Towel in a Tube

Category: Cognitive Enrichment • Foraging • Problem-Solving • Level: All Dogs (beginner modifications included) • Time: 5–15 minutes

Why It’s Enriching

Your dog’s nose is always working — but sniffing alone isn’t enough. Pair it with a problem to solve and you get something much more powerful: cognitive enrichment.

The towel → sniff and search
The tube → tug, pull, and problem-solve
The treats → a payoff worth working for

A few focused minutes of this can settle a dog more effectively than a much longer walk. That’s not a coincidence — it’s how cognitive enrichment works.

🐾 Perfect for dogs who shred, chew, or dig — this channels that drive instead of fighting it.

What You Need

1 empty cardboard tube — a paper towel roll or toilet paper roll both work
1 small towel, cloth napkin, or piece of fleece fabric
A handful of small, dry treats or kibble — strong-smelling treats work best
Optional: a second tube or towel to increase difficulty
A clean, non-slip surface for play — tiles or hardwood work well

How to Play

This one comes together in about 60 seconds.

Lay the towel flat on the floor.
Sprinkle treats across the surface of the towel — spread them out so they’re tucked into folds as the towel is rolled.
Roll or loosely fold the towel into a bundle. Don’t pack it too tightly — you want your dog to be able to work it, not wrestle it.
Stuff the rolled towel into the cardboard tube, leaving part of the towel sticking out one or both ends.
Place it on the floor and let your dog go. Watch them sniff, tug, paw, and pull their way to the treats inside.

Supervise this activity, especially for dogs who tend to chew or eat fabric. If your dog starts going after the tube itself rather than working the towel, redirect by making the towel easier to access — leave more sticking out so the problem is solvable without destroying the container.

Pro Tip

Use strong-smelling treats — the scent draw is a big part of what keeps your dog engaged and working. If your dog loses interest quickly, the treats might not be compelling enough. Try something with a stronger smell: real meat, cheese, or freeze-dried liver work well for most dogs.

Vary how you stuff it each session. Sometimes leave the towel halfway out. Sometimes push it all the way in with just a corner showing. Sometimes use two towels layered together before stuffing them in the tube. Unpredictability keeps the puzzle feeling fresh and keeps your dog’s brain working instead of just repeating a memorized sequence.

Special Section: Make It Easier or Harder

This activity is naturally scalable — the same basic setup works for a puppy on their first foraging puzzle and a confident problem-solver who needs more of a challenge. Here’s how to adjust it either direction.

Make it easier:

Leave most of the towel sticking out of the tube so it’s easy to grab and pull
Use high-value, strong-smelling treats so the payoff is obvious and motivating
Start with the towel loosely folded rather than tightly rolled
Use a larger tube (paper towel roll) so there’s more room to work
Let your dog watch you load the treats in before handing it over — knowing where to look removes the initial uncertainty

Make it harder:

Push the towel all the way into the tube with just a tiny corner showing
Use two towels layered together before stuffing them in
Use smaller kibble instead of large treats — harder to find, harder to extract
Use a toilet paper roll instead of a paper towel roll for a tighter fit
Add a second stuffed tube alongside the first — let your dog work both
Fold the ends of the towel inward before rolling to add an extra layer

For dogs who shred or eat fabric:

Supervise closely and redirect if they start chewing the towel rather than pulling it. Try a tighter weave fabric or a thicker cloth napkin that’s harder to shred. If fabric destruction is a real concern, swap the towel for a rubber toy or a knotted fleece strip — same puzzle, less chew risk.

For puppies:

Start with just the rolled towel on the floor — no tube. Let them master the unrolling puzzle first before adding the tube challenge. Keep sessions short (3–5 minutes), end while they’re still engaged, and always finish with a win.

This activity is a great gateway to more advanced foraging and cognitive games in the Barkive. Once your dog is reliably working through a Towel in a Tube, try the Muffin Tin Puzzle, Box Search, or the 3-Container Game for the next level of challenge.