Best Enrichment Toys for Australian Shepherd Puppies

An Australian Shepherd at 11 weeks — you've got a seriously smart dog on your hands. Aussies can get bored and frustrated faster than almost any other breed, and that starts young. Are you noticing any restlessness or mouthing behaviour yet, or are you just thinking ahead?

Good instinct. Is she mostly indoor, or do you have outdoor space too? And has she had much exposure to different textures and objects yet, or is most of this going to be brand new to her?

Perfect starting point then. At 11 weeks, her jaw and teeth are still delicate, so you don't want anything too hard — but you also need something that actually engages her brain, not just her mouth. The KONG Puppy is exactly right for this stage. It's made from a softer rubber formula specifically for puppy teeth, and the hollow centre means you stuff it with something she has to work for — peanut butter, wet food, banana, whatever you have. That combination of chewing, licking, and problem-solving hits multiple needs at once: it redirects the biting, tires her out mentally, and starts building the habit of self-soothing with an appropriate object. For an Aussie, that mental workout is just as important as the physical one.

For an 11-week Aussie, go for the small or medium KONG Puppy — she'll grow into medium quickly. Start with easy fillings like soft cheese or wet puppy food so she figures out the concept without getting frustrated. Once she's confident, you can make it harder by freezing the stuffed KONG — that extends the activity significantly and is especially useful if you need her calm for a bit. Don't leave her unsupervised with it at first, just until you've seen how she interacts with it. Most puppies crack the basics within a session or two.