Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel Plush Squeaky Dog Toy, XL, 7" x 11.8"

Why it's worth it

The Hide-A-Squirrel is a plush tree trunk stuffed with six squeaky squirrels your dog has to dig, tug and shake out. It's the best pick for terriers, retrievers and any dog that goes rigid at the sight of a backyard squirrel.

The American Kennel Club points out that foraging toys — where a dog has to work to extract something — tap into scavenging instincts domestic dogs still carry. This one leans on prey drive instead of food. Your dog yanks the squirrels out one at a time, squeaks them, carries them off, and then you stuff them back in and start over. Forbes Vetted's evaluation found every dog in their panel engaged with it past ten minutes on the first session, with unprompted returns to the toy.

It's the rare toy that entertains without treats. That matters if your dog is on a diet or if you're tired of every enrichment session costing calories. It also stays fun after the novelty wears off, because the reset is instant — shove the squirrels back in the log and you've got a fresh puzzle. The XL size gives big dogs something substantial to wrestle, and it's soft enough to double as a cuddle toy.

From our review of 7 interactive dog toys, by James Bennett, Associate Editor

What we like

• +The American Kennel Club points out that foraging toys — where a dog has to work to extract something — tap into scavenging…
• +It's the rare toy that entertains without treats
• +Small dogs love it too

What to know

• –It's plush, so it's not for hard chewers
• –You will find squirrels everywhere