Banish boredom and engage your pup’s brain with the best dog puzzle toys

With nine hidden compartments that are covered by bones, your dog will have to use their paws and nose to move them around and reveal the treat on the Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Orange Puzzle Dog Toy. You can make it more or less difficult for them by putting the bone flush to the board or elevating it slightly to make it easier. As each compartment is fairly deep, you can put up to 1/4 cup of water inside along with some kibble and freeze it so the treat part of the puzzle lasts for even longer.

Customers online appreciate the entertainment value and how busy this puzzle keeps their pup. There are mixed opinions on the durability of the puzzle, with some finding the bone covers to be a little flimsy but for the most part, reviewers agree that this is a good quality puzzle. There are over 138,000 reviews for Outward Hound puzzles so you know it's got to be a good one!

Described as having a medium level of difficulty, the TRIXIE Intelligence FlipBoard has sliders for your dog to slide over, a flip lever that they need to activate, and towers they need to knock over to get to the tasty treats inside to keep your pup engaged. It's designed with a rubber ring around the bottle to stop it from travelling as your pooch uses their nose and mouth to solve the puzzle. It's also dishwasher safe, making for easy clean-ups after every use.

With over 35,000 reviews and an average star rating of 4.3 out of 5, this TRIXIE puzzle is a paw-pular choice with dogs and their owners. It gets a big thumbs up (or should we say paw up?) from reviewers for being durable and of good quality. Some comments mention that they were surprised at the size of the puzzle and that it was smaller than they expected, but for smaller dogs, we think this will be the ideal size.

KONG is a renowned name in the world of dog toys, so you'll know the KONG Rewards Tinker For Dogs will be a good quality one for your pooch. It randomly dispenses treats through holes in six different spots throughout the toy to keep your hound guessing where they're next going to get a treat from. As your pup moves the toy, the treats will move around the tubes, and it will release them as it rolls and bounces about.

The size of this toy makes it a good fit for large pups. One review online says their dog managed to destroy it, so be wary if your pup is a strong chewer. However, as KONG is a reputable brand known for its strong and sturdy dog toys, this shouldn't be an issue for the average chewer.

If your dog is a chewer, you'll want to get them a pretty big and strong puzzle to stop them from sinking their teeth into it - the Starmark Bob-a-Lot Interactive Dog Toy is just that. On a surface level, it looks pretty basic compared to others we've featured, but it's a lot more difficult than it looks. You fill the centre with kibble or dry dog treats, adjust the opening at the bottom to make it more or less of a challenge, and then watch as your dog knocks it around the house, trying to get the treats out. As it wobbles and bobbles about, it provides your pup with a toy that will engage them in both physical and mental activity.

Customers love that this toy provides entertainment and has helped slow their pooch down at mealtimes. It dispenses kibble slowly enough for dogs to digest their food properly. Some reviewers have found this toy has scratched their hard floors as it's made from strong plastic, but the material is a big selling point for owners of dogs that usually chew their way through any toy.

The Brightkins Spinning Hydrants Treat Puzzle for Pets is a versatile toy that can adapt to your dog’s growing skills, making it a challenge from puppyhood into your dog’s adult years. It works by placing treats inside the hydrants, encouraging your dog to spin them with their paws or nose to release the hidden rewards. To increase the challenge, you can twist the tops of the hydrants to partially or fully close the treat holes, making it more difficult for your dog as they get better at solving the puzzle.

This toy is particularly engaging for curious and active dogs. Our Senior Writer, Rosie Floyd, tested this puzzle toy with her Cockapoo Bella and found that it worked really well to tire her out when she was full of energy before bedtime. Even with some enthusiastic chewing by Bella, Rosie found that the puzzle remained durable and robust, showing it could withstand a bit of rough play. Just be mindful that this toy does come with loose parts for the top of the hydrants, so if you’ve got a dog like Bella that likes to run off with whatever she can fit in her mouth, they may be able to chew it.

If you've got a dog that tends to gulp their food, the Elezenioc Dog Puzzle Slow Feeder should help them to slow down, which is better for their digestive health in the long run. Each of the 14 compartments is deep enough that you can stuff a good handful of kibble inside, so you can ensure your pup gets their full meal while having some fun at the same time. Your pooch will need to move the slots around with their nose and paws to uncover the tasty kibble underneath.

Customers value the overall build quality and entertainment value that this pup puzzle brings, but some said it needs to have better slip resistance as they've found the bottom of it slides around while their dog is solving the puzzle and chowing down.

With 22 compartments to hide treats in, the ADOGO Dog Puzzle Feeder Toy is a dog who's motivated by food's dream. Your pooch will be able to sniff out the food underneath each compartment and then use their snout to undercover each hidey-hole. The bottom of the puzzle is fitted with six anti-skid stands that keep the puzzle fixed to the floor.

Some reviewers say that the sliding compartments get a little stiff, so your pup may struggle to open them sometimes. However, after lots of use, they should ease up. Overall, though, this is highly rated by customers, with over 3,400 reviews.