10 Best Dog Enrichment Toys by Chew Strength

by Katherine Khoo October 23, 2025 5 min read

Enrichment toys for dogs are designed to stimulate your pups’ minds and bodies through activities that challenge their instincts, problem-solving skills, and physical abilities. These toys often require dogs to manipulate, explore, and navigate to obtain treats or rewards, offering both mental and physical exercises.

Enrichment toys have been shown to reduce boredom, decrease anxiety, improve problem-solving skills, and enhance overall well-being. They keep the dog engaged, help curb destructive behaviours, and may even improve the dog’s confidence.

How Dog Enrichment Toys Work

Enrichment toys often utilize hidden treats, puzzles, or unique textures and movements to engage a dog's senses and intelligence. Dogs must figure out how to access the treats using their nose, paws, or mouth, encouraging natural behaviors such as sniffing, digging, and chewing. There are many different types of enrichment toys and they include treat-dispensing balls, puzzle boards, snuffle mats, and chew toys, each targeting different aspects of the dog’s mental and physical stimulation.

Benefits of Enrichment Toys

Benefits include: Reduce boredom and associated stress by keeping dogs mentally active. Helps prevent and address behavioural problems such as excessive barking, chewing, or digging by redirecting energy into productive outlets; the enrichment toy. Supports cognitive development and problem-solving skills, especially valuable for puppies and adult dogs alike. Slow down the progression of cognitive decline in senior dogs. Encourages independent play, which can be helpful when owners are away or occupied.

10 Enrichment Toys for Different Chew Strength

1. Kong Classic Dog Toy

Suitable for all types of chewers. This durable rubber toy can be stuffed with treats or peanut butter, making dogs work to get their reward. It provides mental stimulation through problem solving and keeps dogs busy, helping relieve boredom and separation anxiety. The Kong Classic comes in different sizes, from extra small to large king size, and it’s suitable for all types of chewers.

2. Kong Extreme Dog Toy

For the aggressive chewers. Similar to the Kong Classic but built for aggressive, powerful chewers. Like the Kong Classic, this toy satisfies the natural urge to chew while providing enrichment. Similarly, it can be stuffed with treats for extra mental challenge, which can occupy dogs for long periods and support healthy teeth and gums.

3. Ruffwear Huckama Interactive Rubber Throw Dog Toy

For medium to large dogs, or dogs with larger mouths. This toy moves like a critter and your dog will love chasing it! Designed with an unpredictable, erratic bounce, this fetch toy mentally stimulates active dogs by engaging their natural chase and retrieval instincts. The hollow design allows treats inside, which rewards problem solving and keeps play exciting. This toy is designed for large-mouthed dogs.

4. Ruffwear Gnawt-a-Stick Natural Rubber Throw Dog Toy

For the gentler chewer and dogs who love sticks! Like most Ruffwear toys, this toy is durable, chew-resistant and bounces erratically for an engaging game of fetch. Its stick-like shape and floatable material encourage dogs to fetch, carry, and chew, both on land and water. This toy is definitely a much safer alternative for dogs who enjoy picking up and chewing on sticks. Wood can splinter and swallowed stick fragments can perforate the digestive tract, while sharp pieces can become lodged in the mouth, throat, or underneath the tongue, leading to severe pain and abscesses. Throw your pup a Ruffwear Gnawt-a-Stick instead. This stimulates their problem-solving abilities as they figure out how to retrieve, carry, and manipulate the toy. This stick-like toy is great for dogs with a gentler chew style.

5. FuzzYard Squeaky Plush Dog Toy - Soccer Ball

For the light chewer, and dogs who love to cuddle and shake their toys. Ideal for gentle dogs and puppies, this toy is fitted with an attention-grabbing squeaker for the ultimate playtime enjoyment. This plush squeaky toy offers both comfort and light stimulation. Your pup can chase, cuddle, shake, and chew, which helps reduce anxiety and provides emotional enrichment. This is best for light chewers, and it’s colour-safe, non-toxic, non-allergenic and machine washable.

6. Pawzler Innovative Modular Dog Puzzles (Rainbow Set With Base)

For the light chewer and problem solver. This puzzle dog toy is designed to mentally engage your dog’s mind and natural instincts through different treat-hiding mechanisms. Pawzler will keep your dog entertained, as they use their natural hunting skills to find hidden treats. This mental workout can help reduce destructive and anxious behaviour as well as boost confidence and help your dog to better cope with stressful situations such as fireworks and thunderstorms. This puzzle toy does not require much physical movements but don’t be fooled by the lack of physical stimulation. Just 5 minutes of intense mental workout can benefit your dog’s well-being as much as 20 minutes of physical activity! This puzzle toy is great for gentler chewers, and is perfect for rainy days, senior dogs and dogs with injuries.

Another piece of great news! Pawzler is modular, and this unique modular approach allows you to continuously re-invent the toy. Just rearrange the pawzles (puzzles) to keep the fun going.

7. Zee.Dog Tripod Dog Chew Toy

For the aggressive chewer. With textured, teeth-cleaning surface. This unique tripod dog toy makes it easy to grip and it is bacon scented! Due to the size of the toy, it is perfect for medium to large dogs that love to chew. Chewing releases calming endorphins, and the toy’s durability helps dogs focus and expend energy constructively. This toy comes with a textured surface that helps clean your dog's teeth. And, you can add your dog's favourite treat to the cavity to keep them engaged.

8. Studio Ollie Nosework Dog Toy (Pork Cutlet)

For the light chewer who loves plushy hide-and-seek toys. Featuring hidden treat pockets, this nosework toy engages a dog’s sense of smell and problem solving. Dogs search, sniff, and manipulate the toy to find treats, keeping their brains active and reducing boredom. This pork cutlet comes in 5 hidden pockets and is recommended for small dogs, medium size dogs and gentle giants. Like all Studio Ollie’s Nosework dog toys, this toy is also made from baby-safe fabrics and high-quality fillers that are safe for dogs to chew and lick.

9. Studio Ollie Nosework Dog Toy (Rice Ball)

For the light chewer who loves plushy hide-and-seek toys. If you’re looking for more pockets and hiding places, here’s a Studio Ollie’s nosework toy but with more pockets - 2 large and 8 small nose work pockets for hiding treats. This puzzle toy stimulates foraging instincts. Dogs must use their noses and paws to discover treats, providing both physical and mental enrichment. Recommended for small dogs, medium size dogs and gentle giants

10. Fuzzyard Treat Dispensing Interactive Dog Chew Toy (Fresh Kicks N' Licks)

For the light to moderate chewer who loves shoes! Give your dog the gift of their very own shoe! Saving your shoes from their love and destruction. Add your dogs favourite treat paste to the sole of the shoe and let them engage in a calming, licking session. Licking is a natural, self-soothing behavior for dogs that releases endorphins, which are feel-good hormones that help reduce stress and anxiety. The shoelaces are made of sturdy rope and as your dog chews and plays, these innovative laces double as dental floss, ensuring their teeth sparkle with every joyful gnaw! This toy is best for light to moderate chewers.

Each toy’s design taps into the natural canine instincts - chewing, foraging, chasing, cuddling, or problem solving - helping keep dogs physically fit, mentally challenged, and emotionally balanced. For further details on the toys, browse the toy collections and specific product pages at Good Dog People™.