Our Favorite Puzzle Games For Back To School Scaries!

Back-to-School Brain Games: Our Favorite Dog Puzzle Toys

When the back-to-school season hits, our pups can feel the shift just as much as we do. The house might suddenly be quieter, routines are changing, and that extra attention they soaked up all summer long may not be as steady during the week. For dogs, this can mean boredom — and boredom often turns into mischief. That’s where puzzle games come in!

At Walkin’ Paws, we’re big believers in giving pups not just physical exercise, but also mental exercise. Just like kids heading back into the classroom need new challenges, our dogs thrive when we challenge their brains. Puzzle games are one of the best ways to do this — they keep your dog busy, engaged, and satisfied (without getting into the trash or chewing up a shoe).

Why Puzzle Games Matter for Dogs

Dogs are natural problem-solvers. In the wild, they’d spend their days hunting, sniffing, and working to find food. In our homes, they often get meals served to them in a bowl — quick and easy, but not very enriching. Puzzle toys bring back some of that natural challenge and reward cycle: your dog has to think, sniff, paw, or nudge their way to a tasty prize.

Some benefits we’ve seen firsthand with our boarding pups:

• Keeps boredom at bay – especially helpful when they’re home alone.

• Provides mental stimulation – a “tired brain” is just as good as a “tired body.”

• Slows down fast eaters – puzzle feeders can be a lifesaver for dogs who inhale their meals.

• Builds confidence – solving puzzles gives dogs a sense of accomplishment.

• Reduces anxiety – focusing on a task can be calming for nervous pups.

Honestly, some of our guests love their puzzles so much that they’ll trot them right over to us as if to say, “Again, please!”

Our Tried-and-True Favorite Puzzle Games

Here are a few puzzle toys we’ve personally used (and loved) with our boarding dogs. You can find them all on Amazon — I’ll link each one for you so you can check them out:

• Outward Hound Hide N’ Slide Puzzle Game – a classic beginner-friendly option.

• Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado Puzzle – spins and hides treats at different difficulty levels.

• KONG Classic Dog Toy – the ultimate stuff-it-and-freeze puzzle toy.

• Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Plush Toy – not food-based, but fantastic for play and problem-solving.

• Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Interactive Puzzle – has sliding compartments for a bigger challenge.

• Snuffle Mat for Dogs – lets pups use their nose to “hunt” for hidden kibble.

• Starmark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Feeder – wobbles and dispenses food, perfect for mealtime enrichment.

How We Use Puzzle Toys in Our Routine

We like to rotate puzzles so dogs don’t get bored with the same one every day. For example, we might freeze peanut butter and banana in a KONG for an afternoon snack, use a snuffle mat at dinner to slow things down, and pull out a Hide N’ Slide during a rainy-day play session.

If you’re new to puzzle toys, start with something simple and easy to “win.” Success builds confidence, and from there you can work up to more challenging puzzles.

Whether your dog is home adjusting to the back-to-school quiet or they’re here boarding with us, puzzle toys are one of the easiest (and most fun) ways to keep them happy, healthy, and busy. If you try any of these games with your pup, let us know which one becomes their favorite — we love hearing success stories!