These puzzle feeders are great for brains and bellies. (Getty Images)(Amazon)
If you haven't heard, puzzle toys are great for dogs. In short, they're a good source of mental stimulation that can prevent your pup from getting bored and feeling anxious, and in turn, from acting out. I recently spoke with a behavior veterinarian who even told me to swap my dog's food bowl for a puzzle feeder.
Dr. Andrea Y. Tu, DVM, chief of veterinary behavior services at the Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group in New York City, is like a "veterinary psychiatrist." She treats animals for things like separation anxiety, reactivity to other dogs and other behavioral issues, and she told me: "If I could do one thing that I hope will make a big difference in my field, it's to get rid of the bowl." She added that "all meals should be fed out of a puzzle toy. If every single meal can be fed out of a puzzle toy or some sort of manipulation toy instead of a bowl, that would do wonders for pets' enrichment and mental health."
"I love the Nina Ottosson toys," Tu says. "They come with a 'difficulty rating' to help pet parents select what they need." For example, this option is rated level three (out of four), meaning it's more advanced. More than 52,000 dog parents give it a five-star Amazon review.
Here's how it works: Fill the compartments with treats, then cover them. Your dog will have to remove the bones, flip open the lids and manipulate the sliders to get to the goodies inside.
This puzzle toy lets your dog see the kibble and roll the toy around with their paws or nose to get it out. Inside, it has a spiral that keeps all the food from falling out at once, so one hard roll won't totally derail the point of the game — to feed them slowly and keep them playing.
Tu loves snuffle mats and there are a wide variety available. Just hide treats in one for your dog to find and, for an extra dose of fun, find a crinkly version.
The 18-by-12-inch Paw 5 mat is made of non-toxic organic cotton designed to mimic "the look and feel of grass." Pet parents will appreciate that it's machine-washable.
This lick mat has four different textured surfaces to slow your dog down and keep them playing with their food. There are suction cups on the back to keep it in place on the floor. You can also spread a little peanut butter on it and try sticking it to a wall, which comes in handy when you're trying to bathe and groom your pup.
Tu says that the goal of puzzle toys isn't to stump your dog, so they don't have to be difficult. Some days they may want to roll a ball like this around; other days they might want a harder challenge.
Your dog will enjoy rolling this treat or kibble ball, which holds one cup of food. Pet parents will love that it twists open and splits in half, which makes it super easy to clean.
Tu explains that dogs instinctively want to sniff and hunt, which is usually done outside. But most of our pups only get to go outside for a small chunk of their day. However, a puzzle toy gives them the chance to sniff, scratch, dig and even hunt for their "prey" as they would in the natural sense, and that really helps with their mental health.
She also explains that dogs likely prefer to eat their food from a puzzle toy, based on a scientific concept called contrafreeloading. Essentially, research shows that some animals, when given a choice, prefer to work for food even when an identical meal is readily available. "That's where puzzle toys come in, or anything that they have to explore, look, dig, push around, play around with," Tu says, noting that the use of puzzle toys works with a dog's "natural instinct of how feeding should occur and all of that important behavior that relates to feeding."
She says you can use puzzle toys, snuffle mats, lick mats (especially good for fresh dog food) or even DIY your own toys, and switch it up regularly to keep things interesting. For example, she suggests hiding a puzzle toy under a blanket to keep things new and interesting. Of course, it might take a little extra time to feed your pup, but aren't they worth it?
Personally, I have a picky toy poodle. Some days, he surprises me and likes his fresh dog food as is. Other days, I have to top it with some chicken or salmon. Some days he opts for a little kibble out of my hand, but once I put it in a bowl, he loses interest. No matter what, though, he will always eat kibble and treats out of his puzzle toys, and Tu says this is an example of contrafreeloading. I thought it was just one of his funny quirks, but turns out there's a method to the madness! That said, I took her advice and tried feeding him his fresh food on a lick mat — and he ate it all up. I almost couldn't believe it.
Whether you have a picky eater, a fast eater or your dog falls somewhere in between, a puzzle feeder is an easy switch that will make your dog's life just a little bit better. Don't have one yet? Check out a few dog puzzle toys recommended by Dr. Tu and Amazon shoppers below.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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