the easiest ways to offer this type of enrichment is with interactive dog toys, especially the best dog puzzle toys, which are typically filled with food or treats.
"All dogs need to eat, so using [puzzle toys] to make their life more interesting and fulfill innate behavioral needs is a convenient way of increasing their mental well-being," says Shay Kelly, a canine behavior consultant and author of several books on dog training.
To find the best puzzle toys, I consulted Kelly and a veterinary behaviorist. Drawing on their expertise and my own experience as a certified professional dog trainer, I guided editors and reporters in testing 22 different puzzles with six dogs of various ages and energy levels. Our top pick for beginners is the Outward Hound Hide N' Slide, which has six treat-hiding compartments that dogs can easily open with their noses.
Read more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products here.
Our top picks for the best dog puzzle toys
Best easy puzzle: Outward Hound Hide N' Slide - See at Chewy
Best medium-difficulty puzzle: Outward Hound Challenge Slider - See at Chewy
Best difficult puzzle: Outward Hound Casino Puzzle - See at Chewy
Best plush puzzle: Outward Hound Hide-a-Squirrel Plush Toy - See at Chewy
Best puzzle bowl: Outward Hound Fun Feeder - See at Chewy
Best snuffle mat: Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat - See at Chewy
Best puzzle ball: Starmark Treat Dispensing Toy - See at Chewy
Best wobbling toy: Fable The Puffin Game - See at Fable
Best easy puzzle
The Outward Hound Hide N' Slide is a durable, safe, and easy-to-clean toy for dogs who are new to puzzles.
What we like
What we don't like
If you're just introducing your dog to puzzle toys or they're still building confidence, start with an easy option to set them up for success. The Outward Hound Hide N' Slide is a flat puzzle with six food-hiding compartments that are partially covered with twisting knobs and lids. All of the wooden and plastic pieces are securely attached to the board, which prevents loose pieces from becoming a choking hazard.
R. Hashimoto, a former Reviews partnerships associate and guardian of a 1.5-year-old dachshund named Biscuit, liked how easy this food puzzle was to clean and store. While the instructions recommend hand-washing with warm, soapy water, Hashimoto found the puzzle durable enough to run through the dishwasher.
Although the Outward Hound Hide n' Slide proved too easy for a "brainiac" like Biscuit, who solved it in under two minutes, it's one of the best dog toys for pups who are new to this type of enrichment.
Best medium-difficulty puzzle
The Outward Hound Challenge Slider provides a moderate challenge that works a dog's nose and brain.
What we like
What we don't like
"In the wild, animals spend a lot of time acquiring enough food," Kelly says. Food-dispensing puzzles give dogs a constructive way to engage in similar scavenging behaviors. Both of our test dogs and their guardians loved the Outward Hound Challenge Slider for providing a moderately difficult challenge.
The brightly colored, 14.7-inch-square puzzle has five vertical and five horizontal rows of tiles that slide to uncover hidden food compartments. Dogs must move the sliders with their nose or paws to access the food.
"This is a much more involved and reusable puzzle than other kinds of dog toys," says Samantha Crozier, senior style editor and guardian of 2-year-old cockapoo Juniper. "She has a great time sniffing for the treats and then figuring out how to get them out."
All of the BPA-free plastic pieces are secured to the board, so they're unlikely to cause a choking hazard. However, the entire tray slides out of the toy for easy cleaning.
Best difficult puzzle
The Outward Hound Casino Puzzle will challenge even the smartest pups, plus it's a cinch to store and clean.
What we like
What we don't like
The Outward Hound Casino Puzzle is the most difficult option among the best dog puzzle toys, featuring six bone-shaped tiles that release side drawers when twisted. It's one of the most challenging puzzles Hashimoto has tried with Biscuit. She says she isn't entirely sure Biscuit fully understands the puzzle, but notes that she has learned she needs to interact with both the white bones and the drawers to get her dinner.
However, feeding Biscuit's meals via puzzle toys like the Casino is a good habit to get into. "A healthy dog should receive all of its daily ration of food divided between training exercises and feeding enrichment activities or toys," says Dr. Lore Haug, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist at VCA Lexington Boulevard Animal Hospital. "There is rarely ever a benefit to feeding a dog from a regular food bowl."
Even if the 14-by-12-inch Casino Puzzle is too challenging for your dog, one of its most ingenious features is its adjustable difficulty. You can make it easier by unlocking the bone-shaped pegs at the top. Once your dog gets the hang of it, the pegs can be locked to increase the challenge.
This plastic puzzle also got top marks from our testers for its durability, ease of cleaning and storage, and safety. "Dog puzzles where you don't have to worry about losing the little plastic bits are the best kind," Hashimoto says.
Best plush puzzle
The plush Hide-a-Squirrel Puzzle Toy does double duty as a brain-working puzzle and a soft, squeaky plush toy.
What we like
What we don't like
Soft plush puzzles are good options for noise-sensitive or timid dogs, Haug says. Outward Hound's Hide-a-Squirrel Plush Toy is the best of the three stuffed puzzles that deals editor Sarah Saril tested with her two German shepherds, Davey and Papaya, and her Chihuahua Disco.
"It is the largest, most complex, and best-constructed," Saril says. "My dogs gravitate to playing with this one the most, whether it's just chewing on the squirrels or log or using it as a hide-and-seek toy." Although we tested these toys without hiding treats inside, adding food can make them even more engaging and enriching.
The Hide-a-Squirrel Toy is available in four sizes — junior, large, jumbo, and ginormous. All but the largest version come with three plush, squeaky squirrels. The ginormous offers twice the fun, featuring a 13-by-8-inch tree trunk with five openings and six squirrels. These extras are ideal if your dog loves to gut their stuffies.
The polyester plush is reinforced with durable stitching, and the material does a good job resisting slobber. When the pieces get too dirty, they can be cleaned in the washing machine and dryer. Keep in mind that these plush toys are not indestructible, and the squeakers inside can become a hazard if your dog rips the squirrels open. Supervision is always recommended with these types of toys.
Best puzzle bowl
With a maze of ridges built into the bowl's interior, the Outward Hound Fun Feeder slows down a dog's eating.
What we like
What we don't like
While slow feeder bowls don't offer the same level of mental stimulation as other dog puzzle toys on our list, their raised ridges can help curb fast eating and reduce the risk of serious conditions like gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV).
If your dog eats kibble, both Haug and Kelly recommend trying scattered feeding instead — tossing the pieces of your dog's meal around a room or larger space — which simultaneously engages their hunting instincts and slows down their eating. Plus, it doesn't cost anything.
That said, if a puzzle bowl is better for you and your pup, our dogs favored the Outward Hound Fun Feeder. It's available in several designs, each with a different pattern of ridges to prevent a dog from scarfing down their food too quickly.
The smallest version is a 5.75-inch-diameter bowl that holds 3/4 cup of food. The largest, an 11-inch-diameter bowl, holds 2 cups. All of the dishwasher-safe bowls are made from BPA-free plastic.
Best snuffle mat
The high-quality Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat is an excellent choice for hyper dogs or pups with mobility issues.
What we like
What we don't like
Both of the experts I consulted love using snuffle mats. "Snuffle mats are great feeding enrichment devices, particularly for very hyper dogs or dogs that have mobility issues," Haug says. "The sniffing process is very calming for dogs, so we use these enrichment activities frequently for dogs that have anxiety disorders."
Of the two snuffle mats we tested, the Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat was hands down the best. "This is such a great product that is reasonably priced considering its durability," says Lisa Sabatini, senior pets editor and guardian to 9-year-old beagle Homer. However, because it lacks pockets and other complex hiding spots, it's also the easiest snuffle mat we tested.
The 18-by-12-inch Wooly Snuffle Mat is made from sustainably sourced, nontoxic cotton and polyester fabric strips that create a grass-like surface where you can easily hide kibble and treats. Its tight, durable stitching held up to Homer's teeth and the washing machine and dryer too.
Best puzzle ball
The tough Starmark Treat Dispensing Toy rolls, floats, and encourages your dog to be active while eating.
What we like
What we don't like
Rolling puzzle balls combine feeding enrichment with physical activity. In order to access the food inside, a dog must roll the ball with their nose or paws until it falls out. The Starmark Treat Dispensing Toy has a relatively large flower-shaped opening on either end and was the best of three puzzle balls that Homer tested.
This budget-friendly ball comes in three sizes: a 2.75-inch medium, a 3.5-inch medium/large, and a 4-inch large. It's made from tough latex- and phthalate-free plastic that rolls, bounces, and floats in water. It's also dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
that said, the Starmark isn't all fun and games. "It can easily get lost under the sofa, and it takes more time to insert the food than a regular puzzle," Sabatini says.
Best wobbling puzzle
Fable's The Game is a super durable food-dispensing toy with an adjustable difficulty level.
What we like
What we don't like
Wobbling puzzle toys are a favorite of both Haug and Kelly. While Kelly prefers the Kong Wobbler, Sabatini found Fable's The Puffin Game to be an overall better product in testing. "This has replaced the Kong as my favorite wobbling toy because you can adjust this toy's difficulty level," she says. "It also has slots at the top for spreading soft food like peanut butter."
The Puffin Game features a dispensing hole near the top where food falls out when the toy is nudged or tapped with a nose or paw. Its weighted base keeps it upright. It's easy to fill — just unscrew the top from the base and add up to 1.5 cups of kibble or treats.
Sabatini gave this toy high marks for safety and says it cleaned up nicely in the dishwasher. She also noted that The Game is quieter in play than the Kong Wobbler, thanks to its silicone exterior. We do wish it came in more than one size. At 2.2 pounds and measuring 6.25 by 4.75 inches, it may be too large for very smaller dogs. It comes in five different colors.
Our top picks compared
| Category | Product | Best for |
| Easy puzzle board | Outward Hound Hide N' Slide - See at Chewy |
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| Medium-difficulty puzzle board | Outward Hound Challenge Slider - See at Chewy |
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| Difficult puzzle board | Outward Hound Casino Puzzle - See at Chewy |
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| Plush | Outward Hound Hide-a-Squirrel Plush Toy - See at Chewy |
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| Bowl | Outward Hound Fun Feeder - See at Chewy |
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| Mat | Paw5 Wooly Snuffle Mat - See at Chewy |
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| Ball | Starmark Treat Dispensing Toy - See at Chewy |
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| Wobbler | Fable The Puffin Game - See at Fable |
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How we tested the best dog puzzle toys
Before testing the puzzle toys for this guide, we came up with eight different categories and looked at dozens of toys available online. We then selected 2 to 4 toys in every category, 22 toys altogether. Each toy was tested by at least one dog and their guardian. As their dogs played with the toys, our testers evaluated them according to the following criteria.
Durability: Each toy was evaluated for its strength, weight, and durability. We looked at whether a dog's teeth could penetrate a toy or if its pieces could be easily munched or pawed out of shape.
Safety: We checked out whether each toy had removable pieces and, if so, whether they could be easily swallowed by a dog. We also considered whether the toys were made from nontoxic materials like BPA-free plastic.
Ease of cleaning: Since any dog puzzle stuffed with food can grow harmful bacteria if it's not thoroughly cleaned, we considered how easy it was to wash each product. We favored toys that could be thrown in a dishwasher or, in the case of snuffle mats and plushies, the washing machine, as well as puzzles that could be easily disassembled for cleaning.
Challenge level: To determine the challenge level of our puzzle boards, we baited each with the same type of food and timed how quickly our tester dogs completed it. Those that were finished in under two minutes were considered easy or medium difficulty. Puzzles that took longer to complete were rated difficult. Because different dogs have different abilities, we also noted when a puzzle was too hard for our testers.
What else we liked
Of the 22 toys we tested, there were very clear winners but also plenty of puzzles that our dogs happily solved. Here are some other options if you're looking to mix things up:
Outward Hound Brick Puzzle: Our dogs enjoyed this medium-difficulty puzzle, but it's a little less durable than others we tested and not all the pieces are attached.
Trixie Windmill: If you're looking to change things up, this toy designed to look like a windmill is the way to go. It lost points for being difficult to store.
Frisco Hide and Seek Plush Volcano Puzzle Dog Toy: This was a very close second to the Outward Hound Hide-a-Squirrel Plush Toy. Our dogs gravitated toward the squirrels with their fluffy tails and ears, but the dinosaurs weren't as enticing.
Trixie Hide and Feed Activity Toy: If you're looking to add a little more enrichment to mealtime, this is a solid alternative to the less expensive Outward Hound Fun Feeder.
Kong Wobbler: The Wobbler is an excellent food-dispensing toy. It only lost out to Fable The Game because you cannot adjust the difficulty level and it's a bit noisy on hard surfaces.
Dog puzzle toy FAQs
What are dog food puzzles?
Dog food puzzles come in many forms, from treat-hiding boards and rolling food-dispensing balls to snuffle mats that conceal kibble and plush hide-and-seek toys. No matter the type, each one is designed to tap into a dog's natural instincts, especially their sense of smell and their desire to hunt.
Our experts say this type of enrichment is vital for a dog's mental well-being and should be offered to healthy pups several times a day. Without adequate mental stimulation, a dog is more likely to develop behavior problems. "These can include hyperactivity, destructive behavior, symptoms of separation-related stress, excessive vocalization, and aggression toward humans or animal housemates," Haug says.
What toys keep dogs busy?
While most dogs love play activities like tug, chase, and fetch, they enjoy them most when they have someone to play with. Treat-dispensing puzzle toys, by contrast, keep dogs engaged on their own without input from a person or another dog, at least until the kibble or treats run out. That said, not every dog will enjoy every type of puzzle toy, but the majority of pups will find at least one to love.
What kinds of puzzles are good for dogs?
The best dog puzzle toys are great, but they're not the only way to create mentally enriching challenges for your dog. DIY puzzle toys can be just as good.
"I love the simple things like rolling food up in a towel or throwing treats into an empty cereal box for the dog to rip open (of course, this is not suitable for dogs that may eat the cardboard)," Kelly says. "My absolute favourite enrichment is scent work. It's easy to create a treasure hunt with the dog's food around the home or garden for them to sniff out."
While many dogs enjoy puzzle boards, Kelly says they are not his favorite. "People often claim that dogs are great puzzle solvers, but this is not my experience, and these activities usually need careful training," he says. He prefers simpler puzzle toys like wobblers and snuffle mats.
Are puzzle games good for puppies?
Absolutely. A dog is never too young to begin playing with puzzle toys, as long as a person is there to supervise. "Enrichment is beneficial for the dog's whole life," Kelly says. "This is because we are fulfilling behavioral needs and allowing the dog to be successful and therefore gain confidence and develop a good mindset. Good mental health will influence the dog's general behavioral decisions and general feeling of contentment."
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