Interactive Puzzle Toys for Dogs

Interactive puzzle toys allow your dog to develop problem-solving skills by figuring out how to get to a hidden treat. Interactive puzzle toys allow your dog to entertain itself while you are busy. The amount of time it takes for the dog to crack the puzzle and get the treat differs from dog to dog, depending on intelligence and the difficulty of the toy, but it could entertain your dog for anywhere from 10 minutes or 2 hours.

  1. Rubber Toys

    • Some types of interactive puzzle dog toys are hollow and made from rubber. Different durability rubber toys are available for larger dogs or tough chewers. The owner hides a treat inside the rubber toy, the puzzle being that the dog must figure out how to remove the treat. Try hiding a small treat at first for easy removal, otherwise the dog might get frustrated. Once the dog understands and enjoys the toy, stuff the rubber toy with moist treats, such as yogurt or peanut butter, and freeze it. The toy then becomes more of a challenge, lengthening the amount of playtime.

    Wooden Toys

    • Wooden interactive puzzle dog toys are not intended to entertain a dog while its owner is out because they could harm the dog if ingested, dog trainer Pat Miller writes in The Whole Dog Journal. These toys for interaction between owner and dog, building a bond and encouraging teamwork. Some wooden toys have layered discs with spaces for treats on each disc. Others have flat pieces of wood with oblong cutouts. The cutouts have round slots for treat placement, and sliding pieces of brick to cover the treats. The dog must use its brain to solve the puzzle in order to remove the treats from the toy.

    Plush Toys

    • Plush toys are the least durable of the interactive puzzle toys. These toys come in different sizes and have different objectives. Some plush toys include squeaky balls hidden in a box-shaped plush container. The container has openings on each side to allow the squeaky balls to go in and out of the box. The dog bats the box around with its nose or paws and attempts to get the squeaky balls out. Owners should supervise their dogs at all times when playing with a plush interactive puzzle dog toy, because the toy could cause the dog to choke if swallowed.