@BruceLeTerror it worked!
I'm not sure it was me who said that (I tend to dislike puzzle feeders). BUT they are often used incorrectly.
The problem with puzzle toys is they're often used to keep a dog entertained, rather then use their brains. Once a dog has worked out how to use a puzzle toy...that's it. They'll remember how to solve it. So to me the idea of them 'mentally stimulating' a dog is just odd, because in my eyes its entertainment rather than stimulation if they've already solved that puzzle before.
Don't forget as well, most puzzle toys require food (I'm going to assume yours do as well). So unless you're cutting down on biscuits your dog gets at dinner - or other valuable nutrients through whole food - you're likely also contributing to overfeeding your dog. And even if you are cutting down on your dogs food at meals, chances are the stuff going in the puzzle feeder (unless you're using dog biscuits i.e. Wainwrights etc) isn't going to be good quality food but rather treats.
For example, if I use dog biscuits for my youngest dog as her food (nearly 10 months, Golden - 27kg) she'd get 425g a day (based off Lily's kitchen recommendation).
Most people probably use 50 - 100g of dog biscuits (or the equivalent, possibly more calories if you're using something high value like cheese or meat) per puzzle feeder. Over the course of 4-5 puzzle feeders a day, even conservatively, I'd be giving her 200g (so nearly half her daily amount in dog biscuits) in puzzle feeders. That would mean over her actual meals she was only getting 100G of food each meal.
Puzzle feeders are great if used in moderation, or changed up frequently, but they don't provide anywhere near the amount of stimulation (particularly if they are the same or similar) people think they do.
I also want to be around my dog when they eat. There are absolute horror stories of dogs swallowing kongs whole, or breaking off bits of rubber/plastic from their feeders and eating them,
Ultimately, there's not really anything wrong with using puzzle feeders. I just don't think they're necessarily the brilliant 'quick-win' for dogs being left alone. I also think a lot of people think they're great for training your dogs brain, but dogs are smart - a puzzle feeder, particularly the same few every day, isn't going to challenge most dogs mentally.
A happy dog should be able to settle for hours, if necessary, without any sort of 'crutch' (as I call it). Lots of the places online that recommend puzzle toys often receive a commission for recommending those toys and people buying them (i.e. a trainers website if you click a link to a puzzle toy and it takes you to Amazon, they'll receive a bit of commission - a bit like influencers on TikTok recommending ridiculous 10 step hair-care routines 😁).
As I said above, even my dimmest dog can solve one he's had before in 30 seconds (and he really is dim). In contrast, it took him nearly a month to learn a flying down (going from a full sprint to a down in practically a single motion). In my eyes, learning that did him far better - in terms of mental challenge, tiring him out and a life-skill - than a puzzle feeder or kong ever could. But this is all very much my personal view. What works for me might not work for other people 😊