A vet says you should swap your dog's bowl for a puzzle feeder — here's why

If you haven't heard, puzzle toys are great for dogs. In short, they're a good source of mental stimulation that can prevent your pup from getting bored and feeling anxious, and in turn, from acting out. I recently spoke with a behavior veterinarian who even told me to swap my dog's food bowl for a puzzle feeder.

Dr. Andrea Y. Tu, DVM, chief of veterinary behavior services at the Heart of Chelsea Veterinary Group in New York City, is like a "veterinary psychiatrist." She treats animals for things like separation anxiety, reactivity to other dogs and other behavioral issues, and she told me: "If I could do one thing that I hope will make a big difference in my field, it's to get rid of the bowl." She added that "all meals should be fed out of a puzzle toy. If every single meal can be fed out of a puzzle toy or some sort of manipulation toy instead of a bowl, that would do wonders for pets' enrichment and mental health."

Tu explains that dogs instinctively want to sniff and hunt, which is usually done outside. But most of our pups only get to go outside for a small chunk of their day. However, a puzzle toy gives them the chance to sniff, scratch, dig and even hunt for their "prey" as they would in the natural sense, and that really helps with their mental health.

She also explains that dogs likely prefer to eat their food from a puzzle toy, based on a scientific concept called contrafreeloading. Essentially, research shows that some animals, when given a choice, prefer to work for food even when an identical meal is readily available. "That's where puzzle toys come in, or anything that they have to explore, look, dig, push around, play around with," Tu says, noting that the use of puzzle toys works with a dog's "natural instinct of how feeding should occur and all of that important behavior that relates to feeding."

She says you can use puzzle toys, snuffle mats, lick mats (especially good for fresh dog food) or even DIY your own toys, and switch it up regularly to keep things interesting. For example, she suggests hiding a puzzle toy under a blanket to keep things new and interesting. Of course, it might take a little extra time to feed your pup, but aren't they worth it?

Personally, I have a picky toy poodle. Some days, he surprises me and likes his fresh dog food as is. Other days, I have to top it with some chicken or salmon. Some days he opts for a little kibble out of my hand, but once I put it in a bowl, he loses interest. No matter what, though, he will always eat kibble and treats out of his puzzle toys, and Tu says this is an example of contrafreeloading. I thought it was just one of his funny quirks, but turns out there's a method to the madness! That said, I took her advice and tried feeding him his fresh food on a lick mat — and he ate it all up. I almost couldn't believe it.

Whether you have a picky eater, a fast eater or your dog falls somewhere in between, a puzzle feeder is an easy switch that will make your dog's life just a little bit better. Don't have one yet? Check out a few dog puzzle toys that are on sale during Amazon Pet Day! Tomorrow is the last day for the online retailer's major pet sale, so scoop one of these up at a discount while you can.

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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.

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