The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is a Level 2 interactive puzzle designed to make dogs work for hidden treats. Instead of simply eating from a bowl, your dog must flip, slide, and lift different pieces to reveal the rewards.
This review looks at the Dog Brick’s difficulty, treat compartments, learning curve, mental stimulation, boredom relief, cleaning, durability, sizing, and whether it is a good next step for dogs moving beyond beginner puzzles.
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Quick Verdict
The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is a strong choice for dogs that have already learned the basics of treat puzzles and are ready for a more involved challenge. It is officially positioned as a Level 2 intermediate puzzle, with multiple actions that the dog must learn to perform to uncover the rewards.
Its biggest strength is variety. The Dog Brick does not rely on one repetitive motion. Dogs can flip lids, slide compartments, and lift removable bone-shaped covers to reach different treat locations.
The main limitation is that the Dog Brick is not a toy you should simply fill and walk away from. Outward Hound explicitly recommends close supervision, teaching the dog how the game works, and preventing the dog from chewing the puzzle or its pieces.
Best For
Dogs ready for intermediate puzzles
Level
Level 2 / Intermediate
Main Strength
Multiple ways to find treats
Main Limitation
Requires supervised play
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What Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick?
The Dog Brick is an interactive treat puzzle from Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound. The current manufacturer description calls it a Level 2 puzzle and positions it for dogs that are ready to move beyond the simpler actions used in Level 1 games.
Rather than hiding treats in one type of compartment, the Dog Brick combines several mechanisms. The dog can flip open lids, slide blocks, and lift removable white bone-shaped pieces to reveal hidden food.
This gives owners the ability to adjust how difficult the game feels. A new puzzle user can start with the simpler actions, while a more experienced dog can be asked to solve more of the mechanisms in one session. Outward Hound’s own tips recommend changing where treats are placed to increase or reduce the challenge.
That flexibility is one of the main reasons the Dog Brick works as an intermediate puzzle rather than a one-and-done novelty.
How the Three Main Mechanisms Work
1. Flip
The dog learns to move the flip lids to reveal treats hidden underneath.
2. Slide
Sliding sections expose another hidden treat area and add a second movement pattern.
3. Lift
The removable white bone-shaped pieces can be lifted to reveal another reward location.
These different actions are what give the Dog Brick its Level 2 positioning. Instead of mastering one simple movement, the dog has to learn several related behaviors.
How Difficult Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick?
The Dog Brick is officially a Level 2 intermediate puzzle. In the Nina Ottosson system, Level 2 games are for dogs who are ready for new play patterns involving multiple steps such as lifting, sliding, paw pressing, or removing covers.
That does not mean every dog will experience exactly the same difficulty. A highly food-motivated dog may learn the mechanisms quickly, while a dog that has little puzzle experience may need several guided sessions before understanding the goal.
For most first-time puzzle users, a Level 1 Nina Ottosson game is the better starting point. The manufacturer itself describes Dog Brick as a next step for dogs who have mastered Level 1.
Check the current listing for price, color, and availability.
How to Introduce the Dog Brick
A common mistake with puzzle toys is making the game too difficult on the first attempt. The goal is to teach the dog that interacting with the puzzle causes food to appear.
Outward Hound recommends teaching dogs how the game works rather than leaving them alone to figure it out. This is especially important with the Dog Brick because the toy contains multiple mechanisms.
Start Easy
Expose some treats clearly so the dog understands the reward.
Demonstrate
Show the dog how a lid or slider moves instead of expecting instant understanding.
Increase Difficulty
Add more covers or hiding locations once the basic pattern is understood.
How to Make the Dog Brick Easier
Although the product is labeled Level 2, owners do not have to start at maximum difficulty. Outward Hound’s own guidance suggests removing the white bone covers and hiding treats primarily under the sliding blocks for an easier game.
This is useful because puzzle difficulty is not only determined by the product itself. The owner controls how many mechanisms are active and how easy the treats are to discover.
For a dog that becomes frustrated quickly, start with the simplest version and build success before adding more obstacles.
How to Make the Dog Brick Harder
For an experienced puzzle dog, Outward Hound recommends increasing the challenge by hiding treats under the sliding sections, inside the white bone covers, and inside the flip lids.
This creates more decisions for the dog because it cannot rely on one familiar movement to find every reward.
If your dog solves the easier setup immediately, changing the location and difficulty of the hidden treats can help keep the puzzle from becoming completely predictable.
Is the Dog Brick Good for Mental Stimulation?
This is arguably the main reason to buy the Dog Brick. The dog must use its nose, mouth, paws, and observation skills to locate and access food hidden in different places. Outward Hound describes the game as mentally stimulating and intended to tap into natural hunting and foraging behaviors.
The puzzle also creates a simple cause-and-effect relationship: perform the correct action, and the hidden reward becomes available.
For dogs that enjoy food and problem solving, this can be considerably more engaging than receiving the same treats from an ordinary bowl.
Can the Dog Brick Help With Boredom?
Yes. Outward Hound specifically markets the Dog Brick as a boredom-busting interactive toy and says it can help redirect destructive behaviors.
The important factor is that the activity gives the dog something specific to do. Rather than simply waiting for stimulation, the dog must actively search, manipulate the puzzle, and work toward a food reward.
That can make a food puzzle a useful part of a daily enrichment routine, especially when combined with walks, sniffing, training, play, and rest.
What Can You Put in the Dog Brick?
The compartments can be filled with your dog’s preferred small treats or pieces of normal food that fit appropriately in the hiding spaces. Outward Hound’s own content also describes using treats, dog food, and peanut butter in the compartments.
For training purposes, small high-interest pieces can make it easier for the dog to understand the game quickly. Once the behavior is learned, normal kibble can also be useful if you want the puzzle to become part of a regular feeding routine.
The important rule is to account for puzzle treats as part of the dog’s overall daily food intake.
Is the Dog Brick Good for Beginners?
The answer is “sometimes.” Officially, Dog Brick is a Level 2 intermediate game, and the manufacturer says it is ideal for dogs that have already mastered Level 1.
However, the difficulty can be reduced by removing some obstacles and placing treats where the dog can find them easily. That means a motivated beginner may be able to learn the toy with guidance.
For a dog with zero puzzle experience, a Level 1 toy is still the safer starting point for building confidence.
What Size Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick?
The current manufacturer listing identifies the Dog Brick as a one-size puzzle measuring approximately 1.75 inches high by 12.75 inches long and 8.75 inches wide.
Because the puzzle sits on the floor rather than going into the dog’s mouth, sizing works differently from a chew toy. The more important considerations are whether the dog can comfortably reach the mechanisms and whether its muzzle and paws can interact with the compartments.
Large dogs and small dogs can both potentially use the product, but supervision and individual accessibility matter more than a simple breed-size label.
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How Easy Is the Dog Brick to Clean?
The Dog Brick is designed to be hand washed with soap and water. Outward Hound describes the materials as food safe and says the puzzle is easy to clean between uses.
That matters because treats and food can collect underneath the moving pieces. Regular cleaning is part of keeping the toy suitable for repeated use.
Remove leftover food after each session and allow the puzzle to dry before storing it.
What Is the Dog Brick Made From?
The current manufacturer page describes the Dog Brick as using tough removable plastic parts and food-safe materials. Outward Hound says the puzzle is BPA-, PVC-, and phthalate-free.
The removable pieces are a useful part of the puzzle because they create the lifting action that distinguishes the product from simpler sliding-only games.
At the same time, those removable pieces are why supervision is particularly important. They are puzzle components, not chew toys.
Dog Brick Safety and Supervision
Outward Hound explicitly says to supervise dogs closely, teach them how the game works, prevent chewing on the puzzle or its pieces, inspect the toy for damage, and remove it if broken. When the puzzle is empty, the company recommends storing it until the next supervised use.
This is an important difference between a puzzle and a chew toy. The goal is manipulation and food discovery, not chewing the plastic pieces.
What We Like
✓ Genuine Level 2 challenge
✓ Flip, slide, and lift mechanisms
✓ Difficulty can be adjusted
✓ Food-focused mental stimulation
✓ Easy to hand wash
✓ Food-safe, BPA/PVC/phthalate-free materials
What to Consider
• Not intended as a chew toy
• Requires supervision
• Beginners may need a simpler Level 1 puzzle
• Removable pieces must be monitored
• Requires cleanup after food use
Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Worth Buying?
The Dog Brick offers more than a simple treat dispenser because the dog has to learn multiple actions to access the hidden food. That gives it a stronger problem-solving component than many beginner toys.
It is also useful that the difficulty can change without buying a different puzzle. By removing or adding the white bone covers and changing where the treats are hidden, owners can make the same toy easier or harder.
That adaptability makes the Dog Brick especially attractive for owners who want one intermediate puzzle that can remain useful as the dog becomes more competent.
Final Verdict: Is the Dog Brick Worth It?
The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is a strong intermediate puzzle for dogs that already understand the basics of food-based problem solving. Its combination of flipping, sliding, and lifting gives the game more variety than a simple treat dispenser.
The best part is the adjustable difficulty. Beginners can start with an easier configuration, while experienced dogs can work through more hiding spots and multiple mechanisms in one session.
For owners looking for a puzzle that can provide both food motivation and mental engagement, the Dog Brick is one of the more versatile Level 2 options to consider.
View Nina Ottosson Dog Brick on Amazon →
Check Amazon for the current price, color, and availability.
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