Treat Dispensing Toys

[icelore]

Hi all, I'm looking for some opinions and recommendations on treat dispensing puzzle toys.

I'm looking for some good toys to keep my younger dog busy. On a whim we bought the Hol-ee Treat Ball today as our first attempt at a puzzle treat toy, and while it was a super success in that my dog was very interested in it, is was also a big failure in

Comments

[varushka]

One of my friends and her dog love the Omega ball. He's a pit mix and hard on some toys, but he's figured out it pays off to be gentle with this one. They live in an apartment with carpeting and it works fine.

Not on your list, but in my household, I've used the Tug-a-Jug with success. It's definitely a more challenging toy because it requires more than just rolling around to get the treats out, and it gets more difficult to do later on when there are fewer treats in there. I used to feed a large portion of their kibble meals out of it (because only about 2/3 of their meal would fit), so there was some strong motivation to keep working at it. It's made from a ballistic grade plastic, so it's pretty impossible to break. Some dogs like to swing it around and toss it by the rope to dislodge the treats, so it could be harder on your things and your shins than the rolling treat balls if your dog picks it up by the rope and tosses it around. I made it a crate toy when that happened with one of my dogs, so there wasn't space to throw

[icelore]

I was going to get the Tug A Jug, but the younger dog likes to chew ropes. :(

Thanks for the recommendation on the Squirrel Dude though! I haven't seen that one before.

[wavescrashdown]

I had a version of the tug a jug where the "rope" was rubber. Would that work?

Of course, my dog managed to slam it down on our tile floors and crack the thing open, the little booger...

4 minutes is as long as we've ever gotten out of a toy in my house, and we've tried zillions. I use them as a way for her to slow down her eating, but not necessarily as entertainment. We've pretty much settled on the kong wobbler for ease of filling (and the fact that it doesn't roll under sofas!!)

[blitzava]

Tug-A-Jug is my top pick to, and as it gets easier (my ACD props it up on his shoulder and shrugs while nudging the rope and food dumps out) I use larger treats and stuck a ping-pong ball in there :) With a dog that doesn't bang toys around it will be even nicer as this toy is a little toooo easy to weaponize with some dogs.....

I also really like the Everlasting Treat Ball, which is SUPER simple...unless you put one of those Yak Milk chews in it with peanut butter (they don't break easy or crumble, and don't fit out the holes, the only way to kill them is to crunch them from the OUTSIDE through the ball...which is a slooow process) ;) My last is the pickle pocket which is an easy toy in general but you can really be mean sticking things in it especially with smaller dogs and puppies since their tongues are shorter. Peanut butter layered and frozen can last a while.

[icelore]

I was going to get the Tug A Jug, but the younger dog likes to chew ropes. :(

I like your idea of being "mean" with what I put in there to make things last longer. :D TY!

[pipsophiepip]

I'm intrigued by your yak chew/everlasting treat ball suggestion. Which treats exactly do you use? My dogs can do the treat ball in like 5 minutes and I've been trying to figure out how to make it harder.

[blitzava]

I suck and never saw you commented on this...

I use the smallest sized yak milk chews (NOT the puffed ones) and try to find the package that has all fat ones. I covered them in a bit of peanut butter, stuck them into the treat ball (this typically requires extra hands to stretch the opening and let the dogs at it....the treat is to short for them to brace the ball so it rolls around, and to thick to get it out without stretching the hole and carefully pulling it out with pliars....so they have to crush the treat ball to slowly wear away at the yak chew, the peanut butter coats the inside, dries, and crumbles to keep interest for hours and you can refresh the peanut butter a few times before the yak chew is completely murdered....

[grace_om]

I haven't tried it (yet), but I saw an idea posted by my vet's office on facebook a couple of days ago. Basically, it's one of these "hol-ee" balls, stuffed with strips of non-ravelly type fabric (or maybe soft dog toys?)with treats hidden among the fabric. So they'd have to pull the fabric out to release the treats. I thought it might work for my very soft-mouthed retriever. I wasn't able to save the posting, but your query reminded me of it.

[icelore]

Ohh, that's a good idea - like a foraging ball. I do that with my rats - wrap up bits of good stuff with tissue paper and news paper, and stuff it tightly into paper towel tubes so they have to dismantle it. No reason that idea wouldn't work on a larger scale for a dog.

[silverjackal]

My two eat their meals out of their Omega balls, so I can say they're favourites though I don't know how they compare to the IQ Treat Ball.

The Squirrel Dude is very tough and great for dogs that are heavier chewers, though it's a comparatively heavy toy overall and therefore possibly less fun to manipulate.

I use the Buster Cube periodically but it's very loud on a hard floor and seems to be less fun for my dogs than the Omega ball.

The Kong Genius toys are great -- absorbing for the dogs, durable, and soft enough to throw in the house (or play tug with). You can also combine them to make different toys. The Leo is more challenging than the Mike.