Beat Summer Boredom: The Best Enrichment & Puzzle Toys of 2026

Published July 2026 · ~6 min read

Some summer afternoons are simply too hot for a proper walk — and a bored dog indoors is a dog looking for trouble. The fix is mental exercise. A few minutes of sniffing, licking and problem-solving tires a dog out as much as a physical outing, and it turns a long, hot, restless afternoon into a calm one. It’s also a lifesaver on noisy nights, when a busy toy gives an anxious pet something better to focus on. Here’s the enrichment our team reaches for in 2026.

1. Treat-dispensing toys — best for busy chewers

These reward a dog for rolling, nudging and working at the toy, turning a handful of kibble into a 20-minute job. They’re the easiest entry point to enrichment and suit most dogs. The KONG Rewards Wrapz dispenses treats unpredictably as it rolls, and the classic stuffable KONG Stuff-A-Ball is as tough as they come. For puppies, the KONG Puppy Activity Ball is sized and softened for young mouths.

2. Puzzle boards and nosework — best for problem-solvers

Puzzle boards hide treats under sliders, flaps and compartments the dog has to figure out. They’re brilliant for quick learners who get bored of a plain chew, and you can raise the difficulty as your dog gets the hang of it. The fouFIT Hide n Seek Turntable Puzzle and the Hide n Seek Busy Board are two of our favourites — supervise the first few sessions so your dog solves rather than chews.

3. Lick mats and frozen enrichment — best for hot-day calm

This is the category we reach for first in a heat wave. Licking is naturally soothing, and a frozen mat or treat toy also cools a dog from the inside out. Spread a lick mat like the Woof LickMat with a thin layer of wet food, unsweetened yogurt or low-sodium broth and freeze it, or load a Woof Pupsicle for a longer-lasting frozen puzzle. There’s more of this in our summer cooling gear roundup.

4. Snuffle and slow feeding — best for fast eaters

Turning a meal into a foraging hunt slows down a gulper and gives their nose a workout — and sniffing is genuinely tiring in the best way. Scatter feeding, snuffle mats and slow-feeder bowls all turn dinner into enrichment. Browse the full dog toys collection for options.

5. For cats — enrichment counts too

Indoor cats need mental exercise as much as dogs do, and summer is a good time to add it. Food puzzles and treat balls tap into their hunting instinct, and a daily session with a wand toy burns real energy. Have a look at our cat toys collection for puzzle feeders and interactive wands.

Don’t overlook long-lasting chews

A good long-lasting chew is enrichment too. The act of chewing is naturally calming and keeps a dog happily occupied for a stretch — exactly what you want on a hot, housebound afternoon or a noisy evening. Rotate a chew in alongside the toys above so there’s always something fresh in the mix, and always supervise, choosing the right size and hardness for your dog.

Staff picks for 2026

• Best all-rounder: a stuffable treat toy — endlessly reusable and tough.
• Best for hot afternoons: a frozen lick mat or frozen treat toy.
• Best for clever dogs: a puzzle board you can make progressively harder.
• Best value: turning dinner into a snuffle hunt — free, and it works.

Free Canadian shipping on orders over $89, and everything ships from within Canada. Browse the full KONG range and dog toys to build a rotation.

Three free DIY ideas

You don’t have to buy anything to start. Freeze wet food in an old container for a pupsicle; roll treats into an old towel and let your dog unroll it; or scatter dinner across the lawn or a snuffle mat for a foraging hunt. Rotating a few toys in and out keeps them novel, so you get more mileage from everything you own.

The bottom line

On the hottest days, a puzzle toy does what the walk can’t. Keep a couple of options in rotation — a stuffable treat toy, a frozen lick mat and one puzzle board covers most dogs — and you’ll have a calmer, happier pet through the summer.

PetMax.ca is a Canadian-owned pet supply retailer based in the GTHA. We’ve been helping pet owners since 1993 and ship across Canada — free shipping on orders over $89. This article is general information, not veterinary advice. When in doubt about your pet’s health, contact your veterinarian.