Last Updated on 2021-05-03 by Admin

The latest toy that Annie my Boxer girl got is the Outward Hound Multi Puzzle Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy. The intention was to give Annie a toy to have some stimulating activity without having me or my wife play with her.
Before purchasing an interactive treat puzzle, it is worth looking into the toy’s dimension and difficulty level. Another aspect would be the size of each part of the toy. The Parts should be oversized to make them easily manipulated with the paws and snout. The pieces should also be too big enough not to be swallowed.
The difficulty level marked on the toys’ label may not reflect every dog’s capabilities and temperament. Assessing which puzzle will provide enough stimulation and interest is a bit of a guess. Because of that, a multi puzzle might be worth considering instead of a single puzzle.
Outward Hound Multi Puzzle Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy Specs
- Dimensions in Inches: Height: 1.7″ Width: 15″ Length: 15″
- Dimensions in Metric: Height: 4.3 cm Width: 38.1 cm Length: 38.1 cm
- Treat Compartments: 28
- Materials: BPA, PVA, & phthalate free Plastic
- Difficulty Level: 4 (Highest)
- Tile dimensions in Inches: 2.25″ X 2.25″
- Tile dimension in Metric: 5.7 cm X 5.7 cm
Product Notes:
The product states NO REMOVABLE PARTS. However, that is not true. My dog has frequently pulled out some of the green tiles. So be aware.
Compartment Details: Under the green tiles in the corners are three compartments. In the middle is just one long compartment. The treat compartments under the orange caps are much smaller than under the green tiles. So it might be a good idea to put a better reward\treat under the orange caps as it is much more challenging to retrieve one of those treats.
Multi-Level: The puzzle is multi-level because the outer green tiles slide, making it relatively easy for the dog to get the treat under it. On the other hand, the centre wheel with orange caps makes that part of the puzzle very difficult for a dog to retrieve a treat.
Dog Puzzles have a learning Curve, be prepared to provide some learning help
A Well-chosen Interactive treat puzzle should provide the dog with a challenge, but it will not be so tricky that the dog gets overly frustrated. For that reason, I had chosen a multi puzzle. It offers some easy ways to get treats out and has a challenging way to get goodies.
Annie was right away interested in the Outward Hound multi puzzle. We quickly learned that the easy part of the puzzle was no challenge for Annie. But trying to get at the difficult to retrieve treats frustrated her.
To overcome the frustration, we demonstrated how to get a treat out of the problematic section. It did take some time, but eventually, Annie got a few treats out. And with it, her frustration subsided. But even after having the toy for a couple of months, the puzzle is still a challenge.
Observation on How a Dog Solves a Puzzle
One thing I found fascinating is watching how Annie goes about solving the puzzle. For the easy section, she uses her nose and moves the green squares around to get at the treats. However, she can get rough and uses her paws to move the pieces to get at treats.
The tricky part of the puzzle requires turning the centre wheel and then sliding an orange knob into the wheel’s groove. That is pretty hard to do with paws and snout. It is impressive to watch how Annie goes about getting the treats out. She uses a lot of paw actions trying to turn the wheel. The orange caps she tries to pull out by grabbing them with her teeth. But that does not work because the caps don’t stick out very much above the wheel. Sometimes the orange caps get shoved under the wheel, and Annie gets a treat that way. Other times she will move the orange cap with the nose and turn the wheel.
Puzzle Durability
Overall the durability has been good. The material is strong and food grade. However, there are some things of concern for some dog owners.
The Toy has Removable Parts
The product claims to have non-removable parts. That is not my experience at all. Let me explain.

The green tiles can pull out when a dog holds the paws on the board and pulls a green tile with the teeth. And keep in mind that Annie is Boxer and has a flat snout. I could imagine that it would be relatively easy for a dog with a pointy nose to grab a green tile while standing on the board—something to consider for dogs that are chewers and destroy things.
Disappearing Parts
There is also another aspect that can be of concern. Annie can somehow push one or more orange caps under the centre wheel. I for a moment thought that Annie ate the cap as one missing and could not find it. Only a day later did I notice that the cap ended up under the wheel.

The centre wheel is removable to retrieve the orange caps that ended up under the wheel. The wheel is hard to pull out for a human. Most dogs most likely will not be able to pull out the centre wheel. Never the less it is essential to be aware that it can come off. One should never underestimate what dogs can do.
Cleaning The Puzzle
Cleaning the dog treat puzzle is pretty simple. In my case, I just put the puzzle in the shower and use the showerhead to rinse it with warm water. Then I use a cloth with some soap and give it a good wash. After that, I rinse it again with warm water.
To dry the toy, I just put it on its side and let the water drain. Then let it dry standing on its side.
Where to Buy
Disclaimer: I like to make you aware that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. That means, should you decide to purchase one of the products through the links below, I would earn a commission at no extra cost to You.
Conclusion
Annie likes the multi puzzle treat toy. The great part about this toy is that she still has to work hard to get the treats out of the challenging puzzle section. When fed up, Annie starts doing something else. Then at a later time, she will again try to get the difficult to obtain treats out.
But I must also say that I expected that the parts are not removable.
You can read some of my other dog toy reviews on my page for durable dog toys.
Das spiel sieht sehr interessant aus Anni muss richtig nachdenken, ich habe ein Hütchenspiel für meine kleinen, das beherrschen sie richtig gut, suche jetzt ein neues..
Ja, es braucht etwas gehirn um die treats zu kriegenn