10 Simple Brain Games for Puppies You Can Try Today
When I first brought my puppy home, I was overwhelmed by all that puppy energy. I quickly learned that giving her mental stimulation was just as important as potty training and socialization. Puppies need to exercise their brains — not just their bodies — to grow into happy, well-behaved dogs.
That’s why I started looking for simple brain games for puppies that I could do at home. In this post, I’ll share my top 10 favorite games that worked wonders with my own pup — and if you want a full program that I personally use and love, here it is:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out
Table of Contents
Why Brain Games Are So Important for Puppies
Puppies are naturally curious and eager to learn. But if they don’t get enough mental stimulation, they can quickly turn to unwanted behaviors like chewing, barking, or digging.
Adding daily brain games helped my puppy:
- Learn faster
- Develop impulse control
- Build focus
- Reduce hyperactivity
- Strengthen our bond
The best part? These games are easy, fun, and can be done right at home — no fancy equipment required!
10 Simple Brain Games for Puppies
1. Muffin Tin Game
Place treats in a few muffin tin cups and cover them with tennis balls. Your puppy will have to figure out how to move the balls to get the treats — a great beginner puzzle game.
2. Find the Hand
Hold a treat in one closed fist, present both fists to your puppy, and let them sniff and choose. When they paw or nose the correct hand, open it and reward.
3. Name That Toy
Pick one toy and repeat its name while encouraging your puppy to grab it. Over time, they’ll learn to identify toys by name — which really works their brain!
4. Towel Roll-Up
Lay out a towel, sprinkle in treats, and roll it up. Your puppy has to unroll the towel to get to the goodies — excellent for problem-solving.
5. Hide and Seek
This is one of my puppy’s favorite games! I hide behind furniture or in another room, then call her to come find me. It builds recall and encourages mental focus.
6. Scent Work
Hide treats around the house and let your puppy sniff them out. Scent games are natural for dogs and provide fantastic mental stimulation.
7. Obstacle Course
Set up a small indoor obstacle course using chairs, cushions, and blankets. Guide your puppy through the course — it builds confidence and coordination.
8. Follow the Leader
Walk around the house changing direction often, encouraging your puppy to follow you closely. Reward them for staying with you — this teaches focus and engagement.
9. Target Training
Teach your puppy to touch their nose to your hand or a target object on command. It’s a great way to build attention and introduce early obedience skills.
10. Interactive Trick Training
Start with easy tricks like “sit,” “paw,” or “spin.” Short trick sessions are the perfect brain workout for young puppies. If you want a full guide to what tricks to teach, here’s the program I followed:
Brain Training for Dogs — Full Program Here
Final Thoughts
Adding brain games to my puppy’s daily routine made such a difference in her behavior and happiness. She learned faster, stopped acting out, and our bond grew so much stronger.
If you’re looking for a complete step-by-step system that works for puppies of all ages, I highly recommend the program I use:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to learn more
Start with these 10 simple games — and you’ll be amazed how quickly your puppy’s mind develops!
Before I discovered how important brain games for puppies are, I was frustrated. My puppy was chewing everything in sight, barking at random noises, and had a hard time calming down. No matter how many walks I gave her, she still had tons of energy — but it was mental energy.
That’s when I learned that puppies need just as much mental stimulation as they do physical exercise — sometimes even more. Once I started adding these simple games to her day, her behavior completely changed.
One great thing about starting brain games early is that it helps prevent bad habits from forming. A mentally satisfied puppy is far less likely to turn to chewing, digging, or barking out of boredom.
Plus, brain games are an amazing way to build your puppy’s confidence. Many young dogs are unsure or timid when faced with new challenges. By playing brain games, they learn to problem-solve and trust their own abilities.
I also noticed a big improvement in my puppy’s focus during training. Before, she would get distracted after just a few minutes. But once her brain was being worked every day, her attention span grew — which made obedience training much easier.
If you’re unsure where to start or want a full progression of games and training ideas, I highly recommend this program:
Brain Training for Dogs — Full Program Here
It gave me a simple plan that was fun for both me and my puppy — and it worked like a charm.
Another great thing? You don’t need expensive toys or gadgets. Many of the best puppy brain games use things you already have at home — towels, cups, muffin tins, blankets, and treats.
And you don’t need hours of time either. Just 10–15 minutes of mental stimulation a few times a day was enough to calm my puppy and improve her behavior.
If you have a working breed puppy or a very intelligent breed (like a Border Collie, Poodle, Shepherd, or Terrier), brain games are even more important. These puppies NEED mental challenges or they’ll start making their own — which usually leads to trouble!
Since adding these games, I’ve seen fewer tantrums, less chewing, and a much calmer, happier puppy overall.
Another bonus? Brain games give you and your puppy positive bonding time — which helps build trust and makes all future training easier.
One thing I really appreciated about the program I used was how it showed me how to gradually increase difficulty as my puppy improved:
Brain Training for Dogs — Click here to check it out
That way my puppy never got bored or frustrated — and she stayed excited to learn every day.
If you start these simple puppy brain games today, I promise you’ll be amazed how quickly your puppy’s focus, behavior, and happiness improve.