Our favorite dog puzzles to keep our dog busy - Best toys for mental stimulation & brain development

Our dog is a Pomsky that requires a lot of attention. We have found that dog puzzles were great dog toys to keep our dog busy and stimulate our dog’s brain development. When dogs are not fully occupied and get bored, they can become destructive and get into trouble.
Dog owners often think about their dog’s physical activity, but they don’t always think about their dog’s mental stimulation. Our dog is a Pomsky. Pomskies are smart dogs and they are full or energy. Our dog has played with dog puzzles since she was a puppy and still plays with dog puzzles as an adult dog. Puzzles are a great toy for both your dog’s physical activity and your dog’s brain development while having a fun time doing both.
This video features some of our favorite dog puzzles. Dog puzzles have different difficulty levels from easy puzzles for puppies and beginners, to intermediate difficulty puzzles for smart breeds and adult dogs, to advanced puzzles for expert dogs and dogs that are just too smart for their own goods.
This video is sponsored by Nina Ottosson of Sweden www.nina-ottosson.com. Our dog has used Nina Ottosson’s Outward Hounds puzzles since she was a puppy. It is a brand that we use and trust and are happy to recommend to other dog owners. But we also feature in this video dog puzzles from other brands, such as Trixie Dog Activity or JW Pet.
Dog puzzles featured in this video include
Nina Ottosson’s Dog Smart puzzle, a Level 1 dog puzzle (easy difficulty),
Nina Ottosson’s Dog Brick puzzle, a Level 2 dog puzzle (intermediate difficulty),
Nina Ottosson’s Dog Casino puzzle, a Level 3 dog puzzle (advanced difficulty),
Nina Ottosson’s Dog Twister puzzle, a Level 3 dog puzzle (advanced difficulty),
Nina Ottosson’s Dog Worker puzzle, a Level 3 dog puzzle (advanced difficulty),
Nina Ottosson’s Challenge Slider puzzle, a Level 3 dog puzzle (advanced difficulty),
Trixie’s Flip Bone Dog Activity puzzle, a Level 1 dog puzzle (easy difficulty),
Trixie’s Push Away Dog Activity puzzle, a Level 2 dog puzzle (intermediate difficulty),
Trixie's Poker Box Vario Strategy game, a Level 2 dog puzzle (intermediate difficulty),
JW Pet’s Treat Tower
We also want to thank Yeti Dog Treats www.yeti.pet, the other sponsor of this video. Their dog treats Cheesy Beef Bites and Cheesy Chicken Bites are great treats to use in puzzles because they are all-natural dog treats
and can easily be broken down into small pieces that fit into the dog puzzle compartments. By breaking them down into small pieces, we can use only two or three dog treats for a whole dog puzzle.
Instagram accounts of the various Pomskies featured in this video:
Beedi: @beedi_the_pomsky
Rocko: @rockothepomsky
Cooper: @cuteness_with_cooper
Sophie: @sophie_the_pomsky
Loki: @the.pomsky.loki
Shameless plug for our own Instagram account: james_and_laurent
Because Pomskies are so popular, there are some not-so-reputable breeders that have been breeding Pomskies to make quick bucks. You want to make sure your Pomsky comes from a reputable Pomsky breeder with a long track record. Our Pomsky came from Oxsana Perfect Pomsky, one of the oldest Pomsky breeders in the US. You can follow Oxsana Perfect Pomsky on the following social media:
Instagram: @oxsanaperfectpomsky
Facebook: Oxsana Perfect Pomsky puppies
Website: www.perfectpomsky.com

[@JamesandLaurent]

This video is part of our playlist featuring tips and training advice for first time Pomsky puppy owners: kzbin.info/aero/PLCQCXQqQUvKDCqy_weiHoT88xG4mEo97d

[@petitechouette3592]

🇫🇷☕️💕👍Yes, I will watch more of you video 😄

[@kylelaherty9747]

I didn’t even know these puzzles even existed. They look amazing!

[@JamesandLaurent]

We didn't know either until our neighbor told us. We're so glad he did, because they are great to keep Beedi occupied and entertained.

[@carlapasserini2835]

Hi you guys I like the puppies 👍👍👍

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. It's our pastime while we cannot travel. But we should get back to travelling videos later this month ✈️✈️✈️, hopefully 🙏🙏🙏.

[@channahcastelobranco]

❤️❤️,,🐕🐶

[@JamesandLaurent]

:)

[@C-arnalism]

wow so cute

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks you. Are you going to get one?

[@chelscog]

Great video! My dog is very food motivated, and I recently introduced him to a snuffle mat. He LOVES working for his food, and I want to try puzzles next. This was very helpful! Thank you!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Let us know how he likes it. We still use these puzzles on a daily basis, even though Beedi is not that food motivated. She just loves them.

[@franfranfrancis]

Thanks guys!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Our pleasure!

[@williamstorms3262]

Fabulousssss

[@JamesandLaurent]

We hope your dog loves them :)

[@twosongs7396]

Thank you, Guys🖖

[@JamesandLaurent]

You're very welcome!

[@OutwardHoundBrand]

Thank you so much for reviewing our Nina Ottosson puzzles!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Our pleasure! Beedi has been a big fan ever since she was a puppy 💖💖.

[@SoooOriginal]

Great and very informative video. Its helpful to see your little cutie actually working through the puzzles.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Glad it was helpful! She still plays with them every day. Best toys we ever bought.

[@viejodelentes6079]

I didn't know these existed, they're awesome. 👍

[@JamesandLaurent]

They absolutely are!

[@ysplaylist2345]

awww so sweet, thanks for sharing friend. All the way from New Zealand. Keep in touch and have a good rest of your week!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thank you! You too!

[@petrus661953]

Thanks so much! Very helpful since the makers ads were not very explanatory.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Glad it was helpful! Puzzles have been a life saver for us. Beedi still used her puzzles yesterday, even though she's had them for two years.

[@psunder3557]

I am getting a Pomsky in a couple weeks and your videos have been very helpful as I am preparing for her. Love the puzzles!

[@JamesandLaurent]

These puzzles have been a life saver for us. We hope you also watched our video called 'Is a Pomsky the right dog for you?' kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2GQf6iLhtdneaM

[@sophierix619]

I got my pomsky Luca the brick for his first puzzle as your recommendation and he loved it, we will 100%? be getting more

[@JamesandLaurent]

We're glad he did. Beedi still uses it pretty much every day and never got bored with it :).

[@patriotsongs]

Nina Ottosson now has one Level 4 puzzle. My Sheltie figured out the brick in no time, and when I got another Level 2 toy, he figured it out in 2 or 3 minutes. Definitely time to move up the ladder.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Absolutely :)

[@charinacupcake3436]

Thanks for this video. Super helpful!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Let us know how they work out for you. We'd love to know. Coincidentally, we just put Beedi's orange juice bottle back into her toy box after she just played with it for 20 minutes. Still going strong almost a year after we filmed this video :)

[@Yellowlabratory]

This video is great. I’m gonna check out your whole channel. Great review of puzzles. Wray is ready to upgrade to level 2

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks so much. We hope Wray enjoy these puzzles. Beedi plays with them on a daily basis and never got tired of them.

[@rustygrilla]

I will be getting my dog a puzzle for sure, hope you guys are well!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Fantastic! We hope your puppy enjoys them.

[@PirateOfTheNorth]

My Keeshond started at level 2 too. I am surprised how smart he is.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Smart dogs don't need to start at Level 1.

[@asingleton8295]

Wow! I'm excited to try this brand of puzzles. The Kong is still working, but variety is the good ol' spice of life! I've never heard of either the puzzle brand or the food brand in this video so thanks for the new options!🐶

[@JamesandLaurent]

Hope you (and your dog) enjoy it!

[@aussiebushgirl1829]

I am in the market for upgrading the expertise level for my mini poodle, and this video has given me the nod to go ahead. Thanks Beedi and Boys!

[@JamesandLaurent]

You're welcome. We hope your dog enjoys them. For us, they have been a blessing :).

[@khanhhm5762]

Hi James and Laurent: I found this video because I was looking for reviews of the Nina Ottosson toys. Thank you for posting; I thought your presentation was great and very well done, as well as your explanations of each product. Briefly about me and my dog: I'm a woman living in the midwest of the States with my 76 lbs working German Shepherd. He acts as my eyes when we are navigating, and boy, is he a power rocket dog, just what I need and love! We do go on very long walks, but being very high drive, he thrives on going to destinations--finding doors, counters, and navigating through crazy environments with lots of pressure and that require him to constantly think and make rapid fire decisions. Due to Covid, we aren't doing that, so I have been trying to find other things to keep his brain busy. I recently started introducing the concept of puzzle toys to him. We're starting out really simple--putting food in a Gnawt A Rock toy from Ruffwear. I ordered the Wobble Ball by Nina Ottosson, and depending on how things go, I hope to introduce him to all of her puzzles systematically. What I really appreciate is that these puzzles challenge handler and dog to play together. I love training my dog, so this will be interesting for both of us. Thank you for this video; I have subscribed to your channel, and I hope you all are safe and healthy. Take care.

[@JamesandLaurent]

We hope your dog enjoys these puzzles. We are biased because Nina Ottosson sponsored our video. But we're the oens who reached out to them, because we liked their product in the first place as a customer, not the other way around. We use these puzzles on a daily basis. Even though Beedi knows them all by heart now, she still enjoys them.

[@khanhhm5762]

@@JamesandLaurent Hi James and Laurent: Thank you for your responses to both of my comments. (I never comment to get a response or even expect one, but I always welcome and appreciate them.) Because my dog HughBrew/HughSter/HR is very new to the concept of toy puzzles, I am taking little baby steps. I'm introducing him to the Wobble Ball/slow feeder tomorrow, then I plan to introduce the Dog Smart puzzle next week. As a guide dog, he was raised to only eat from a standard bowl and take treats from me (but only after I give him a marker). So this toy puzzle deal is even more weird to him than others because he's like: "Ummm no, I don't think I'm supposed to do that." I'm looking forward to introducing him to the Nina Ottosson puzzles. It will be great learning opportunities for both of us and allow him to use instincts like nosing and sniffing--things that he's asked not to do when guiding. * * * Speaking of the effort that goes into making videos, last year, I spent two months working on a mini video series for someone. They were talking head type videos, so nothing as involved as your content. Still, the experience really humbled and helped me to realize just how much work goes into a video project. I struggle to read viewer comments in most KZbin videos because people are often so quick to bash or criticize creaters without thought of how much work was put into the content and presentation. I don't comment unless I have something sensical to contribute. If I ever give any kind of feedback, you can expect it to be respectful and thought through. Thank you for all of your hard work, for making content that entertains but also teaches viewers. Take care.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. We appreciate it. Good luck with playing with the puzzles without undoing all the accumulated training.

[@sal2earth]

@@JamesandLaurent plus you can always put them away for a while and bring them out in a month - like kid's toys !

[@azntoastx]

Love this review! My pomsky, Comet, will be getting neutered this month. Knowing active breeds, I need to find ways to keep him busy, but with the normal intense activities :'(

[@JamesandLaurent]

These puzzles have worked wonders for us. We still use them on a daily basis almost two years into it.

[@shewearsfunnyhat]

Thank you for posting this. My dog is very smart. He got the level 2 puzzle really quickly. I just got my dog the dogs casino. I think I will get the challenge slider next.

[@JamesandLaurent]

That is awesome! Beedi is doing it fast, but she still loves it after two years.

[@fewoman5]

So adorable! Love the puppy talking!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. We love the puppy talking too :) Do you have a Pomsky too? Have you used these puzzles?

[@fewoman5]

@@JamesandLaurent we have two new Cockapoos - and your show helped me figure out what to get and how to use them. Thank you for the food idea first then cutting up treats. 😊

[@JamesandLaurent]

good luck

[@williamdavis9562]

Video was very well made. Thank you for providing this content. 👍👍

[@JamesandLaurent]

Glad you liked it! Let us know how the puzzles work out for you :)

[@jacquelincorona5575]

I Love your video guys!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. We hope you find these puzzles useful :)

[@jacquelincorona5575]

@@JamesandLaurent yes! And you’re right level 1 is super easy! Other thing I don’t like about that one is the plastic bone, mi puppy used like a chew toy 🦴😬 I want try the ones don’t have a removible piece 😜

[@JamesandLaurent]

Then, there are lots of puzzles without any floating piece.

[@mommaang9005]

We just got our 1 year old, little pitbull/ chihuahua mix named Kahlua the dog brick puzzle in the mail yesterday and gave it a try today for the first time. She was driving our cat crazy so we thought it was a perfect time to give it a try. I started with just a little bit of her regular kibble in it and then sat on the floor with her and guided her through it. She definitely seemed interested in it. I’m wondering how often you would use it? Once a day? Or more or less than that? Or like only occasionally so she doesn’t get bored with it? Do you have any recommendations? She’s extremely needy and starting to be destructive so I recently ordered several new “toys” as a way to hopefully redirect her attention and behaviors on to something more stimulating for her, but I’m just not super sure how often to use these things?

[@JamesandLaurent]

We have five different puzzles that we rotate. We give her one puzzle back-to-back and after three or four times, we switch to another puzzle. She's used them so many times that it only takes her two or three minutes to do a puzzle nowadays. So, three times back-to-back lasts her ten minutes or so. Then, the next day, we'll try to use different ones. But there are definitely some puzzles she likes more than others. We bought the first one a year ago and she still loves it, even though she's done it hundreds of times. We have found these puzzles to be a much better investment than other toys. We also have a video about DIY toys. She loves them too and they don't cost anything :).

[@ashleykey6973]

We started with the dog brick, and I’m now excited on getting some level 3 puzzles for him

[@JamesandLaurent]

Let us know how they work out.

[@Ramen7810]

I have soooo many of these. I found them from tj maxx and Burlington on sale. One on the street! Amazing i love the nina toys!

[@JamesandLaurent]

We love them too 😅.

[@lindamcgarry6619]

Wonderful video!! You guys are awesome! So much fun to watch. My goldendoodle thanks you! I’m buying two puzzles!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. We appreciate it. These puzzles have been godsent and Beedi still uses them everyday. We wish they could keep her occupied for an hour. But well take the few minutes :)

[@jadenbelcher1729]

I just got the dog brick puzzle for my husky/boxer today, i wanted to find something that would stimulate him other than physical activity but mental activity, he had trouble with the white bones so i tied strings in the wholes so he can easily grab the string to pull it off, he goes through the puzzle so quick!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

That's interesting. Thanks for the advice :)

[@marsef0769]

Recently found your channel after we got our Pomsky. Already ordered one of these puzzles to see how well Twinkle does!! Keep up the amazing content!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Welcome aboard! Let us know how the puzzles work out. Beedi still uses them on a daily basis, even after three years. They've been a life saver for us.

[@KNHNEK]

Nice video, thanks for the review. I’m going to look into the puzzles. One comment- the fastest way to create a picky eater is to leave the food out! If instead the food is offered, left for five more muted and then picked up, the dog quickly learns (much as is true in nature), that if she doesn’t eat it when it’s there, it disappears. No more picky eater.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks for the info!

[@matvprado]

Loved you guys

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. Has your dog tried one of these puzzles?

[@matvprado]

James and Laurent I’m getting my pup in about 10 days. The toys are hard to come by in Brazil. I hope to introduce him to quite a few toys

[@JamesandLaurent]

You can also watch our video about DIY toys. Assuming you have bottles and toilet paper in Brazil, you should be good to go :)

[@FelarofTheMearh]

I recently got a rescue dog and now we are discovering the world of canine puzzles. We both love them! My bank account can't say the same, tho xD

[@JamesandLaurent]

Beedi has had her puzzles for almost two years and never got tired of them. It was a bit of an upfront investment, but money much better spent than on toys that she plays with twice and gets bored with right away. If you want to save money, we also have a video about DIY dog toys, you might want to check it out.

[@themewer]

Wow cool video I have to say

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. We appreciate it :).

[@AmanzioBrady]

Nice, a great way to teach my dog to find my keys in the dirty laundry!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Haha. Put him to work :)

[@LLewis-vu9qf]

How well did Beedi do with the puzzle that had the orange drawers around the edges and the white locking bones on the top? The treats go in the drawers and if you turn the bones sideways, they lock the drawers. The dog has to push the bones back into the bones' depressions to unlock the drawers. I have this one for my Pomeranian. He can't make the connection between moving the bones to unlock the drawers. I leave the drawers unlocked for him and he can get them open for his reward. I just wondered if Beedi figured out that particular puzzle. The video showed the puzzle but didn't show her working on it.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Same here. The white bones are a bit too far from the drawers for her to connect the two. We're sure she could eventually figure it out, but she's not motivated by food enough to spend the time to figure it out :).

[@LLewis-vu9qf]

@@JamesandLaurent -- Thanks for the response. I guess this particular puzzle is a bit too advanced for my Pom. When I bought it, I wasn't aware that those bones would lock the drawers. The pics on the box didn't give a clue. But most of your other puzzles were great. If I can find one or two of them, I might give 'em a try. The video was well done and your dog is lovely.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks. The Dog Brick, Challenge Slider, and Dog Worker are the three puzzles that have the most options and that Beedi keeps going back to over and over again. She hasn't liked the Dog Casino and Dog Twister as much.

[@LLewis-vu9qf]

@@JamesandLaurent -- yeah, that Casino puzzle seems pretty tough. Guess I'll be staying away from any Grade 3 puzzles! 🙄

[@edagrlr]

My toy puppy loves puzzle games and he is really good in them so I was looking for more challenging ones. Thanks for the video!

[@edagrlr]

I bought a level 1 puzzle first but I had obivously underestimated my puppy’s capacity. Poodles are super intellegent.

[@JamesandLaurent]

The clerk at the store told us to skip the Level 1 puzzle and go directly to Level 2. The nice thing about Level 2 and Level 3 is that you can modulate the difficulty more easily. Good luck with them. Beedi does them quickly, but she never got bored with them.

[@edagrlr]

@@JamesandLaurent I had to order online, because of covid I didnt want to visit 10 pet stores before finding puzzle toys. I dont know why but they are not so popular here in Turkey. I’m super happy about the video, now that I know more about puzzle games I can order accordingly.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Good luck :)

[@wolfofwalney4038]

There's a ghostly laugh at 6:42..... chilling!!!

[@JamesandLaurent]

Or just the laugh of Cooper's mom :)

[@wolfofwalney4038]

@@JamesandLaurent I paused the video, I thought it came from my house 8) x

[@petitechouette3592]

🇫🇷☕️💕My dog has that level 2 one, first time 10min, then 5min, the third time he is already expert, now I need to find a hard one ☝️ 😄

[@JamesandLaurent]

Even if they do it in a couple of minutes, it's still good exercise for them :)

[@galyien]

I have a pug, this pug has less nose than the average pug. But she's great with paws. Hope I can find a good paws only puzzle. Any suggestions?

[@JamesandLaurent]

The Dog Smart should work with paws only.

[@BruceWayne-us3kw]

where can I find these? I hate shopping on amazon. Do you think I could find it somewhere else?

[@JamesandLaurent]

A lot of pet stores carry them. Not sure we've ever seen them at Petsmart, but we've seen them in numerous independent chains and pet stores.

[@brandycox9351]

Pomsky? Who not just get a Klee Kai? They are already a breed.

[@JamesandLaurent]

We made a whole video about the difference between the two. A lot of people are happy with a mutt and are not necessarily looking for a pure breed.

[@suziehennon7630]

Thank you, I've been thinking of getting one for my German Shepherd puppy and I wasn't sure what to pick.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Glad we could help! They have been a life saver for us :).

[@megantaylor2871]

“Puzzle” for my first dog: something you have to lick for long enough to get a treat out of Puzzle for my poodle mix: buttons, levers, boxes, and pull tabs. Finished in two minutes 😂

[@JamesandLaurent]

Beedi now goes through them in no time, but she still enjoys them, which is the most important for us.

[@spike333s3]

2:18 Level 1= Lift 2:41 Level 2= Lift -> Slide -If the dog play Lv1 first, he/she may never know the puzzle has a secret. 4:22 Level 3= Slide in order -Puzzle? More like memory. 4:58 Level 3= Rotate -> Slide -> Slide back -That more like Level 3. I wonder if there has Level 4. Maybe the last puzzle with some hidden secret like the 2nd puzzle.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Yes, there is now a Level 4 puzzle. It didn't exist yet when we made this video. We just released a new video specifically about the Level 4 puzzle called MultiPuzzle.

[@angelaholbrook6258]

How come you don't put a link for the treats in the comments?

[@JamesandLaurent]

www.yeti.pet is the website address. It was kind of burried in the video description. Sorry :(.

[@trishrodriguez7111]

What was that toy that the pup stepped on the lever and treats came out?

[@JamesandLaurent]

Not sure. This was not one of ours. We believe it is by the brand Trixie, but we're not 100% sure. Sorry :(

[@alaieaalaiea9760]

My dog is too smart I didn't teach him how it works. And he figured out in less than 1 minute. And it has 20 way still it was easy me.

[@JamesandLaurent]

They can be smart indeed.

[@problemchild8980]

Uh where did you get pomskey

[@JamesandLaurent]

We got Beedi from a breeder called Oxsana Perfect Pomsky and we highly recommend them.

[@edagrlr]

Guess who watched the video and ordered three Nina-Ottosson puzzles 😂

[@JamesandLaurent]

We're glad you did. They have been a life saver for us. We'd love to know which ones you got and how they work out :)

[@edagrlr]

@@JamesandLaurent waiting for our order to arrive but we got the puppy smart, puppy tornado and obviously the brick. My pup loves puzzles but the ones he is used to only requiere sliding pieces so I wanted to start with puppy smart. Plus I wanted to have enough to rotate without him getting bored.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Good luck :)

[@eirik6603]

what is the name of the toy where the dog has to press a pedal with its paw

[@JamesandLaurent]

Trixie’s Push Away Dog Activity. The names of all the puzzles are listed in the video description 😍.

[@majorwoody1720]

Hehe my dog bites his own tail and eats his paw

[@JamesandLaurent]

Ours used to chase her tail when she was a puppy but doesn't do it anymore. What breed is yours? A Pomsy too?

[@majorwoody1720]

James and Laurent my dog is a golden retriever and he’s 8 months old

[@JamesandLaurent]

OK. So not a Pomsky at all, haha. But he should love these puzzles just as much :)

[@majorwoody1720]

James and Laurent yeah lol btw nice vid 👍

[@JamesandLaurent]

Thanks

[@seansnyder2855]

Neat premise but it really seems like all you'll accomplish is to train your dog to come up with creative solutions to acquire food. Which uh, doesn't take a genius to figure out how terrible of an idea that would be. Would be interested in finding some non-treat based puzzles but it seems the market is saturated with the former.

[@JamesandLaurent]

Every dog training video we've ever seen involves treats. That's how most people train their dogs.

[@ashleyc.8378]

I didn't think dogs can have garlic and those treats have garlic powder in them??

[@JamesandLaurent]

We didn't think dogs could have chocolate either until we found out what quantity they were able to ingest before it became toxic for them.

[@penisbutter5226]

A super gay couple with a lil dog thats high energy and does voice overs for it yaa these too are stereotypical gays

[@JamesandLaurent]

Every comment helps our channel.

[@jasonanglin5837]

Hi! I’m out!✌🏻

[@JamesandLaurent]

Hey!!