The 17 Best Dog Toys for Mental Enrichment of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

There’s a reason the Kong Classic has been such a popular toy for so long; nearly every dog loves the challenge of playing with it. This rubber toy is shaped a little like the top of a creamy whipped ice cream. It’s empty in the center and can be filled with all sorts of goodies. Go simple and smear a little bit of peanut butter in it, or get more elaborate and pack it with canned pumpkin and some green beans. (It’s important not to block the small hole on the end because that’s key so suction doesn’t injure your dog. Poke a straw through it while you fill it and then remove it before serving.)

Traditional Kongs come in many sizes and strengths. In addition to the Kong Classic, there’s a gentle version for teething puppies, a softer version for seniors, and an extreme for aggressive chewers. They come in very handy to calm pups in a crate or to help stave off separation anxiety. The process of licking can be very soothing for a dog.

Kongs get slimy so it’s a good thing they are dishwasher safe. Most dogs figure out fairly quickly how to get into all the nooks and crannies, but some leave a few remnants that have to be scrubbed away. I recently discovered the Kong Cleaning Brush, which is a game changer. (Full disclosure: I have seven of these in my freezer right now that are filled with peanut butter and treats for my own rescue dog and for various foster puppies.) And, they’re not just durable, they’re affordable, too.

_{Dimensions: 1.4 x 2.25 inches (extra-small), 1.75 x 3 inches (small), 2.25 x 3.5 inches (medium), 2.75 x 4 inches (large), 3.5 x 5 inches (extra-large), 4 x 6 inches (XXL) | Materials: Rubber | Type of Enrichment: Treat-dispensing, licking}

Made out of the same soft but durable rubber of a Classic Kong toy, the Kong Tires is a wheel-shaped chew toy that can double as a treat dispenser. If your dog likes to gnaw, they’ll be challenged by the tough rubber. If just the fun of chewing isn’t enough, you can tuck treats into the inside of the toy or even freeze some peanut butter or yogurt in the groove.

The Kong tire comes in two sizes – small and medium/large – in an extreme version and a softer one for puppies. We’ve found that teething puppies like to soothe their gums on the soft but strong rubber. Plus, the shape makes it easy to grasp and carry around. One of our testers with a large dog who likes to chew found that the toy stood up well, but wished there was an even larger version for big dogs.

_{Dimensions: 3.5 x 1.25 inches (small), 4.5 x 1.5 inches (large),  | Materials: Rubber | Type of enrichment: Chewing, treat-dispensing}

Puppies don’t typically love to be left alone, but it’s important that they learn to self-soothe while you are away so they don’t develop separation anxiety. The Snuggle Puppy Heartbeat Stuffed Toy recreates the feel of another dog with warmth and a pulsing, battery-operated heartbeat. Puppies (and adult dogs) are usually drawn to the heat and the heartbeat and that helps ease anxiety.

While this stuffed animal doesn’t encourage rowdiness and playtime like most of the other toys on our list, snuggling and cuddling can be a kind of soothing enrichment of its own. The dog is obviously not for pups that like to de-stuff things. The heartbeat device and heat pack are both tucked inside in a Velcro-enclosed belly pocket. The disposable heat pack lasts about 24 hours and there are two AAA batteries included which last about two weeks if you use them round the clock. Choose your favorite color, as it comes in five including brown, biscuit, black, white, and brown and white.

_{Dimensions: 3 x 15 x 10 inches | Materials: Fabric | Type of Enrichment: Snuggling}

Puzzle toys are designed to keep your pup entertained and challenged while honing their problem-solving skills. This Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Hide N Slide Puzzle Toy is very popular and often recommended as a starting spot by trainers and veterinarians. It’s level two in difficulty, which requires intermediate skills which can be frustrating for some dogs. There are easier and also more challenging puzzles in the collection as well.

You can start by just placing treats in the grooves. Once your pup masters that, tuck kibble or snack into the holes on the puzzle and cover them either with the sliding knobs or the flippers or a combination of both. Your dog will learn to push the knobs or nudge the covers in order to reveal the prize. The parts are non-removable to avoid chewing and it’s relatively easy to clean with warm water and gentle soap. If your dog learns to flip the board to get the treats to fall out, try elevating it to a surface at nose level to make it more challenging.

_{Dimensions: 2 x 11.6 x 11.6 inches | Materials: Plastic and wood composite | Type of Enrichment: Puzzle, treat search}

The Outward Hound Hide A Squirrel provides the challenge of a peek-a-boo puzzle with the allure of lots of little squeaky plush toys. Dogs have to stick their snout into the holes in the soft, plush tree in order to pull out the squirrels. Each squirrel has a squeaker, so the game is satisfying for dogs that like the game, as well as those who find squeaky toys irresistible.

The toy comes in four sizes, with a varying number of squirrels. For example, the “Junior” size is a short stump with three plush squirrels, while “Ginormous” is an impressive 12 inches long and comes with six squirrels. The squirrels aren’t incredibly durable so, if your dog is eager, you might have to immediately tuck them back in the tree so they aren’t shredded as a chew toy.

My senior rescue dog is picky about playing these days, but he absolutely can’t resist the allure of these hiding squirrels. Usually, I’ll have a foster puppy nearby who will nab the squirrels as they are discovered and tossed into the air. Two can play at this game!

_{Dimensions: 4.5 inches long, 6.75 inches long, 7.25 inches long, 12 inches long | Materials: Fabric | Type of Enrichment: Puzzle, squeaky}

For ball-obsessed dogs, this Chuckit! Classic Ball Launcher lets you throw up to three times farther than a normal toss, and it’s easier because you don’t have to stoop over and over again to pick up your pup’s slimy ball. That can be more fun for everyone. The launcher comes with Chuckit’s trademark, durable orange ball, but you can also use tennis balls. You can get it in several sizes, so just make sure the ball is always big enough so it doesn’t get caught in your dog’s throat.

This is an outdoors toy (unless you want to break a lamp inside) and requires human/dog interaction, of course. Your dog gets exercise and you save your rotator cuff. Fervid fans say this is the only way they can play fetch with their very sporty dogs without injuring a shoulder or pulling a muscle. It comes in several sizes and there’s even a folding model to take on the road.

Dimensions: 14 inches, 18 inches, 25 inches, 26 inches | Materials: Plastic, rubber | Type of Enrichment: Exercise, human/dog interaction

Shaped like a large version of a traditional Kong toy, the Kong Wobbler has a twist-off top that lets you fill it with kibble or treats. There’s a small opening and when your dog nudges the toy just right, snacks pop out randomly. The base is weighted, so the toy always stays upright. But the wobbling is unpredictable, so even the most skilled pup will be challenged each time you use it.

The Wobbler comes in two sizes which can hold either one cup or half cup of food and is sturdy and hard to chew. The half-cup small Wobbler is for dogs 25 pounds or less, while the large size is for bigger dogs. Trainers and vets often recommend this dishwasher-safe toy to slow down pups at mealtime. Just a heads up, though, it can be very loud when it’s skittering across hardwood floors or hitting walls.

_{Dimensions: 6 x 5.3 inches (small), 7 x 6.5 inches (large) | Materials: Hard plastic polymer | Type of Enrichment: Food-dispensing}

The West Paw Zogoflex Qwizl is such a versatile toy. You can use it as a treat dispenser, particularly suited to holding a bully stick or other type of long chew. You can offer it as a durable and rugged chew toy all on its own. It’s also great for fetch – if a little heavy – and it floats, so you can take it to the beach or the pool. But our favorite way to use it is as a long-lasting enrichment toy. Smear some peanut butter in the grooves, poke in some treats, and freeze it. 

The Qwizl really stands up to tough chewers. One of our test pups gnawed on it over and over again and barely made a dent in it. The dog lost interest when there wasn’t a treat inside, so it’s definitely more enticing when there’s something fun to retrieve. The Qwizl is dishwasher safe but is pretty easy to clean with just some soapy water. It comes in two sizes and several fun colors.

Dimensions: 5.5 inches (small), 6.5 inches (large) | Materials: Zogoflex, a rubber-like material | Type of enrichment: Treat-dispensing, fetch, chew toy

At any one time, we have at least three or four of these in the freezer, ready to entertain a dog at mealtime. It’s a bowl-shaped toy with ridges in the bottom to hold treats in place and comes in three sizes and three different colors. There’s a heavy, solid bottom to keep it from tipping over and a hole that can dispense snacks. But the Toppl is best when it’s filled and frozen to make dinner challenging and to slow down quick eaters. I particularly like to use them with my dog who gulps his dinner and for foster puppies so they take their time and have fun at mealtime.

There are all sorts of fancy concoctions you can also try–like layers of yogurt, pumpkin, fruits and vegetables, or peanut butter. But one simple trick is to just soak your dog’s kibble in some warm water and then scoop it into the Toppl and freeze. There’s a brand-new Toppl Stopper that you can buy to plug the hole while you fill it so nothing seeps out.

On its own, the Toppl isn’t very tricky for dogs to use. But you can nest a small one upside-down inside a larger one to make a more entertaining dispenser for non-frozen treats. Always supervise your pet as if they’re an aggressive chewer they can gnaw off pieces of this toy. It’s dishwasher-safe, making it easy to keep clean.

_{Dimensions: 7.09 x 5.51 x 3.15 inches (small), 8.27 x 6.69 x 4.33 inches (large) | Materials: Zogoflex, a rubber-like material | Type of Enrichment: Food-dispensing}

A lick mat is typically a piece of silicone that has all sorts of little nubs made into patterns on the surface. You smear something tempting like canned pumpkin, yogurt, or peanut butter on it and your pup has to work at getting the snacks out of all the crannies.

The Mighty Paw Dog Lick Pad has four distinct areas with different textures. The easy quadrant has squares for simple licking, while the others have more tightly packed nubs for anxiety relief and distraction. At 9 x 6 inches, it’s smaller than some other pads. It has strong suction cups to keep it in place. This particularly comes in handy on the tub or shower wall at bathtime. The mat is made of dishwasher-friendly food-safe silicone and comes in orange or green.

It can be difficult to keep lick mats clean and some dogs get frustrated trying to get out the tiniest remainders. Be sure to keep an eye on your dog so that they don’t chew on the rubber.

_{Dimensions: 9 x 6 inches | Materials: Silicone | Type of Enrichment: Licking}

Snuffle mats are designed to keep your pup mentally challenged while slowing them down at meal time. There are typically strips of fabric and shirred pieces of felt where you can hide treats and kibble. Then dogs use their noses to sniff out all the snacks. This DogNmat Taco Snuffle Dog Toy has a very cute design. It’s wrapped up like a taco, but enroll it and there are lots of spots to tuck in treats.

This snuffle taco has crinkly areas and a squeaker so there are other interesting sensations while your pup eats … and plays. It’s relatively small compared to traditional snuffle mats, so it’s probably a better choice for little pups or for travel. But it’s also a good option if your dog is new to snuffling. It’s machine-washable and easy to clean, but still smarter to use kibble or dry treats for hide and seek. Moist food could make a mess.

_{Dimensions: 12 inches | Materials: Fabric | Type of Enrichment: Treat hunting}

Our tester dog didn’t seem very interested in the KONG Jumbler until someone squeaked it. Then it was game on. This toy is a flexible ball with an attached handle that has a tennis ball that rolls around inside. But the best part (for dogs) is probably the super loud squeaker that gets pups excited.

The ball is very durable and comes in two sizes and a host of colors. The handle makes it easy for a dog (or person) to pick it up and carry it around. The material seems sturdy and requires pretty much effort to get the squeak, so dogs have to work hard to get the noise they want. Our tester’s dog was so intrigued by the sound that it was an easy way to call the pup when they weren’t nearby.

_{Dimensions: 5.5 inches; 7 inches | Materials: Plastic, rubber | Type of enrichment: Fetch, squeaky}

The WOOF Pupsicle is a nifty toy that will keep your dog occupied for quite a while. It is made of non-toxic rubber and is easy to use. Simply unscrew the toy, and fill it with a treat. While Woof has pre-made Pupsicle Pops that you can purchase separately, you can also make homemade dog treats with the DIY Treat Tray (also sold separately) that is shaped to fit in the toy. It doesn’t require a ton of effort; I’ve mixed chicken broth and water and tucked in some carrot pieces. You can also use mixes of yogurt, canned pumpkin, or wet dog food.

Whether your pup is small or large, the WOOF Pupsicle comes in three sizes: small, large, and extra large. The brand recommends letting your dog have it for 20 to 40 minutes to enjoy, and always supervise them during playtime. Aggressive chewers have been known to chew the toy itself. but there is a heavy duty version, the Power Chewer Pupsicle, which can hold up more substantially to powerful chomps. When playtime is over, it’s easy to clean. Just open, rinse, and pop it into the dishwasher as it’s dishwasher-safe.

_{Dimensions: 2.9 x 2.9 x 2.2 inches (small), 3.6 x 3.6 x 2.8 inches (large), 4.78 x 4.78 x 3.8 inches (x-large) | Materials: Rubber | Type of Enrichment: Treat-dispensing, licking}

Particularly when they are teething, puppies like to chew in order to soothe their sore gums. The Yomp ChillChew Teether Toy is a durable but soft silicone that stands up to those sharp puppy teeth. It can also be frozen to really help ease aching gums.

The Yomp is for soft to medium chewers. It’s tough, but it likely won’t stand up to very aggressive play. It’s for dogs in the 15 to 60-pound range so not for really tiny or really huge pups. We like that the toy has Y-shaped cutouts where you can tuck in kibble or treats to entertain your dog even longer. Our tester particularly liked the minty green color because it didn’t look like all the other toys and was easy to find in the toybox.

_{Dimensions: 4.5 x 3.7 x 1.6 inches | Materials: Silicone | Type of Enrichment: Chewing}

Slow feeder bowls are a good way to make your dog take a breath at mealtime. They have to chase pieces of kibble around a maze instead of just gulping down big mouthfuls of food. The Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo Bowl has a simple, circular design and comes in two sizes. It’s relatively easy to figure out for most dogs, but still slows them down when eating. We also love the Outward Hound Flower Fun Feeder which might be a teeny bit harder for dogs to figure out.

Instead of just dumping kibble in the bowl, you can make things a little more challenging by adding kibble and either some water or unsalted broth. Then freeze it. You can also add any extras like some cut-up fruits or veggies or a dollop of yogurt to really engage your dog’s taste buds. The bowl is safe in the top rack of the dishwasher, but you may need to really give it a good soak and scrubbing, depending on what food you put in it.

_{Dimensions: 9.5 x 8 x 2.65 inches, 12.75 x 11 x 2.88 inches | Materials: Plastic | Type of Enrichment: Puzzle, treat dispenser}

The Lambwolf Collective Monti Snuffle Ball is a soft ball with tightly entwined pieces where you can hide all sorts of treats, encouraging your dog to use their nose to sniff them out. Tuck in kibble or other snacks throughout the ball, but maybe avoid anything smelly or wet. The ball comes apart in three flat strips for washing, but you have to either spot clean it or soak it in water with some detergent. 

Our tester was able to strategically place treats so that their pup took quite a while to find them all. Even a dog who is a pro with puzzle toys was stumped – in a good way – when playing with this ball because it’s so challenging. We are a little concerned that the fabric might not be incredibly durable, especially with an aggressive chewer. Definitely take it away when your dog has found all the snacks.

_{Dimensions: 6 inches | Materials: Fabric | Type of Enrichment: Puzzle, treat dispenser}

A dog’s nose is at least 100,000 times more sensitive than a human’s nose, meaning their sniffer is always working hard. Hide and Scent Pets is designed to take advantage of that super-smelling sense for a fun game of hide and seek. The kit includes a ceramic stone that has been treated with a natural scent. It comes with a pouch and a lanyard and directions on how to play.

Start by rewarding your dog each time they sniff the stone. Then place the stone in a different place, again rewarding your pet with treats or praise when they sniff it. Play in small bursts, but make the search gradually more challenging. Hide it in the room or wear it and hide yourself, rewarding your dog each time they find the stone.

The scent should last at least six months, particularly if you store it between sessions in the included resealable bag. You can buy replacement stones in scents like rainforest, ocean, and woodland creatures.

_{Dimensions: 1.5 inches (stone), 4 x 3.5 inches (pouch) | Materials: Ceramic, nylon | Type of Enrichment: Smell; hunting}