Enrichment & Training: Canine Food Toys
Food toys are a simple way to add mental and physical stimulation into a dog’s daily life. Below is a list of DIY food toys that you can assemble from household items and staple dog toys. These food toys can be given to your dog at any point throughout the day. Start by introducing the toys at the easy level and increase the challenge once your dog gets the hang of it. You can place kibble in a food toy or use high-value treats like cheese, peanut butter, and more. Don’t forget to reduce mealtime calories appropriately.
Benefits:
- Increases problem-solving skills and builds confidence.
- Provides opportunities to perform species-specific behaviors.
- Reduces undesirable behaviors resulting from boredom, frustration, or anxiety.
- Turns mealtime into an interactive activity throughout the day.
Let’s talk about treats: The size, color, and smell of the treat that you use can influence the difficulty of the toy. Disinterested or confused dogs may need you to make the toy easier, while confident, food-motivated dogs may need a more challenging opportunity. Larger pieces and treats that contrast against the color of the toy are easier to locate, while smaller pieces and non-contrasting treats can increase the challenge. Smelly treats are easier to locate and are often more enticing, while kibble can increase the challenge.
- Stuffed Chew Toy
Stuff an appropriate chew toy with kibble or treats.
Easy: Loosely pack the chew toy so that the food easily spills out.
Challenge: Tightly pack the chew toy with both a dry and a wet food item (e.g., peanut butter, unsweetened yogurt, broth), then throw it in the freezer to make a frosty challenge!
- Muffin Tin Game
Spread out the dog’s food in a muffin tin and place tennis balls over each slot. Let your dog figure out how to get to the food!
Easy: Leave some food uncovered in the muffin tin by only covering some of the muffin slots.
Challenge: Only fill some of the slots with food, but make sure to cover each one of them with a tennis ball.
- Towel Burrito
Lay out a towel and sprinkle your dog’s food on top. Roll it or fold it up, then let your dog unravel it!
Easy: Start at one end and roll the towel in one direction until you get a loose, circular roll.
Challenge: Fold it and roll it from all directions until you get a messy pile that your dog has to sift through.
- Box o’ Treats
Take an empty cardboard box and fill it with kibble. Tape the end closed and let your dog work to get the food out.
Easy: Leave one end open to allow kibble to easily fall out.
Challenge: Stuff with newspaper to provide added shredding opportunities and to make it harder to locate the food.
- Toilet Paper Tube
Fill a toilet paper or paper towel cardboard insert with food. Fold up each side and let your dog tear into them! (If your pup nibbles on some of the cardboard tube, that’s OK, but don’t let them devour the whole roll).
Easy: Leave one side unfolded to allow food to easily fall out.
Challenge: Seal the folded edges with peanut butter and place it in the freezer. Hide these around the house for your dog to sniff out and discover!
- Snuffle Mat
Sprinkle your dog’s food into a snuffle mat or into the grass and let them forage.
Easy: Use a visually contrasting or stinky treat to help your dog locate the food.
Challenge: Use plain kibble and sprinkle it over a larger surface area.
- Stuffed Chew Toy
Stuff an appropriate chew toy with kibble or treats.
Easy: Loosely pack the chew toy so that the food easily spills out.
Challenge: Tightly pack the chew toy with both a dry and a wet food item (e.g., peanut butter, unsweetened yogurt, broth), then throw it in the freezer to make a frosty challenge!
- Muffin Tin Game
Spread out the dog’s food in a muffin tin and place tennis balls over each slot. Let your dog figure out how to get to the food!
Easy: Leave some food uncovered in the muffin tin by only covering some of the muffin slots.
Challenge: Only fill some of the slots with food, but make sure to cover each one of them with a tennis ball.
- Towel Burrito
Lay out a towel and sprinkle your dog’s food on top. Roll it or fold it up, then let your dog unravel it!
Easy: Start at one end and roll the towel in one direction until you get a loose, circular roll.
Challenge: Fold it and roll it from all directions until you get a messy pile that your dog has to sift through.
- Box o’ Treats
Take an empty cardboard box and fill it with kibble. Tape the end closed and let your dog work to get the food out.
Easy: Leave one end open to allow kibble to easily fall out.
Challenge: Stuff with newspaper to provide added shredding opportunities and to make it harder to locate the food.
- Toilet Paper Tube
Fill a toilet paper or paper towel cardboard insert with food. Fold up each side and let your dog tear into them! (If your pup nibbles on some of the cardboard tube, that’s OK, but don’t let them devour the whole roll).
Easy: Leave one side unfolded to allow food to easily fall out.
Challenge: Seal the folded edges with peanut butter and place it in the freezer. Hide these around the house for your dog to sniff out and discover!
- Snuffle Mat
Sprinkle your dog’s food into a snuffle mat or into the grass and let them forage.
Easy: Use a visually contrasting or stinky treat to help your dog locate the food.
Challenge: Use plain kibble and sprinkle it over a larger surface area.
Stuff an appropriate chew toy with kibble or treats.
Easy: Loosely pack the chew toy so that the food easily spills out.
Challenge: Tightly pack the chew toy with both a dry and a wet food item (e.g., peanut butter, unsweetened yogurt, broth), then throw it in the freezer to make a frosty challenge!
Spread out the dog’s food in a muffin tin and place tennis balls over each slot. Let your dog figure out how to get to the food!
Easy: Leave some food uncovered in the muffin tin by only covering some of the muffin slots.
Challenge: Only fill some of the slots with food, but make sure to cover each one of them with a tennis ball.
Lay out a towel and sprinkle your dog’s food on top. Roll it or fold it up, then let your dog unravel it!
Easy: Start at one end and roll the towel in one direction until you get a loose, circular roll.
Challenge: Fold it and roll it from all directions until you get a messy pile that your dog has to sift through.
Take an empty cardboard box and fill it with kibble. Tape the end closed and let your dog work to get the food out.
Easy: Leave one end open to allow kibble to easily fall out.
Challenge: Stuff with newspaper to provide added shredding opportunities and to make it harder to locate the food.
Fill a toilet paper or paper towel cardboard insert with food. Fold up each side and let your dog tear into them! (If your pup nibbles on some of the cardboard tube, that’s OK, but don’t let them devour the whole roll).
Easy: Leave one side unfolded to allow food to easily fall out.
Challenge: Seal the folded edges with peanut butter and place it in the freezer. Hide these around the house for your dog to sniff out and discover!
Sprinkle your dog’s food into a snuffle mat or into the grass and let them forage.
Easy: Use a visually contrasting or stinky treat to help your dog locate the food.
Challenge: Use plain kibble and sprinkle it over a larger surface area.