Dogs solve a puzzle once and then remember the answer, which is why the good ones ask for a physical action rather than a lucky nudge. This board hides treats under sliding paw-print tabs set around a circular face, so your dog has to nose or paw each tab sideways to open the compartment beneath. It is a deliberate movement, which means the game stays interesting on the tenth go rather than only the first.

Flat is the right format for a first puzzle. A board sits still on the floor while a dog works at it, so a nervous or elderly dog is not chasing a rolling object round the kitchen, and you can see exactly which compartments are still loaded. Loading only some of the slots keeps a clever dog searching rather than working left to right, and using part of a meal instead of extra treats turns it into a slow feeder without adding calories.

• Round puzzle board with sliding paw-print tabs
• Treats hidden in the compartments beneath each slider
• Opened by nose or paw, not by chance
• Slows fast eaters when used with part of a meal
• Suits small and medium dogs indoors
• Single option, no size or colour choice

On what this actually is. The copy previously on this page described a rolling ball that made sounds as it moved. That is not this product. This is a flat, static slide puzzle with no noise-making parts, and it does not roll. It is also not a chew toy: sliders are the sort of small part a determined dog will remove and swallow, so supervise and put it away between sessions.

Who it's for: Curious dogs who need indoor mental work, and fast eaters whose owners want mealtimes to last longer than a minute.