Destructive behaviour indoors is more often boredom than a shortage of exercise, and the two need different answers. A dog can be walked for an hour and come home with nothing whatever to do.
A puzzle gives the problem-solving part of the day somewhere to go. Food goes into compartments, the dog works out how to open them, and the whole thing takes concentration rather than energy — which is why it tires a dog in a way another lap of the park does not.
It comes in three levels. Level one uses sliding covers and is solved by nose and paw alone. Level two adds pieces that have to be lifted before others will move. Level three requires a sequence — one piece has to come out before the next will shift — and will keep most dogs busy well past the first session. The blocks lift out for washing and the base has non-slip feet, so the dog is not chasing it across the kitchen.
Start at level one even if you are certain your dog will find it easy. A puzzle that defeats a dog on the first go tends to be abandoned rather than retried, and you only get one first impression.
Used before you go out, it supports a dog that settles rather than patrols.
Destructive behaviour indoors is more often boredom than a shortage of exercise, and the two need different answers. A dog can be walked for an hour and still come home with nothing whatever to do.
How this helps
A puzzle gives the problem-solving part of a dog's day somewhere to go, and three difficulty levels mean it keeps working once the first one is solved. Used before you go out, it supports a dog that settles rather than patrols.
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