Best training toys, interactive feeders, and food puzzles

Dog feeding and interactive food puzzles provide mental and physical exercise, decrease anxiety and boredom, increase problem-solving skills, and release pent-up energy. These are some of the best on the market and are used by professional trainers in the industry.

More Fetch Worthy Enrichment Ideas for your Dog!
*on Shelly’s Google Docs

Canine Enrichment Videos

Westpaw Toppl Toy

Food Enrichment for frustrated Puppies and Adult Dogs who don’t engage well with a Kong. If your dog gives up easily, this is an easy and unique way to feed meals, and snacks and use them for *preventing separation anxiety in puppies. Puppies need to exercise their jaw muscles, and adult dogs too! Chewing, licking, and sniffing are natural stress relievers for dogs. Shop.

Most Kongs and West Paw Toppl (shop small size)can use wet food, dry food, and many other food options. Watch this video to learn more.

New Puzzle Toys for Your Dog

The latest dog enrichment food dispenser and puzzle toys and how to use them. Shop for Flying Disc by Nina Ottosson.

Brain games and food puzzles for mental stimulation, including foraging, sniffing, licking, and chewing. These are the newest dog food toys and puzzles on the market.
Canine enrichment toys for adults and puppies. Learn about different dog toys, food puzzles, and enrichment options with this how-to-use tutorial.
DIY – affordable Canine Enrichment at home for puppy training and adult dogs.

Enrichment Suggestions:

Jump to:

  • The Snuffle Mat – Washable snuffle mat
  • Buddy Butter – Peanut butter made with recipes for hip and joints, stress, anxiety, and sensitive stomachs.
  • The Kong Company – Kong store, recipes, and toys
  • The Flirt Pole – Train and Play with your dog using a teaser wand teaching your dog, the cues to drop it and more.
  • Lickimat – Licking is way dogs can relieve stress, boredom, and anxiety.
  • Westpaw Toppl Toy – Feeder for dogs frozen or fresh.
  • Sniffy Walk – Decompression dog walks allow sniffing.

Buddy Butter & More

A provider of dog-friendly peanut butter “Buddy Butter”! Specialty formulas of PB for dogs like Relaxed Rover (anxiety and stress relief), hip and joint, and probiotics for a healthy digestive system. *includes some affiliate links.

Bark Bistro Company

Snuffle Mat!

Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors so why let them go to waste? Engage your dog through sniffing. how to use a snuffle mat so your dog can use their natural abilities to sniff and hunt for food. Plus, this is an excellent mental game that will keep your dog busy when you’re away. This snuffle mat is machine washable, and excellent for daily use.

Shelly Haines & Kai show us how to use a “Snuffle Mat
Shop for Snuffle Mat! *Available in different colors!

The Kong Company

Using interactive feeders for meal times instead of the bowl is the most effective way to use enrichment. Focus on activities and canine enrichment products that allow for licking, chewing, and sniffing. Kongs are durable and take dry and wet food, there are other options on the market. My favorite is the Wobbler, tugs, toys, and classic Kong.

*Fetch Worthy may receive commissions on affiliate links.

Learn about KONG and how to find the right Kong and toys for your dog.

The Kong Website (more options)

How to make a Kong Video

Lickimat!

Lickimat

Perfect for Wet Food, Treats, Pumpkin, Yogurt, and Peanut Butter.

Did you know being able to lick is a stress reliever for dogs?  

FUN way to keep your dog engaged, active, and enriched to prevent annoying and destructive behaviors.

Does your dog hate grooming? Use a suction lick mat during grooming!

Lickimat Recipes from Best Buddy Dog Products:
  1. Spread xylitol-free peanut butter over the mat and freeze for 2 hours.
  2. Spread canned dog food and either freeze and serve or heat and serve.
  3. Spread plain xylitol-free yogurt over the mat then drizzle 5 drops of vanilla extract over the yogurt. …
  4. Spread PB over the mat and sprinkle Pumpkin Fiber & Rawberry Boost.

Sniffy Walks

A sniffy walk is a type of canine enrichment, which allows dogs to engage in their innate behaviors, making them more likely to be physically, emotionally, and mentally satisfied.

My lessons include meeting your dog’s needs through mental, physical, and emotional enrichment. In the natural world, dogs aren’t on leashes, behind fences, or living in homes. They’re out sniffing, hunting, playing, exploring, and mating.

The simplest thing you can do for your dog is to take them out on a long line, with a harness, at a quiet time of day, outside of your neighborhood, and open space. Take your training food and practice cues, if done correctly, you’ll notice a significant improvement in your dog’s behavior.

Long Line Gear: Viper Biothane waterproof long line or Basic 33 ft Long Lead *offered October – May

Dog Training Tools

“Front Range” Dog Harness

Ruffwear’s Front Range dog harness is a padded, adjustable harness with multiple attachment points for your leash. They work by allowing a full range of shoulder movement without digging into your dog’s shoulder blades or neck area. They’re excellent for sniffy walks too. Best for dogs that no longer pull or have mild pulling.

Shop Front Range Dog Harness

The Flirt Pole for Dogs

Play chase, tug, and keep your hands and feet safe!

The dog flirt pole works by converting the natural prey drive instinct in your dogs into exercise as they attempt to catch the lure by sprinting, changing direction, and jumping, perfect for small to large pets to chase and tug of war.

About 10-15 minutes with the flirt pole will wear your overly energetic dog out. It is also an excellent training tool to teach release drop-it, leave-it, take-it, sit and wait.

Shop

Behavior & Training

We do not use methods from outdated dominance theory, pack leadership, or alpha dog theory. Shop for the guide to help you understand your dog’s behavior without the use of outdated methods.
Meet Your Dog, by Kim Brophey, Raymond Coppinger, et al.

Dr. Marty Becker, DMV: “Signs of anxiety and fear

Take a look at this list and if you notice any of these behaviors don’t hesitate to schedule a virtual consultation.

Click to view Dr. Marty Becker list of fear and anxiety signals

Free Dog Training Courses

Building your dog’s confidence starter course Victoria Stilwell in her free demo course to learn how confidence affects your dog’s behaviors and how to measure and improve your dog’s confidence.

Enroll in VSA’s Free Starter Course Now

Being a Good Pet Neighbor

Join Victoria Stilwell in her free demo course on how to keep your dog and neighborhood happy and safe.

Enroll in VSA’s Being a Good Pet Neighbor Now