Top 15 'Attention-Diverting' Chew Puzzles to try for dogs during your Zoom-heavy workday. - Goh Ling Yong
The soundtrack of the modern home office is a familiar one: the click-clack of a keyboard, the hum of a computer, and the whump of a dog’s head landing on your lap during the most critical moment of your Zoom presentation. We’ve all been there. You’re trying to sound professional while a wet nose insistently nudges your elbow, or a pair of soulful eyes stare you down, silently pleading for a game of fetch. Working from home with our furry best friends is a dream, but keeping them happily occupied while we're on back-to-back calls is the real challenge.
Boredom is the enemy of a peaceful workday. A dog without a job to do will often invent one—and that job might be barking at the mail carrier, redecorating the living room with stuffing from the sofa cushions, or becoming your personal, four-legged shadow. The solution isn't just more walks or more toys; it's about engaging their brilliant minds. This is where attention-diverting chew puzzles come in. These aren't just toys; they are enrichment tools designed to provide crucial mental stimulation, bust boredom, and satisfy your dog's natural instincts to sniff, forage, and chew.
By channelling their energy into a productive and rewarding task, you're not just buying yourself a quiet hour for that important meeting. You're also building your dog's confidence, reducing their anxiety, and contributing to a happier, more balanced companion. So, let’s dive into the top 15 chew puzzles that will transform your Zoom-heavy workday from a chaotic juggle to a harmonious hum.
1. The Classic KONG
It’s a classic for a reason. The KONG is the undisputed king of durable, stuffable chew toys. Made from a super-bouncy, pet-safe rubber, its unique snowman-like shape makes it bounce erratically, keeping dogs engaged. Its real power, however, lies in its hollow center, which is just begging to be stuffed with delicious goodies.
For a quick distraction, you can simply stuff it with a few high-value treats or some of your dog’s kibble sealed with a dab of peanut butter. But the real pro-move for a long meeting is to freeze it. Layering wet food, plain yogurt, pumpkin purée, and kibble, and then popping it in the freezer for a few hours creates a long-lasting "pupsicle" that can keep even the most persistent pup busy for 30 minutes or more.
- Pro Tip: Use a smear of cream cheese or xylitol-free peanut butter to seal the large opening. For an extra challenge, plug the small hole at the top with a blueberry or a small piece of carrot before filling and freezing.
2. The Soothing LickiMat
If your dog’s pre-meeting jitters manifest as anxiety rather than high-energy antics, the LickiMat is a game-changer. These flat, textured silicone or rubber mats are designed for spreading soft treats onto. The act of licking is naturally calming for dogs, releasing endorphins that help reduce stress and anxiety. It’s the perfect tool to deploy five minutes before a call you know will be stressful for you and your pup.
LickiMats are incredibly versatile. You can spread them with plain Greek yogurt, pumpkin purée, mashed bananas, or wet dog food. The textured patterns trap the food, forcing your dog to lick methodically to get every last bit. This not only calms them but also slows down their eating, which can aid in digestion.
- Pro Tip: For a longer-lasting treat, spread your chosen goodie on the mat and freeze it flat. This is especially refreshing on a warm day and can easily double or triple the time your dog stays engaged.
3. The Foraging Snuffle Mat
Tap into your dog's most powerful sense—their nose! A snuffle mat is a fabric mat with long fleece strips tied to a base, designed to mimic grass and undergrowth. You simply sprinkle your dog's kibble or small, dry treats into the mat and ruffle the strips to hide the food. Your dog then has to use their incredible sense of smell to forage for their reward.
This is a fantastic enrichment activity because it’s low-impact and deeply satisfying for your dog. Ten to fifteen minutes of concentrated sniffing is as mentally tiring for a dog as a 30-minute walk. It’s an ideal way to serve them a meal, turning routine feeding time into a fun and engaging brain game that will leave them content and ready for a nap.
- Pro Tip: Start with an easy "scatter" on top of the mat to teach your dog the game. As they get better, bury the treats deeper within the fleece strips to increase the difficulty.
4. The Versatile West Paw Toppl
Think of the Toppl as the KONG’s clever cousin. Made by West Paw from their durable, non-toxic Zogoflex material, the Toppl has a wide opening and internal "teeth" that help hold treats in place. This design makes it a bit easier to fill and clean than a KONG, which is a big win for busy pet parents.
The real genius of the Toppl is its interlocking system. You can buy a small and a large Toppl and fit them together to create a more challenging treat-dispensing puzzle. This forces your dog to work harder to get the kibble or treats out. Like the KONG, it can be filled with a variety of soft and hard treats and frozen for a long-lasting challenge.
- Pro Tip: For a multi-textured frozen treat, start with a layer of kibble, pour in some bone broth, add a few blueberries, top with yogurt, and freeze. Your dog will have to lick, chew, and nudge their way through different layers.
5. Nina Ottosson's Puzzle Toys
For the canine Einsteins who figure things out in seconds, you need to bring out the big guns. Nina Ottosson is a pioneer in interactive dog puzzle toys, and her creations are brilliant for dogs who need a serious mental workout. Toys like the "Dog Brick" or the "Tornado" involve multiple steps, like lifting flaps, sliding blocks, and spinning layers to reveal hidden treats.
These puzzles come in different difficulty levels, from 1 (beginner) to 4 (expert). It’s important to start with an easier level to build your dog’s confidence and teach them the mechanics of how puzzles work. These are not "set it and forget it" toys; you'll need to supervise them, especially at first. But they are unparalleled for focused, quiet-time enrichment.
- Pro Tip: Always supervise your dog with these puzzles to ensure they don't get frustrated and start chewing on the plastic pieces. Show them how it works the first few times to help them understand the game.
6. The Simple Slow Feeder Bowl
Don't overlook the humble slow feeder bowl as an enrichment tool. While primarily designed to prevent dogs from inhaling their food in five seconds flat, the mazes, ridges, and spirals also turn mealtime into a simple but effective puzzle. Your dog has to use their tongue, nose, and even paws to navigate the bowl and get to their kibble.
This is an effortless way to add a bit of mental stimulation to your dog's daily routine without any extra prep work on your part. Simply pour their meal into the slow feeder instead of a regular bowl. It can extend a 30-second meal into a 5-10 minute engaging activity, giving you a precious window of peace to start your workday.
- Pro Tip: Look for slow feeders made from durable, food-safe materials. Some even come with suction cups on the bottom to prevent your dog from just flipping the whole thing over in frustration.
7. The Active Treat-Dispensing Ball
For dogs who need to burn off a little physical energy along with their mental energy, a treat-dispensing ball is a perfect choice. Toys like the Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball or the PetSafe Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug require your dog to roll, nudge, and paw at them to release the kibble or treats inside.
This type of toy is great because it combines problem-solving with physical movement. It's an excellent option for the space between meetings when you need your dog to get some wiggles out but don't have time for a full-on walk or play session. Just be mindful of your flooring—these can be a bit noisy on hardwood floors.
- Pro Tip: Use treats or kibble that are slightly smaller than the opening. This makes the reward challenging but not impossible, preventing your dog from giving up in frustration.
8. The Quiet Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop
If the clatter of a hard plastic treat ball bouncing off your baseboards is your personal nightmare during a conference call, the Snoop is your saving grace. Made from a soft but durable rubbery material, this toy is virtually silent. Its unique design features a deep bowl with a flexible opening that pops inwards. You fill it with treats, and your dog has to nudge and pounce on it to pop the neck out and release the food.
The Snoop is wonderfully simple yet challenging. It encourages your dog to use their nose and paws in a different way than a standard roll-around toy. The soft material is also gentle on your dog's mouth and your floors, making it a win-win.
- Pro Tip: For an added challenge, you can insert a Planet Dog Nook ball inside the Snoop. Your dog will then have to work to get the ball out before they can get to the treats inside that. It’s a puzzle within a puzzle!
9. The Wobbly Starmark Bob-A-Lot
The Bob-A-Lot is a fantastic toy that combines a food puzzle with a wobbly, interactive base. This toy stands upright and dispenses treats as your dog pushes and nudges it with their nose and paws. The weighted, anti-slip bottom creates an unpredictable wobble that keeps dogs on their toes.
What makes the Bob-A-Lot a standout is its adjustable difficulty. It has openings on both the top and bottom that you can slide to make it easier or harder for treats to fall out. This allows you to customize the challenge to your dog's skill level, preventing boredom or frustration. You can even use it to dispense your dog’s entire meal.
- Pro Tip: Fill it with a mix of different-sized kibble and treats. The variety will make the dispensing pattern less predictable and keep your dog engaged for longer.
10. The DIY Muffin Tin Puzzle
Enrichment doesn't have to be expensive! One of the most popular DIY puzzles is the muffin tin game. All you need is a standard muffin tin and some toys that can cover the cups, like tennis balls or even just scrunched-up pieces of paper. Place a few treats in some of the muffin cups and cover all of them with the balls.
Your dog then has to use their nose to figure out which cups hide the treasure and their problem-solving skills to remove the balls and claim their reward. As a dog enthusiast myself, I can tell you that my work on the Goh Ling Yong blog is often powered by the 20 minutes of silence this simple game affords me. It’s a fantastic, budget-friendly way to get your dog’s brain working.
- Pro Tip: To increase the difficulty, use different types of "lids" for the cups or leave some of the cups empty, forcing your dog to rely solely on their sense of smell.
11. The Indestructible Goughnuts
For the power chewers, the "destroyers of worlds," finding a toy that lasts more than five minutes can feel impossible. Enter Goughnuts. These toys are engineered for extreme durability, designed by mechanical and polymer engineers specifically for the most aggressive chewers. While not a "puzzle" in the traditional sense, their indestructibility makes them a perfect long-lasting, attention-diverting chew.
Their most brilliant feature is the two-layer safety system. If your dog ever manages to chew through the tough outer layer, a bright red inner core is exposed. This is your visual indicator to take the toy away and contact Goughnuts for a free replacement under their lifetime guarantee. It provides peace of mind alongside a quiet workday.
- Pro Tip: While they don't dispense treats, you can smear some peanut butter or cream cheese on the outside of the ring or stick shapes to add an element of reward and entice your dog to start chewing.
12. The Ultimate Frozen Lick Bowl
This is the ultimate long-haul puzzle for those marathon 3-hour meetings. It’s a DIY creation that takes some prep but pays off in spades. Take a dog-safe bowl (stainless steel or a sturdy silicone mold works best), and start layering. Pour in a shallow layer of water or low-sodium bone broth and freeze. Add some treats, a chew toy, or some dog-safe fruits and veggies (like carrots or apple slices), add another layer of liquid, and freeze again.
Repeat this process until the bowl is full, creating a giant, multi-layered "pupsicle." Your dog will have to lick and gnaw their way through the ice to excavate the frozen treasures inside. It’s a hydrating, stimulating, and incredibly long-lasting activity.
- Pro Tip: Place the frozen bowl on a towel or a mat to catch the melting water and prevent a mess on your floor.
13. The Challenging Busy Buddy Squirrel Dude
This toy operates on a similar principle to the KONG but with an added layer of difficulty. The Squirrel Dude features adjustable rubber prongs (or "Treat Meter" prongs) on the inside that can be trimmed to control the flow of treats. This customization makes it great for dogs who have become too proficient at emptying other stuffable toys.
The unpredictable bounce and durable rubber make it a great option for active dogs. The added challenge from the internal prongs means you can use smaller treats or even just regular kibble, and it will still take your dog a significant amount of time and effort to get them all out.
- Pro Tip: When you first introduce the toy, leave the prongs untrimmed to make it easier. As your dog gets the hang of it, you can trim them slightly (one at a time) to increase the difficulty.
14. The Simple Towel Burrito
Another fantastic DIY option that costs absolutely nothing is the towel or blanket burrito. Lay an old towel or blanket flat on the floor, sprinkle some high-value, smelly treats across it, and then tightly roll it up. For an extra challenge, you can tie the rolled-up towel in a loose knot.
Place it on the floor and let your dog go to town. They'll have to use their nose and paws to unroll and manipulate the towel to release the treats. This is a fantastic scent-work game that is both mentally tiring and incredibly rewarding for your pup. It's a simple trick I often recommend to friends, something I've learned is core to the Goh Ling Yong philosophy of accessible and practical pet care.
- Pro Tip: Make sure to supervise this activity to ensure your dog doesn't get frustrated and start ingesting the towel itself. This is a game to play together before you need to hop on a call.
15. BarkBox Super Chewer Toys
If you love variety and have a dog that goes through toys quickly, a subscription box like BarkBox Super Chewer can be a great investment. While not one single toy, their boxes are filled with durable toys often designed with puzzle-like elements. Many of their chews are multi-layered, with a different texture or material inside to be "revealed."
Others are specifically designed as treat-dispensers with unique shapes and openings that present a new challenge each month. This keeps things fresh and exciting for your dog, preventing them from getting bored with the same old puzzles day after day. It's a great way to build a diverse collection of enrichment tools without having to shop for them individually.
- Pro Tip: Pay attention to the materials and designs of the toys your dog loves most from the boxes. This will help you identify what kinds of puzzles are most engaging for your specific pup's preferences.
A Quieter Day, A Happier Dog
Integrating these attention-diverting chew puzzles into your dog's daily routine can be transformative for your work-from-home life. It shifts the dynamic from managing a distraction to enriching a companion's life. The quiet you gain during your meetings is just a happy byproduct of providing your dog with the mental stimulation they crave.
Remember to rotate the toys to keep them novel and exciting, and always supervise your dog with any new puzzle to ensure they are using it safely. Start easy, build their confidence, and celebrate their problem-solving successes. You’ll not only foster a more independent and contented dog, but you’ll also strengthen your bond in the process.
Now it's your turn. Which of these puzzles is your dog's favorite? Do you have a secret weapon for keeping your pup busy during the workday? Share your go-to toys and DIY tips in the comments below!
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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