Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound

In 1990, Swedish inventor Nina Ottosson created the interactive pet puzzle game and, thus, the educational toy category, often referred to as treat-based pet puzzle games. She launched her business, Zoo Active Products AB, in 1993, setting the standard for modern pet enrichment toys. 

She designs interactive pet puzzle games for dogs and cats, emphasizing mental and physical stimulation by encouraging natural foraging instincts. Offering various difficulty levels, these pet puzzle games stimulate pets’ minds, reducing boredom and destructive behavior by requiring them to use natural instincts to solve puzzles for food.

Puzzle games stimulate a pet’s mental health by activating its natural instinct to hunt for food. The games exercise a pet’s mind, thus preventing boredom and the behavior problems that go with it. The games require pets to use their natural instincts to “hunt” for food. Using their paws, mouth and nose, pets have to lift blocks, turn discs, slide panels and rummage in fabric to find yummy treats inside. In 2015, her business was acquired by Outward Hound and now goes by the name Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound.