A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated on Apr. 19, 2024
Brain games for dogs improve emotional health, relieve stress, and fight boredom. These games also provide bonding and training fun for you and your special pets.
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Responsible pet parents understand that dogs require daily brain exercise to stay happy and healthy. As a pet expert, I know that mental stimulation benefits all dogs, not just so-called smart dog breeds. Brain games for dogs provide more than fun for your pet. Most canine pet peeves, like chewing the wrong thing or barking and whining too much, happen because of dog boredom.
We pamper our dogs because we love them. But when left alone in the house or outside in the yard with nothing to do, that wastes brain potential and allows dogs to engage in unwanted digging or barking behavior. Just like with people, “use it or lose it” applies to brain games for dogs. Engaging the brain can also slow down the rust that causes cognitive (senility) issues aging dogs can develop.
For dogs with emotional challenges, brain games that provide mental stimulation reduce stress. Stress predisposes dogs to health problems too. Dogs that routinely play brain games using puzzle toys or indestructible dog toys gain confidence and develop fewer behavior problems, like separation behaviors.
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Dogs are motivated by treats, and you can create your own puzzle toys using things around the house. For instance, hold a treat in one fist (nothing in the other) and ask your dog to sniff and choose the correct fist to win the bonus. A puzzle toy like the Outward Hound Brick Puzzle keeps dogs engaged similarly. This highly rated brainteaser toy for dogs has nearly 67,500 ratings on Amazon. You’ll find a variety of dog puzzle toys from Outward Hound, ranked from “easy” for beginners, to intermediate, advanced and expert levels.
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Puzzle toys give dogs something to chew, pick up and carry around, play fetch with, and get rewarded by when treats fall out. The Kong classic comes in six sizes to fit any size or age dog. Fill up the Kong of your choice with the dog’s favorite food or treat. On hot days, you can fill it with flavored liquid like no-salt chicken broth mixed with treats, and freeze the Kong for a pup-sicle.
I love Kong puzzles because you can have multiple dispensers and hide them all over the house or yard. Your dog gets the fun of sniffing out a treasure hunt, engaging the scent and the brain, and getting exercise at the same time.
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The average dog learns about 150 words, including commands, hand signals and accidental lessons you may not want her to know. Today, there are brain games that help your dog understand words and also talk back to you. You may have seen viral TikTok videos of dogs “talking” back to their owners by pressing a button that plays a pre-recorded command like “treat” or “car ride.”
Dogs already tell us they want to go outside or play a game by barking or scratching. With the talking buttons, the dog learns to communicate more clearly by pawing the right button that “speaks” the request or comment. People use similar button communication with nonverbal people, and this technology now shows us how dogs can communicate this way too. Some dogs become extraordinarily adept at using the talking buttons, like Bunny, who has racked up almost half a billion views of her videos “talking” to her dog mom.
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Puppies love to play, and toys that engage their brain during fun games teach them positive ways to interact with their world. One of my dog’s favorites is nested toys. These offer smaller stuffed toys inside larger ones. The Squirrel Interactive Puzzle lets the pup learn how to find and retrieve the hidden smaller squirrels nested inside the soft tree-shaped container. Each small squirrel also has a squeaker inside to engage the hearing and keep the pup focused on rooting out the enticing rodent.
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Dogs love playing with balls and adore treats. Combine the two, and you get a win-win brain game for your dog. The Pet Zone Treat Ball dispenses treats as the dog paws and rolls it around the house, making it an ideal indoor toy. Even better, you can adjust the dispensing mechanism for beginners and calm dogs, and raise the difficulty level as the dog learns.
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For high-energy athletic dogs, one of the best outdoor brain games for dogs engages the whole body. Your dog learns to navigate obstacles, jump over hurdles, or walk on elevated platforms. Agility, a fun competition for dogs of all ages, breeds, and sizes, adjusts challenges for the individual dog. Set up your own agility course in the backyard or in the house, using homemade items. Amazon also offers the Zip & Zoom Agility starter kit . It comes with four weave-poles, an adjustable hurdle (or hoop), and a tunnel. It’s convenient, portable and offers hours of customizable stimulation for dogs.
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When I play a chase-the-fishing-pole game with my cat, my dog also wants in on the fun. Many dogs enjoy chase games, but rather than fetching balls, they want a critter to catch and pretend-kill. Terriers were especially developed to go after rats and other small furry creatures. The Tail Teaser Wand offers the perfect outlet for terriers and small dogs to chase the fuzzy toy on the end of the lure, and catch and shake it into submission. Since it’s designed for rugged use with dogs, you can change up or replace the lure when it’s destroyed too. This offers mental stimulation for puppies, small dogs, and any heritage dog that enjoys the chase.
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Senior citizen dogs may no longer have the athletic ability to engage in some activities. But you can still engage their brains with low-impact activities. Use a Snuffle Mat to hide treats or a portion of the dog’s food, so that the pet sniffs out the bounty. This also works well as a first brain game for puppies, but I like it for aging canines because it keeps them engaged no matter their mobility. Even blind or deaf dogs enjoy sniffing out edible prizes.
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Here in Texas, summer weather makes it dangerous for dogs to play outside for any length of time. But high heat doesn’t stop a dog’s need for exercise. I have a desk treadmill to exercise without braving the sun or storms. So it makes sense for canines unable to exercise outside to use an indoor Dog Treadmill too. That’s especially beneficial for apartment dogs. Side panels and a remote control are nice extras. Always supervise your dog while they work out!
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Dogs who love to play fetch may pester you to death, and become frustrated and bored when you can’t accommodate them. Instead of playing a few half-hearted rounds, invest in the GoDogGo Fetch Machine for an automated never-ending supply of lobbed balls to fetch. Teach him to retrieve the ball and drop it back in the bucket, so the machine will toss again and again.
Look for toys that engage your dog’s senses or require him to manipulate an object to get a reward. Interactive games include you and increase the bond you share. Solo toys burn off energy while you’re busy elsewhere. No laws ensure dog toys’ safety, so evaluate games based on your dog’s preferences, and then supervise play. When evaluating whether you should buy a brain game for your dog, here are some factors to consider.
As a pet care expert and a dog owner myself, I’ve written about everything from the best indestructible dog toys to how to find the best dog diaper for your pup. My writing has won dozens of awards, and I’m the author of over 35 books in addition to thousands of articles on the subject of pets. I’m also a Certified Animal Behavior Consultant for both cats and dogs, and I started my career as a veterinary technician.
Dogs (sadly) cannot write their own reviews, so to find the best canine brain games, we had to look to pet owners. After scouring the internet for positive customer reviews, retailer recommendations and popular bestsellers, we came up with the list of pup-approved brain games you see here. In our search, it was important to prioritize affordability, durability, cleaning and a range of skill-level options so that every dog has the chance to be entertained.
Every dog requires mental stimulation, but the amount varies. How much depends on your dog’s breed, age, and sometimes individual personality.
Puppies need less stimulation—no more than five minutes daily for each month they’ve lived. So a three-month-old pup benefits from 15 minutes a day, and a six-month-old thrives on 30 minutes daily (not necessarily all at once). Adult dogs can do well on more.
Active working breeds, like German Shepherds, need more than senior citizen dogs. Also, the brain game should suit your dog’s strengths. For example, scenting breeds like hunting dogs enjoy sniffing games, while your Papillon lap dog may excel at games needing more paw dexterity.
Nearly anything works well for canine games that exercise the brain. Think in terms of your dog’s senses. While humans rely on sight, dogs focus on sounds and smells we can’t detect. Toys and games that prompt dogs to sniff something out or listen to clues to solve a puzzle get tails wagging. Dogs also mouth, taste and paw to explore their world, much as we use our hands.
Games don’t have to be expensive. You can also provide mental stimulation with cheap thrills—homemade toys and interactive training challenge dogs to think. Anything that demands extra thinking tires dogs out differently than physical exertion. That helps dogs settle, feel and act calmer, and enjoy spending time with the people they love.
Certain behaviors can signify that your dog is bored or needs mental stimulation, like excessive barking, chewing, destroying toys and digging.
For dogs, sniffing is an excellent exercise in mental stimulation, which is why snuffle mats are a popular brain game.
