🐶 The Best Treats to Use in Puzzle Toys: Store-Bought Favourites & Homemade Options

Puzzle toys and interactive feeders are fantastic tools for stimulating your dog’s mind, calming anxiety, and preventing boredom. But the magic ingredient that makes them irresistible? The treats inside.

Using the right type of treat keeps your dog engaged, motivated, and eager to learn. Whether you want premium store-bought options or simple DIY dehydrated snacks, this guide will help you pick the best puzzle-friendly rewards.

🛒 Store-Bought Treats Perfect for Puzzle Toys

Look for treats that are:

• High in scent and taste (to grab attention)

• Small and dry (easy to insert and remove)

• Healthy, with few ingredients

• Durable enough for puzzle games — but not so hard they get stuck

Here are top freeze-dried and air-dried options loved by enrichment lovers:

🧊 Freeze-Dried Treats

Freeze-drying preserves raw nutrition and intense flavour without cooking — making them lightweight, crunchy, and irresistible.

✅ K9 Natural Freeze-Dried Green Tripe

• Made from 100% New Zealand green tripe

• Incredibly aromatic = super high value

• Breaks into small pieces easily

• Great for stuffing into snuffle mats or puzzle boxes

✅ Ziwi Peak Freeze-Dried Dog Treats

• Single protein options: lamb, venison, beef, etc.

• High in protein, low in carbs

• Crumble into smaller pieces or use whole in larger puzzles

• Suitable for dogs with allergies or sensitive stomachs

✅ Frontier Pets Freeze-Dried Treats

• Australian-made from free-range protein sources

• Raw and human-grade

• Light, soft, and ideal for puzzle play or training

🔥 Air-Dried & Dehydrated Treats

Dehydrated and air-dried treats are gently dried over time to retain nutrients and shelf life — and dogs love the chewy texture and rich flavour.

✅ Ziwi Peak Air-Dried Dog Food or Treats

• Also works great as a full meal in slow feeders or treat toys

• Soft and crumbly; easy to portion

• Extremely nutritious and dense

✅ Blackdog Air-Dried Treats

• Options like liver, chicken, or roo jerky

• Budget-friendly and made in Australia

• Choose softer options for puzzle toys (supervise for harder ones)

✅ Prime100 Single Protein Treats

• Gently air-dried, soft, and hypoallergenic

• Excellent for dogs on elimination or allergy diets

• Use whole or chopped for puzzle toys

🏠 Easy Homemade Dehydrated Treats

Want to make your own enrichment-friendly treats at home? All you need is an oven (or dehydrator), some meat, and a few hours.

Here are simple homemade dehydrated treat ideas:

🥩 1. Dehydrated Beef or Chicken Jerky

• Use lean beef, kangaroo, turkey, or chicken breast

• Slice thinly and dehydrate at ~90°C (200°F) for 4–6 hours

• Cut into small pieces for puzzle toys or hide whole strips in snuffle mats

🐟 2. Dehydrated Sardine or Mackerel Bites

• Use fresh, skin-on fish (no bones)

• Bake or dehydrate until crispy

• Very smelly = very high value for tough enrichment puzzles

🐓 3. Dehydrated Chicken or Lamb Liver Cubes

• Cut liver into small cubes

• Bake at low temp until fully dried

• Feed in moderation — organ meat is rich and best as a high-reward treat

🧀 4. Dehydrated Cheese Bites (Use sparingly)

• Slice hard cheese into cubes

• Bake or dehydrate until dry and chewy

• Use for special enrichment days or high-stress environments

🧠 Match the Treat to the Puzzle

🐾 Final Tips for Enrichment Success

• Rotate treat types to keep things novel and engaging

• Use part of your dog’s daily meals as puzzle fillers to avoid overfeeding

• Always supervise the first time using new treats or puzzle toys