Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles, Level 1: Beginner Puzzles For Dogs
Let’s talk about canine enrichment! I bet you’re wondering, what is canine enrichment and why is canine enrichment important? Canine enrichment is when you provide your dog activities that stimulate their mind while keeping them physically fit. Canine enrichment is important because it can prevent boredom, destructive behaviors and allow your dog to channel all of their energy into something beneficial!
One of my favorite types of dog enrichment is dog puzzles. Dog puzzles are a great interactive dog toy for my large dogs or dogs of any size and age. Dog puzzles encourage dogs to use their nose, mouth and paws to find hidden treats and food while completing fun, unique challenges!
Fun Fact: Did you know that 15 minutes of puzzle play equals 30 minutes of exercise?
The dog puzzles shared in this post today are from the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Collection. I love the Nina Ottosson dog puzzles, because she created something for dogs of all levels from beginner dog puzzles, all the way to advanced/expert dog puzzles! In this post I’ll be focusing on three Level 1 beginner dog puzzles which are perfect for introducing your pups to puzzles for the first time!
Dog Puzzle 1: Treat Tumble
The first beginner dog puzzle from Outward Hound is the Treat Tumble! This is actually the first dog treat puzzle I ever bought in addition to the Dog Brick treat puzzle which is actually a level 2 dog puzzle.
The Treat Tumble Dog Puzzle is a plastic round ball with a small hole, allowing you to fill it with your dogs favorite treats or dog food! It comes in both small and large sizes and to use, your pup simply has to roll it around until the food or treats come out! What I love most about this puzzle compared to some others, is that the hole in the large size (featured in the photos) is big enough to fit Diesel’s large breed dog food and it could hold his entire meal. Not every puzzle fits a ton of large kibbles, so if you have big dogs like me, rest assured that you can fit your dogs large breed food inside!
P.S. Want to learn about ANOTHER cool dog enrichment idea? Click here to check out my post about dog snuffle mats!
As you can tell, Diesel gets really excited about his Treat Tumble dog puzzle. Ha!
Dog Puzzle 2: Dog Smart
The second Nina Ottosson dog puzzle is the Dog Smart dog puzzle. This is the first level one puzzle that has objects covering hidden food or treats. The Dog Smart puzzle features nine easy-to-fill compartments hidden under 9 pegs. At the top of each peg is a small scent hole, designed to keep your dogs focus on the puzzle and not other items around your home.
If you’re first introducing this puzzle to your dog, I recommend putting it on the floor. Your dog can use their paws and mouth to move the pegs out of the way to find the hidden food.
For an added challenge: place the puzzle on a table! As your dog starts to understand the puzzle, placing it on a table encourages them to use their mouth and nose to find the treats, instead of relying on their paws!
Dog Puzzle 3: Wobble Bowl Treat Puzzle
The last Nina Ottosson beginner dog puzzle is the Wobble Bowl Treat Puzzle! This puzzle is actually a two-in-one! Not only is this a dog puzzle but also a slow feeder dog bowl. If your dog always scarfs down their food, this puzzle is a great option to try!
For this puzzle, I recommend using it on a hard surface, like a tile or wood floor so that it can “wobble” correctly. Ha! Between my two dogs, Diesel loved this dog treat puzzle the most. Diesel has always loved to bulldoze things around and this puzzle was another opportunity for fun for him!
P.S. This puzzle, like the rest shared can all be cleaned with a soap and water!
We did try it on the carpet too since most of our apartment is carpet. It definitely wobbled better on the tile in our kitchen but it did wobble some on the carpet!
Are you excited to try out these beginner dog puzzles for your pups? Yay!! I’m a huge advocate for dog enrichment and interactive toys for dogs because they truly do make a positive impact on our furry friends!
Did you love this post? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Plus, if you you want to see more cool product reviews, it would mean the world to me if you subscribed to my newsletter (scroll up to sign up in the pink box!). I love sharing fun tips and advice to other awesome pet parents like you!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out more posts about canine enrichment like:
- Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles Level 2: Intermediate Dog Treat Puzzles
- How To Use A Snuffle Mat For Dogs
- 3 Snuffle Toys For Dogs
- 3 DIY Dog Enrichment Activities To Combat Dog Cabin Fever
- 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother
Plus, don’t forget to check out some of my most recent posts below:
Photography: Kate Kelley Collection