Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Review: Is This Level 2 Puzzle Worth It?

1. What Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick?

A Level 2 interactive dog puzzle

The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is an interactive treat puzzle from the Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound line. It is classified as a Level 2 puzzle, placing it beyond the simplest introductory games while still relying on relatively understandable individual actions.

The basic idea is straightforward: hide treats or kibble inside the puzzle and let your dog figure out how to uncover them. What makes the Dog Brick different from a simple treat-dispensing toy is that the reward is hidden behind several types of obstacles.

The official product description identifies three different treat-feeding features: flip compartments, sliding sections, and removable bone-shaped pieces. That combination gives the dog more than one action to learn during a single session.

Designed around natural food-searching behavior

Dogs naturally use their noses and mouths to investigate interesting smells and locate food. Puzzle toys turn that instinct into a controlled activity by hiding food behind simple challenges.

With the Dog Brick, the dog has to notice where the food is, interact with the appropriate part of the board, and repeat the process until the reward is accessible. This makes the toy more about problem solving and food searching than simply chewing or chasing.

For owners dealing with dogs that quickly finish meals or become bored with conventional feeding routines, this type of enrichment can add another activity to the daily routine.

2. How Does the Dog Brick Puzzle Work?

Flip, slide, and lift

The Dog Brick uses multiple mechanical actions to reveal hidden food. Depending on how the puzzle is set up, your dog may need to flip open a compartment, move a sliding section, or lift one of the removable bone-shaped pieces.

That variety is one of the strongest features of this particular puzzle. Instead of learning one repeated movement, your dog can encounter different types of obstacles on the same board.

The manufacturer specifically describes the toy as having three different treat-hiding features. The removable bones can cover compartments, while the other sections require flipping or sliding movements.

You control how difficult the session becomes

One useful aspect of the Dog Brick is that you do not have to begin with the hardest possible configuration. The puzzle can be introduced gradually.

For a dog that is new to this particular toy, you can leave some compartments easier to access and allow the dog to discover the relationship between interacting with the board and receiving food. Once the dog understands the basic idea, additional covers can make the search more involved.

The official instructions also describe increasing difficulty by covering more compartments with the bone pieces. This gives the owner some control over the learning curve rather than making every session equally challenging.

3. Dog Brick Difficulty: Is Level 2 Right for Your Dog?

What Level 2 actually means

Level numbers are useful as a general guide, but they should not be treated as a measurement of intelligence. A dog can find one puzzle easy and another puzzle frustrating depending on its previous experience, motivation, paw control, persistence, and interest in food.

The Dog Brick is positioned as an intermediate Level 2 game. Outward Hound describes it as a puzzle for dogs ready for additional obstacles and combinations of actions compared with Level 1 games.

That makes it especially interesting for dogs that have already learned the basic concept of food puzzles but need something with more variety.

Signs your dog may be ready

Your dog may be ready for the Dog Brick if it already understands that interacting with a puzzle can reveal food. Dogs that have successfully used simple treat puzzles, snuffle-style enrichment, or beginner-level Nina Ottosson games may have an easier time understanding the concept.

On the other hand, a dog with no puzzle experience may benefit from a simpler introduction first. Nina Ottosson also offers Level 1 games such as the Dog Smart, which uses a more straightforward treat-and-cover concept.

The important point is not whether your dog is officially a “Level 2 dog.” The better question is whether your dog can learn individual actions without becoming overly frustrated.

4. Treat Capacity and Ways to Use the Dog Brick

Use treats or regular kibble

You do not necessarily need special treats to use the Dog Brick. The manufacturer’s instructions describe using treats or kibble in the compartments.

Using part of your dog’s normal meal can be a practical option if you want enrichment without adding a large amount of extra food. Small, dry pieces are generally convenient because they are easy to place in the different compartments and produce less mess than wet foods.

For highly food-motivated dogs, you can make the activity more interesting by varying which compartments contain rewards. The goal is to encourage searching and problem solving rather than simply making every compartment equally predictable.

Frozen enrichment for longer sessions

The official Nina Ottosson instructions also describe a frozen-puzzle option. Wet food or another suitable mixture can be placed into the hollows and frozen, creating a longer-lasting challenge.

This approach may be particularly useful in warm weather or when you want to turn the puzzle into a slower enrichment activity.

However, not every dog needs a frozen setup. If your dog is still learning how the puzzle works, starting with easily accessible dry treats can make the learning process simpler.

5. Mental Stimulation and Boredom Relief

A puzzle instead of another passive toy

One reason interactive puzzles can be useful is that they require the dog to participate. A conventional plush toy or ball may be fun, but the dog does not necessarily have to solve a problem to access a reward.

The Dog Brick creates a simple sequence: investigate, interact, discover, and eat. That sequence can turn a portion of the dog’s food or treats into an enrichment activity.

Nina Ottosson and Outward Hound position the Dog Brick as a boredom-busting puzzle that engages dogs mentally and redirects attention toward a structured activity.

Useful for dogs that enjoy solving food puzzles

Not every dog enjoys puzzle toys equally. Some dogs are motivated by food but quickly lose interest when the reward is difficult to access. Others enjoy experimenting with objects and may persist until they understand the mechanism.

The Dog Brick is therefore most interesting for dogs that enjoy interactive food-based challenges. If your dog loves sniffing out treats, pawing at objects, moving things around, and learning simple actions, the format may fit naturally into its enrichment routine.

It should be considered enrichment rather than a substitute for exercise, training, social interaction, or veterinary care when those are needed.

6. Cleaning, Materials, and Durability

Food-safe materials and removable components

Outward Hound describes the Dog Brick as being made from food-safe materials and states that the puzzle is BPA-, PVC-, and phthalate-free. The design also includes removable bone pieces.

The removable parts are useful for accessing areas where treats may collect, but they also mean owners should pay attention to the individual pieces during and after play.

This is a puzzle toy rather than a chew toy. If your dog focuses on biting the board or chewing the removable pieces instead of solving the puzzle, the Dog Brick may not be an appropriate unsupervised toy.

How to clean the Dog Brick

The manufacturer’s care instructions recommend removing leftover treats or kibble and washing the Dog Brick with warm water and soap before rinsing and drying it.

Cleaning becomes particularly important when using wet food, soft treats, or frozen mixtures. Allow the puzzle to dry completely before storing it.

Regular inspection is also part of responsible toy use. Outward Hound specifically warns that no toy is indestructible and recommends removing a puzzle if it becomes damaged.

7. Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Pros and Cons

Pros

• Multiple puzzle mechanisms: Dogs can flip, slide, and lift pieces to reach rewards.
• Level 2 challenge: Adds more complexity than a basic beginner puzzle.
• Adjustable difficulty: Owners can control how many compartments are covered.
• Works with treats or kibble: Makes it possible to incorporate regular food into enrichment.
• Reusable enrichment: The puzzle can be reset for another supervised session.
• Different from rolling treat toys: The dog remains focused on a stationary puzzle board rather than chasing a dispenser around the room.

Cons

• Not suitable for every dog: Dogs that prefer chewing may ignore the puzzle or misuse it.
• Requires supervision: The removable pieces should not be treated as chew items.
• Can become easy for experienced puzzle dogs: A clever dog may quickly learn the mechanisms.
• Requires setup: Treats need to be placed into the compartments before each session.
• Cleaning is part of ownership: Especially when using moist or frozen food.

8. Dog Brick vs Other Nina Ottosson Puzzle Levels

Dog Brick vs Dog Smart

The Dog Smart is positioned as a Level 1 puzzle, while the Dog Brick is a Level 2 game. That distinction is important when choosing between them.

The Dog Smart uses a relatively straightforward concept involving treat compartments covered by removable pieces. The Dog Brick introduces multiple mechanisms, including flipping and sliding sections, which gives the dog more actions to learn.

If your dog is completely new to puzzle games, the Dog Smart may provide a simpler starting point. If your dog already understands basic food puzzles, the Dog Brick offers more variety.

Dog Brick vs Dog Worker

The Dog Worker is a Level 3 puzzle designed for dogs that have progressed beyond Levels 1 and 2. Its mechanisms involve sequential actions such as swiveling flippers, moving blocks, and spinning a center wheel.

This makes the Dog Brick a logical middle option for owners who want more complexity than a beginner puzzle without immediately jumping to a more advanced sequential challenge.

The best progression is not necessarily to move through every level quickly. The goal is to find a difficulty that keeps your dog interested without turning the activity into frustration.

9. Who Should Buy the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick?

A good fit for food-motivated problem solvers

The Dog Brick makes the most sense for owners whose dogs already show interest in food puzzles or enjoy figuring out how things work.

It can be especially useful when you want a stationary enrichment activity that can be set up indoors. The dog does not need to chase the toy across a room. Instead, the challenge stays concentrated on the puzzle board.

It can also be useful as part of a broader enrichment routine. Rather than using the puzzle for every meal, you might use it periodically with treats, part of a meal, or special food rewards.

Who may want something different

The Dog Brick may not be the right choice for dogs that immediately try to chew puzzle boards or remove and destroy components.

It may also be less appealing to dogs that are not motivated by food or that become frustrated when treats are hidden. In those situations, other forms of enrichment may be more appropriate.

And while the Dog Brick can provide mental activity, it should not be presented as a replacement for walks, play, training, or other forms of interaction.

10. Is the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Worth It?

What makes the Dog Brick valuable

The biggest attraction of the Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is its variety. Instead of giving your dog one simple action to repeat, the puzzle combines several ways to uncover food.

That makes it particularly appealing for dogs that have moved beyond basic treat puzzles and enjoy learning new interactions. The Level 2 design offers a useful middle ground between simple introductory games and more complicated sequential puzzles.

The ability to change how many compartments are covered also gives the owner flexibility. You can introduce the puzzle gradually and increase the challenge as your dog becomes more comfortable with the mechanisms.

Our overall assessment

If your dog enjoys food-based enrichment and is ready for a Level 2 puzzle, the Dog Brick is a practical option to consider. Its main strength is not that it is the hardest puzzle available, but that it gives you several different ways to structure a single activity.

It is also important to have realistic expectations. The Dog Brick is not a chew toy, and it is not designed to be left with a dog unsupervised. Its value comes from interactive, supervised problem solving.

Bottom line: The Nina Ottosson Dog Brick is worth considering if you want a reusable treat puzzle with multiple mechanisms and adjustable challenge. It is particularly well suited to dogs that already understand the basics of food puzzles and are ready for more variety.