Puppy Brain Games: Food Containing Toys

Food containing toys are both fun and functional! Benefits may include:

• Helping puppies learn to self-entertain
• Mental stimulation for higher energy puppies
• Providing an emotional outlet for puppies to decompress after an exciting or stressful experience
• Offering opportunities for puppies to engage in naturally calming licking, chewing, and foraging behavior in an appropriate context

Sometimes we think “my puppy doesn’t like food toys” or “they just give up” when a puppy hasn’t been taught how to successfully work the puzzle. Check out the tips below to help puppies discover the joy of solving puzzles for food rewards! Gradual, supported introductions can be a lot of fun and prevent puppies from becoming frustrated or disinterested in working for the food.

Note that not all puzzles are the same level of difficulty! Your goal should be to choose puzzles that are engaging and take some time to complete, but not causing frustration or destructive behavior.

Remember to reduce the puppy’s next meal size to account for the food you use in these toys!

Food containing toy examples included on this page:

• The Wobbler (or other durable, similar kibble-dispensing toys)
• Stuffed Kongs (or other durable, similarly stuffable toys)
• Snuffle Mats
• Lick Mats (or other food-smeared toys)
• Puzzle Toys

Preparing the Wobbler
Measure out the kibble and pour it in the Wobbler. Tighten the Wobbler firmly so it doesn’t come unscrewed while the puppy is playing!

Getting Started
When first offering kibble in the Wobbler toy, some puppies can be a bit suspicious or hesitant to push the toy enough for food to come out. Sit with the pup and help them out if needed. Be sure to cheer them on for their efforts and successes!

Here’s a Tip!

• Do a demo! Tip the Wobbler to make food come out and allow the pup to eat the food that falls out
• Put the Wobbler on a blanket or carpet so the toy is less noisy and more likely to tip instead of sliding
• Start with at least a quarter cup of kibble in the Wobbler. It can be challenging when there are only a few pieces of kibble inside!

What’s Next?
Once the puppy understands the toy, the Wobbler is a great solo activity for the YES space or other small, uncluttered, enclosed areas such as a patio or picked up bathroom. Using the Wobbler loose in the house can be a bit chaotic and frustrating if you have furniture the Wobbler (or kibble) can get stuck under!

To make the Wobbler more challenging for an experienced puppy, the hole can be made smaller by partially blocking it with duct tape on the inside of the Wobbler so kibble falls out more slowly. No duct tape on the outside; that is too tempting for the pup to pluck it off! You can also put another toy (like a ball) inside the Wobbler to slow things down.

Like any toy, check the Wobbler regularly for wear and tear. If the pup is determined to chew the toy, this may not be the right option for them!

Kibble soaked in water makes a great stuffed Kong. Offer a loosely stuffed Kong to the puppy and celebrate the pup’s brilliance at working on the puzzle! You can help by pointing them to the opening and even holding it still for them at first. Once they’ve gotten the idea of licking pieces of kibble out of the Kong, you’re ready to try a frozen one!

Stuffing and Freezing the Kong for an Experienced Pup
The first time you freeze a Kong, the kibble should only be lightly soaked and loosely stuffed to prevent it from becoming a ‘block’ of food in the Kong. Once puppies are stuffed Kong experts, soak as long as you want, and really stuff that food in to make it more challenging!

If the puppy never shows interest, or becomes unwilling once you freeze the Kong or when you walk away, reach out for additional troubleshooting suggestions!

Here’s a Tip!
You can soak kibble directly in the Kong by putting the toy upside down in a mug or glass, dropping in some dry kibble, then adding water!

Snuffle mats come in all shapes and sizes. The idea is for puppies to use their nose to sniff and pick out the kibble from the surrounding fabric. The first time you introduce a snuffle mat, gently sprinkle the kibble on top of the mat. The kibble should be easy for the pup to eat up! For pups who have experience using a snuffle mat, you can start to bury the kibble in the fabric to increase the level of challenge.

What if…

• The puppy is losing interest? You can help the puppy find those last pieces of kibble, or just pick up the mat. This is a completely optional activity for pups who enjoy snuffling – so don’t stress if your pup would rather not!
• The puppy picks up the mat and dumps the kibble everywhere? You may have made the kibble too hard to find too quickly! Thrashing and digging are often signs of frustration – or creativity! If a pup seems convinced that the most effective way to eat from a snuffle mat is by dumping the kibble out, it may not be the game for them!

Here’s a Tip!
Be sure to watch for a pup that’s chewing or attempting to ingest any of the fabric. Put it away after the pup is finished snuffling to reduce the risk of destructive chewing or ingestion.

Preparing the Lick Mat

Commercially available lick mats are generally made of silicone with ridge designs and are great for entertaining pups while keeping them in one place. Try adding a small amount of soft dog-safe food (like nut butter or plain yogurt) to the mat for a quick puzzle! Once the pup gets the idea of licking (and not nibbling!), you can also smear food and then freeze the mat to make it a little more challenging.

Here’s a Tip!

• If you have a pup with a sensitive stomach, try using the canned food version of their regular kibble, or even soak and smear their regular food instead.
• Limit non-kibble foods to no more than 10% of a pup’s diet on a given day to ensure they are getting all the nutrients they need to grow and you don’t accidentally upset their tummy!
• Be sure to watch for a pup that’s chewing or attempting to ingest the mat. Put it away after the pup is finished licking to reduce the risk of destructive chewing or ingestion.
• Try smearing food on other ridged toys for another quick treat or mental puzzle!

There are so many different puzzle toys on the market to choose from! Some puzzles are easier than others. When you introduce a new toy, see if you can make it easier the first few times. For example, if a puzzle toy has various hidden kibble compartments, fill all the compartments with kibble the first few times the puppy plays with the toy. You can even demonstrate how to manipulate the puzzle using your hand and cheer the pup on as they investigate. As the pup improves their skills, allow them to solve the puzzle more independently and see how you can make the puzzle more challenging!

Just like snuffle and lick mats, watch out for attempts to chew or destroy the puzzle toy. If the pup is persistently rough with the toy, or gives up quickly, it may not be the right option for them!