DIY Dog Enrichment at Home: Turn Snacks Into Brain Games
10/10/2025
DIY Dog Enrichment at Home: Turn Snacks Into Brain Games
Let’s be real: most dogs can vacuum up a bowl of food faster than you can say, “Was that even chewing?” But snack time doesn’t have to be a two-second inhale. Enter interactive feeders—simple DIY tools that turn treats into scavenger hunts and enrichment magic!
Why Bother?
Dogs aren’t built to eat from shiny metal bowls every day. Their wild cousins spent hours sniffing, digging, foraging, and strategizing for food. Interactive feeders let your dog tap into their instincts and offer these perks:
🐾 Slows down fast eaters.
🐾 Provides mental stimulation, as tiring as a long walk.
🐾 Prevents boredom—and the couch-destroying, sock-thieving chaos it brings.
🐾 Builds confidence in shy or anxious pups.
DIY Interactive Feeder Ideas
No need to splurge on fancy puzzle bowls. Your recycling bin, pantry, and imagination are all you need.
1. Muffin Tin Munchies
Grab a muffin tin and toss treats into the cups.
Cover each cup with a tennis ball or crumpled paper for smaller dogs.
Watch your pup bop, nudge, and nose their way to victory.
2. Towel Burrito
Lay out a towel, sprinkle treats along it, and roll it up like a giant burrito.
Your dog will paw, nose, and unravel layers to reach the goodies.
3. Box of Wonders
Take a cardboard box, toss in treats, and fill it with crumpled newspaper, empty toilet paper rolls, or safe recyclables.
Bonus: dogs get the joy of supervised destruction while sniffing out snacks.
4. Bottle Paw Spin Game
Thread a dowel or broomstick through empty plastic bottles (labels and caps removed).
Secure the dowel across two chairs or a low table so bottles hang horizontally and spin.
Fill bottles with treats; show your dog how pawing makes them spin and release food.
It’s a doggy slot machine—paw, spin, jackpot!
5. Snuffle Mat Shortcut
No sewing needed! Use an old fleece blanket or T-shirts. Cut a 13″ x 13″ square (or any size).
Cut slits every 1/4 to 1/2 inch in rows, avoiding edges.
Cut strips just wide enough to fit through slits.
Thread strips through outer holes and tie; repeat for inner holes, tying strips through adjacent slits.
Alternatively, use a rubber sink mat or yoga mat with slits.
Sprinkle treats in the fabric jungle for dogs to sniff and root.
6. Hide-and-Seek Treats
Hide small treats around a room or yard and encourage your dog to sniff them out.
Turns snack time into a scavenger hunt with mental and physical exercise.
Your Challenge 🍂
Raid your recycling bin, rummage through your closet, and build your dog an epic interactive feeder. Don’t worry if it looks like a toddler’s craft project—your pup cares about snacks, not style.
Snap a pic of your creation, share with #RadowgFallPassport, and tag us @RadowgFood on Facebook or Instagram! We want to see your pups problem-solve, demolish, and snuffle their way to snack-time glory. Because snacks taste better when you’ve worked for them.
Bonus points for MacGyver smarts in your pup’s killer DIY feeder! 🐶✨
Did you know? You just found one of our Radowg Fall Passport blogs.
It's part of our Fall 2025 Adventure Checklist of dog-friendly activities where you can earn discounts, prizes, and ultimate bragging rights.
Came for the fun, haven’t met the passport yet?
No sweat (we'll save that for the adventures)!
Head to the Radowg Fall Passport HQ to grab your Radowg Fall Passport and get all the deets on how to play along and win prizes.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop