This is something I hear a lot when at markets and events. It comes from a place of well meaning - guardians worried about their dogs when they are left for long periods, perhaps from experience of having their dog chew up some furniture or having a neighbour complain about barking. People naturally want their dog to be content when left at home and hope that an enrichment toy might help with that - which they certainly can, but subject to the below caveat.
Enrichment activities should always be supervised for your dog's safety.
No toy is entirely indestructible. Dogs have incredible jaws and can make short work of almost anything. Kingsley, my 12kg Pug x Border Terrier once sheared a black Kong toy (the "tough" one) in half. (He also chewed through hard plastic insoles for my shoes too - shouldn't have left those out either in hindsight!)
To ensure they are safe, we should not leave our dogs with toys they could chew through or swallow.
This may come as a surprise to you - but pet toys are not subject to any specific product safety regulation in the UK. There are lots of stories on social media about injuries and, sadly, fatalities due to dogs ingesting toys or parts of toys, most recently a lot of comments about rope toys in particular.
For their safety, and your peace of mind, avoid leaving them alone with toys and enrichment activities.
"But you said enrichment toys can help with my dog being left alone when I go out?"
That's right - but rather than leaving your dog alone with the toys, I recommend taking some time to ensure all their needs have been met before you leave them unaccompanied.
A dog that is well-fed, well-exercised, and has had it's needs met, will be much more likely to settle at home when left alone.
This will look different for each individual dog, but for my own dogs, I make sure they have been toileted, had their breakfast, and I tend to give them something fun to do - generally involving some sniffing - that I sit with them while they do. A snuffle mat, foraging bag or even some DIY enrichment like loo roll tubes are great options. I then make sure they have access to fresh water, have plenty of comfortable beds to lie on, put on some background music (big Classic FM fans here) and then I leave, safe in the knowledge that they will settle down and nap the hours away.
Please note that the above is intended as general information on enrichment and supervision. If you have concerns about your dog's emotional state when left alone, you should reach out to a positive reinforcement dog trainer for support.
