The best Mental enrichment toys that your dog needs
Mental Enrichment Toys for Dogs; for dogs of all sizes
Just like humans, dogs need more than just physical exercise to stay happy and healthy. Mental stimulation is a key factor in keeping dogs engaged, preventing boredom, and addressing behavior issues. Mental enrichment toys are an easy and effective way to provide this stimulation, allowing dogs of all ages to exercise their brains while having fun.
Why Mental Enrichment is Important for Dogs
Dogs are naturally curious creatures. Without mental stimulation, they may become bored, which can lead to destructive behaviors such as chewing, excessive barking, and digging. Enrichment toys give dogs the chance to use their problem-solving skills, keeping their minds sharp while also expending energy in a positive way.
Incorporating mental stimulation into your dog’s daily routine has several benefits:
- Reduces boredom: Keeps your dog busy and engaged when you’re not able to provide attention. which in turn can reduce many naughty behaviors.
- Relieves stress and anxiety: Mental challenges can offer a sense of achievement, helping anxious or nervous dogs relax.
- Promotes healthy aging: For senior dogs, mental enrichment helps combat cognitive decline and maintains mental acuity.
Mental Enrichment Toys for Dogs of All Ages
Whether you have a playful puppy, an energetic adult dog, or a senior looking for some gentle engagement, mental enrichment toys can be tailored to suit any age group.
- Puppies: Puppies are naturally curious and love to explore. Mental enrichment toys help redirect their playful energy in a productive way. Puzzles, treat-dispensing toys, and interactive games can teach them patience, impulse control, and how to focus on a task.
- Adult Dogs: For adults, mental stimulation is a great complement to their physical exercise routine. Toys like snuffle mats, advanced puzzle games, and hide-and-seek games encourage them to problem-solve and think critically.
- Senior Dogs: Even though senior dogs might slow down physically, their minds still benefit from staying active. Choose mentally engaging toys that are low-impact but still challenge their problem-solving abilities, like gentle treat puzzles or scent-based games.
Our Favorite Mental Enrichment Toys
Here are a few of my personal top picks to get you started, these are toys my own dogs and clients absolutely love
Do you have your treats ready?
I use a mixture of treats, freeze dried food, air dried foods in my mental enrichment toys. By adding both small and larger size treats we can keep our pups engaged while preventing frustration.
-
$9.99This is the size my dogs use and are obsessed with!! My dogs are 4-18lbs.
This is my go to for new clients and I suggest stuffing it with small and large treats. While the small treats will fall out quickly it gives them a reward to keep them interested, while the larger treats will keep them going.
Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Durable
- Keeps dogs engaged
- Quiet, not a loud toy
Cons:04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
$11.99$9.96Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Durable
- Keeps dogs engaged
- Quiet, not a loud toy
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
4.8
This is one of my absolute favorite toys for puppies and seniors! But my adult dog loves it equally too.
Save 10% with code TAILSWTHNICOLE10 on Lambwolfs site
Buy Now from Lambwolf - code TAILSWTHNICOLE10 for 10%Pros:- It has lots of areas to hide various size treats
- It's quiet
- It's soft and perfect for a senior dogs mouth (or a puppies)
- Being quiet it's a great options for smaller dogs or dogs that may be fearful of new objects
- Great for dogs of all sizes
- Washable
Cons:- It's a soft plush toy, so this isn't meant for our dogs that destroy toys.
-
Hands down my dogs favorite toy (alongside the snoop). I love that this toy is adjustable in difficulty. It keeps htem busy and engaged.
Note: Fable discount code is only valid on all Fable brand or Fable products.
Buy Now on Amazon Buy from Fable - code tailswithnicole for 20% offPros:- Hours of endless fun!!
- Multiple treat hole sizes and ways to change difficulty - unlike any other similar product
- Quieter than the wobbler and the bob-a-lot
Cons:- Bit more money than the competitors
- One size only, might be too big for our tiny toy dogs under 8lbs.
-
$16.99Buy Now on AmazonPros:
- Can adjust treat hole size to make more difficult - but my dog just pushes it open
- Quieter than the KONG wobbler
- Cheaper (but not as advanced) version of the Fable Puffin
Cons:- Too easy for the dog to push open the sliding door to make the treat hole larger
04/19/2025 03:07 am GMT -
$19.99
I like the KONG wobbler, I really do but I do find there are better similar products on the market. This one is a bit cheaper if that is your main goal.
Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Lots of fun!! Most dogs absolutely love this
- Can unscrew to clean it
- Comes in two sizes
- Cheaper (but not as advanced) version of the Fable Puffin
Cons:- I find it's the noisiest of the three similar items on the market
- One treat hole size
- Can't increase difficulty - I add paper and a tennis ball inside mine but it's still basically one difficulty level
04/19/2025 03:36 am GMT -
$10.99Buy Now on AmazonPros:
- Comes in two sizes
- Can fit various size treats inside
- Not a loud toy
- Great for helping with keeping teeth healthy!
- Pretty durable!
Cons:- Bit impossible to clean
- Hard to get out treats that are really stuck in there
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
$299
My dogs are in love with this toy so it had to be included. Fast cat is my dogs favorite sport in the world. This allows him to do it at home (or in our case a park) but also allows his sister who is 16 to also do it slowly at her pace.
What an amazing way to give dogs an outlet to chase, run and have fun!
Buy Now from Swift Paws See our blog post on Fast CatPros:- Gives dogs an outlet to chase and run
- Will be your dogs favorite toy ever
- The bag they chase is made of cornstarch, just in case they do catch it it won't cause an obstruction
Cons:- You'll need a yard or go to a park to set up if you have a medium or large dogs. Smaller dogs (and cats) you can set up indoors on rugs for traction.
- Not the cheapest but well worth it for endless fun.
-
$12.99$10.95This is a great puzzle game for our dogs starting out with mental enrichment. While it's labeled level 2, I would skip right to this one!
Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Can make it easier by starting without the white bones
- Great for dogs of all ages and sizes
- Easy for our puppies and seniors too
- Pretty easy to clean
Cons:- Don't leave unattended as pieces come out and dogs can chew on them
- Does not get much harder, so while still enjoyable the pro dogs will finish it rather quickly.
04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
$11.99
The KONG Genius and the KONG Leo can connect together for our dogs that are more advanced with mental enrichment toys.
Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Not the easiest toy so keeps them trying.
Cons:- Not extremely durable, while it works great with my dogs I have seen dogs destroy this.
04/19/2025 03:07 am GMT -
$16.99Buy Now on Amazon
The KONG Genius and the KONG Leo can connect together for our dogs that are more advanced with mental enrichment toys.
04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
$11.99
Start with just something simple like peanut butter or yogurt and a few small treats. Once your dogs learns to lick and enjoy move up to sutffing it full, from fresh food, treats, veggies and more.
Be sure to get the right size! The large part of the KONG shouldn't fit in the back of your dogs mouth.
Need help picking the right KONG? Read our blog here.
Buy Now on AmazonPros:- Durable Natural Rubber
- Various sizes and strengths (colors) available
- Made in USA
- Fun to Chew
- Chase and Fetch
- Can keep dogs busy for hours.
Cons:- Stuff it properly to prevent frustration.
04/19/2025 03:37 am GMT -
$99.99Buy Now on Amazon Buy from iFetch and save
Endless fun, lets let the diggers dig. This my dogs all the time favorite toy. You can fit at least 6 digging panels inside it. These are not chew resistant, althoguh ours have had quite the beating. I do not recommend leaving this product out without supervision to make those flaps last even longer.
04/19/2025 02:53 am GMT -
Individual video reviews of some of these products:
With the right mental enrichment toys, you can help your dog stay mentally sharp, relieve stress, prevent many unwanted behaviors and engage in a positive way. Whether you have a puppy just starting out or a senior needing gentle stimulation, there’s an enrichment toy out there to suit your dog’s needs.
I can’t wait for your dog to have so much fun with these!
