[nagdu] Interactive dog toys

Sun Jul 26 12:00:24 UTC 2015

I have the Monster Mouth by JW Pet.  Mostly the dogs play with it like a 
regular toy, but it is meant to hold treats/food.   It's shaped like a clam. 
It's made of a very durable rubbery stuff.  There are no moveable parts.  It 
can be left with a dog without supervision.  I've had it for years and 
neither of my serious chewers destroyed it.  It does need at least a medium 
sized kibble to work well.  If you put tiny kibble, like pea size, it will 
come out quickly.   You can stuff bigger pieces in there or fill it with 
water and freeze it

I have another puzzle toy.  I can't remember the name of it.  It's a cheap 
version of one of the Nina Otossin sp? toys.  It requires a lot of set up, 
detailed cleaning and absolutely requires close supervision.  It has lots of 
parts and the plastic would not hold up to chewing.    The dogs love it 
though.   The main piece has holes where you put the treats.  There is a 
wheel that spins over the holes so only half of them are exposed at any 
time.  There are little cups that slide into the holes to cover those 
treats.  The dog has to remove the cups, one by one, and then spin the wheel 
in order to get all the treats.  The first time it takes a few minutes for 
the dog to figure all of this out.  Monty has done it so many times I think 
he's down to about 45 seconds.

At one time I did have a cloth cube puzzle toy with cloth balls inside.  I 
ordered the large and it was still pretty small pieces.  It didn't hold up 
to well, even with supervision.

Julie
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available.  Send inquiries to: julielj at neb.rr.com
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-----Original Message----- 
From: Raven Tolliver via nagdu
Sent: Saturday, July 25, 2015 10:18 PM
To: nagdu
Cc: Raven Tolliver
Subject: [nagdu] Interactive dog toys

Someone asked about interactive toys on the different thread, but I
thought it should be a thread of its own so that others could
contribute their toys of choice. The great thing about interactive
toys is that these toys engage your dog in active play while you busy
yourself with whatever needs to get done, or you don't have to put in
much physical effort. Sometimes, an antler or hoof can achieve this,
but some dogs need a bit more activity depending on how much attention
and activity we can personally give them at certain times.

Below is a link to a slew of different interactive dog toys. Some toys
have movable parts that your dog has to move aside to find the treats.
Others simply require your dog to roll the toy around to dispense the
treats.
http://www.chewy.com/s?dept=dog&query=puzzles&nav-submit-button=Submit+Query
Here's an article that provides links to, pricing, and descriptions of
various interactive dog toys, including the electronic ones that move
around and activate your dog's prey-drive.
http://www.brighthub.com/electronics/gizmos-gadgets/articles/78240.aspx
Outward Hound Hide A Squirrel Puzzle Dog Toy
http://www.chewy.com/dog/outward-hound-hide-squirrel-puzzle/dp/113784
This is a nice toy because it doesn't involve treats at all and is
purely play and prey-drive-focused.

You can also find these toys on Amazon, but I personally detest that site.
Some of these can likely be found at PetSmart as well.

Rather than using actual dog treats, here are other ideas for those
who don't use treats, or who don't want to exacerbate a weight issue.
1. Meals. Using puzzle toys slows down dogs who gulp their meals, and
also provides mental and physical stimulation during mealtime. You can
also subtract a certain amount from meals and put that portion in the
toy at a different time of day.
2. Frozen fruits and/or veggies. For those who give fruits and veg to
their dogs, these are low-cal treats that add flavor to things without
effecting weight. Some good ideas are frozen blueberries, raspberries,
green beans, pineapple chunks, carrot chunks (fresh or frozen), etc.
3. Freeze-dried dog treats. Stewart Pro-Treat is my favorite brand of
freeze-dried treats. Treats free of starches and carbs are healthier
and more nutritious for your dog.
Hth.

If anyone has found an interactive toy that's worked for their dog,
please share.
-- 
Raven
Founder of 1AM Editing & Research
www.1am-editing.com

You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you
have or what you do.

Naturally-reared guide dogs
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs

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