Smart play: puzzles for dogs and cats

July 14 2025
3 min reading time

Slim spelen: puzzels voor honden en katten

Discover why puzzle toys for dogs and cats are so popular and how you can sell them successfully in your pet shop.

Pets are more than just companions – they're intelligent, curious animals that benefit from mental stimulation. More and more owners are therefore looking for toys that offer more than just entertainment: toys that enrich, activate, and help prevent stress. Puzzle toys fit seamlessly into this, making them a valuable product category for any pet store.

Warmako offers a carefully selected range of intelligence toys from top brands like West Paw, Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound, and Petstages. These products stimulate cognitive function, extend playtime, and strengthen the bond between pet and owner through both collaborative play and independent play.

Pet Puzzles: More Than Just a Hype

Puzzle toys have become a consistent growth category in the pet industry in recent years. And for good reason – these products meet several current consumer needs:

More and more owners are looking for mental enrichment for their pets.
Working from home has increased the demand for independent and interactive toys.
Social media shows every day how fun and useful puzzling can be.
Puzzles encourage slower eating and help with obesity or gluttony behavior.
The market offers a growing range of shapes, levels and materials.

In short: puzzles combine fun with function – exactly what modern pet owners are looking for.

Why puzzle toys belong in your store

Puzzles encourage natural behaviors like sniffing, searching, and solving. They keep things occupied, reduce stress, and help with behavioral problems. By clearly presenting puzzles and providing sound advice, you show customers that you offer more than just standard toys – you offer solutions.

West Paw: sustainable toys for dogs

The American brand West Paw is known for its strong, safe, and eco-friendly toys. All puzzles are made of recyclable, BPA-free materials and are dishwasher safe. Ideal for dogs who love to chew and think.

Toppl – Smart fillable puzzle toy. Combine two sizes for an extra challenge.
Qwizl – Ideal for hard chews, encourages slow eating.
Tux – Very sturdy, fillable and suitable for freezing.
Rumbl – Unique snack ball that bounces, rolls, and keeps dogs entertained.

Nina Ottosson: brain games for dogs and cats

As the founder of puzzle toys for pets, Nina Ottosson offers a wide range of puzzles in varying difficulty levels. All puzzles are designed to engage both the pet's body and mind.

For dogs:

Dog Brick – Flaps and sliders, ideal as an entry-level model.
Dog Tornado – Rotating layers with hidden treats.
Dog Twister – Multi-layer sliding puzzle for advanced users.
Challenge Slider – Large sliding puzzle, designed for the ultimate mental challenge.
Multipuzzle – Most complex puzzle in the range.
Activity Matz – Fabric play mat with hiding places, easy to store.

For cats (and small dogs):

Buggin' Out, Rainy Day, and Melon Madness – Interactive games with varying levels of difficulty, featuring sliders and hiding places, tailored to cats' hunting instincts.

Selling tips for pet shops

Ensure maximum visibility and added value by presenting puzzles correctly:

Combine with snacks: Put puzzles together with matching treats or pate and offer a bundle discount.
Use clear labels: Give puzzles difficulty levels and short explanation cards.
Show how it works: Use demo copies or QR codes to videos.
Create a themed table: Set up a corner with puzzles + snacks + gift ideas.
Provide active advice: Train your staff to recommend puzzles when they are stressed, startled, or bored.

Smart solutions that sell

With puzzle toys, you can offer your customers a playful way to mentally challenge their pets. The products mentioned above are just a selection from Warmako's extensive puzzle range .

Discover the full range of West Paw, Nina Ottosson, Petstages and other brands in our shop or contact us for personal advice.