Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Puzzle

A genuine puzzle toy for dogs should do more than look interesting on a shelf — it should hold a dog’s attention, challenge them fairly, and hold up to real daily use. The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick, designed by Swedish animal behaviourist Nina Ottosson, was built with exactly that in mind, and it’s become one of the most trusted names in dog enrichment for good reason.

5 reasons this puzzle toy for dogs earns a place in our shop

1. It offers genuine variety. Rather than one repetitive action, the Dog Brick combines flip lids, sliding tiles, and removable bricks, giving your dog three distinct challenges in a single toy — so mastering one part doesn’t mean the puzzle is solved. Many cheaper puzzle toys for dogs rely on a single mechanism, which smart or persistent dogs can solve within days, leaving the toy forgotten in a cupboard soon after.

2. It’s designed around real dog psychology, not guesswork. Created by an actual animal behaviourist, this puzzle toy for dogs is built on genuine understanding of how dogs problem-solve, not just what looks appealing in a product photo. That distinction matters when you’re choosing something meant to genuinely support your dog’s mental wellbeing, rather than just occupy them for a few minutes.

3. It gives anxious or high-energy dogs somewhere to put that energy. It’s specifically positioned as useful for dogs with separation anxiety or excess energy that has nowhere else to go, offering a safe, constructive outlet rather than letting that energy turn into chewing furniture, excessive barking, or other frustrating behaviours that are often really just unmet mental needs in disguise.

4. It’s built to survive real use. Made from high-quality, non-toxic materials, it’s designed to hold up against enthusiastic, energetic dogs, not just gentle sniffers who approach a toy carefully. A puzzle that falls apart within a few uses ends up teaching a dog the opposite lesson you intended — that effort doesn’t pay off.

5. Real owners confirm it works. Genuine reviews describe real mental stimulation and slower feeding speeds in practice, with one Staffie owner noting dry food needed only a wipe to clean between uses — feedback that reflects weeks of actual use, not a first impression or marketing claim.

It’s also worth thinking about how a puzzle toy for dogs fits into a wider routine rather than being a one-off distraction. Dogs who get regular, varied mental challenges alongside physical exercise tend to settle more easily and show fewer signs of restlessness throughout the day. Rotating between two or three different enrichment activities, rather than relying on the same puzzle every day, also helps prevent a dog from simply memorising the solution and losing interest in it — much like a person doing the same crossword twice.

If you’re curious why some dogs seem to need far more mental outlets than others, it’s worth reading about understanding your dog’s individual psychology, since energy levels, breed background, and personality all affect how much enrichment a particular dog genuinely needs. A working breed left without enough mental stimulation, for example, often struggles far more than a lower-energy companion breed in the same situation.

Mental stimulation isn’t just entertainment, either — a lack of it is a recognised contributor to problem behaviours in dogs, which is worth bearing in mind if your dog seems restless or destructive despite getting enough physical exercise. Exercise alone doesn’t always solve boredom-driven behaviour, since physical tiredness and mental fulfilment aren’t the same thing. You can read more from the PDSA’s guide to enrichment for dogs.

A few honest things to know before you buy

As with any puzzle toy, always supervise your dog’s play, and remove the toy once treats are gone rather than leaving it out as a general chew toy. No puzzle toy is entirely indestructible, so periodic checks for damage or loose pieces are worth building into your routine, especially with persistent or determined chewers who see any toy as something to conquer rather than solve.

A genuine puzzle toy for dogs like this one won’t solve every behavioural issue on its own, but it’s a real, evidence-informed way to meet a need that’s easy to overlook in day-to-day dog ownership — and for many dogs, that small daily outlet makes a genuine difference to how settled and content they feel.