Guide
Loading puzzle toys with freeze-dried salmon bits
Updated
Salmon treats for puzzle toys work best when you match the piece to the toy: small snapped bits for a snuffle mat or treat ball, crumbs for the open wells of a slider, and pieces broken once for scattering on the floor. Everything you load counts toward the day's treat allowance. Stay in the room and wash the toy afterward.
Which salmon piece sizes work in a puzzle toy?
Freeze-dried salmon pieces start out medium sized and break small. They also crumble, which gives you three working sizes from one pouch without any tools: medium pieces as they come out, small snapped bits, and crumbs from the bottom.
The rule is to fit the piece to the opening. A piece that is too large for a hole will not come out, and a piece that is far smaller than the hole drops out on the first tilt. If you are unsure, start with a bit that is slightly smaller than the opening and adjust from there.
Our freeze-dried salmon is a single ingredient, wild-caught salmon, and the pouch is 1.5 oz. That is a small amount, so snapping pieces into bits makes the pouch go further across several fills. Snap them over the pouch or a dish, since the crumbs that fall are usable.
How do you load a snuffle mat with salmon?
A snuffle mat is a fabric base with strips or folds, and the idea is to hide pieces between them. Use small snapped bits and a few crumbs. Push each bit into a fold with a fingertip, and spread them across the mat so the dog has several spots to check.
Start easy. Put a few bits right on top, then tuck the rest a little deeper. Once your dog has the idea, you can push bits further into the folds. Do not pile treats in a single spot, which turns a mat into a bowl.
Dry hands matter here. The bag says: "Reseal the pouch once it is open and store it cool and dry." A damp fingertip works against that, so load with dry hands over a dry surface, and shake the mat out first.
Stay close. The bag asks you to supervise while feeding, and a toy is still feeding. Freeze-dried salmon is raw before it is dried, so wash your hands after loading and handling the pieces.
Can crumbled salmon go in a treat ball?
Yes, with a small adjustment. Many treat balls have holes sized for kibble, and crumbs fall through them quickly. That is not a problem so much as a setting: crumbs make the toy pay out fast, small bits make it pay out slower, and medium pieces may not fit at all.
Try a few small bits first. If the ball holds them in and releases one when it rolls, you have the right size. If bits fall out the moment you tip it, move up a size. If nothing comes out, the pieces are too large, and you should snap them smaller.
Some balls have an adjustable opening. Check the one you own, and set it by testing with a few pieces before you load a full fill. Slider puzzles work the same way: a small bit under each cover, and a few crumbs in the open wells. Match what you load to what the toy asks for.
| Toy type | Piece size to use | Loading tip |
|---|---|---|
| Snuffle mat | Small snapped bits | Tuck each bit into a fold, and spread them out |
| Treat ball | Small bits, some crumbs | Test one bit first and size up or down |
| Slider puzzle | Small bits under covers, crumbs in open wells | Load a few wells, not all of them |
| Scatter on the floor | Medium pieces, broken once | Spread over a clean, dry floor |
How much salmon goes into one puzzle?
Less than you think. Everything that goes into a toy counts toward the day's treat allowance, and a toy that holds a lot can hide a lot of food. Salmon is a treat or a meal topper and not a complete diet.
We do not give a piece count, since the label gives none and every dog's allowance is different. Use the treat budget calculator on the product page to find the daily amount, then decide how many fills that covers. The label states about 85.6 kcal per ounce, which is the number the calculator works from.
A simple way to plan: set aside the day's allowance in a small closed container before you fill anything. Load the toy from that container, and when it is empty, you are done. If you also use pieces for training that day, take those out of the same container so nothing is counted twice. The guide to using salmon treats covers the training side.
How do you clean a toy after raw salmon?
Wash the toy the way you wash a food bowl, after every use. The salmon is freeze-dried raw, so the product page asks you to wash your hands after handling and to clean what the pieces touched. A toy that held salmon is one of those things.
For hard toys, use warm water and dish soap, scrub the openings and let it dry fully before the next fill. For a fabric snuffle mat, check its care label, shake out the crumbs and wash it as the label says. Dry it completely, because a damp toy is a poor place for dry treats.
Wash your hands with soap and water when you finish, and wipe the floor spot where you scattered pieces. Your veterinarian can answer anything about raw pieces and your own dog. More reading lives in the guides hub.
Questions
Will my dog eat the toy along with the treat?
Some dogs chew toys, and any toy can be chewed. Stay in the room while your dog uses it and take it away when the treats are gone. Pick a toy built for the way your dog plays, and replace it when it shows wear.
Do the crumbs get stuck in a snuffle mat?
Some do. Fine crumbs settle into the folds and weave. Shake the mat over a dish before washing, and follow the care label for the rest. Using snapped bits instead of fine crumbs keeps most of the pieces where your dog can find them.
Should I stay in the room?
Yes. Supervision while feeding is on the bag, and that applies to toys too. You will see how fast pieces come out and when the toy is empty. Take it away at that point so it goes back to being a toy.
Can I mix salmon with kibble in the same puzzle?
Yes. Mix a few small bits of salmon in with kibble that already fits the toy, and count both toward the day's food. Because salmon is a treat and not a complete diet, keep the salmon portion small, and check the product page calculator.
How often can I fill a puzzle with salmon?
That depends on your dog's treat allowance, not on the toy. Work out the day's amount with the product page calculator, then spread it across as many fills as it covers. Once the allowance is used, the toy can hold something else.
Can a cat use the same toy?
The product page says cats can have this salmon too. Whether a cat takes to a dog's toy is up to the cat. Wash the toy between users, and wash your hands after handling the pieces.