Food bowls are so 1900’s! In my eyes, there is no place for a food bowl to feed your dog in this day and age, it’s so old fashioned. Always opt for a variety of interactive toys to feed your dog. This brings many benefits:
Mental Stimulation – whilst they are mentally stimulated, they are not up to no good. Fancy getting the kids ready for school without them crying and screaming that the puppy thinks their feet are moving prey to be attacked and eaten? Or having diner in peace without a puppy launching themselves at the table? Feeding your dog through an interactive toy in their crate or behind a baby gate is going to solve this problem. Without the dog bitching because they’ve been forgotten about.
Problem Solving – by learning how to think for themselves, solving how to get their food out of this contraption, they are less reliant on you. This really helps reduce any separation issues (see our article on separation tips), along side cultivating a cleaver lil pooch. This mental fatigue also creates a tired dog. I always come back down to that phrase, ‘a tired dog, is a happy dog.‘
Slow the Process – I love food, I can’t wait to shovel it in my mouth as fast as possible. The only downside to that is I’m still hungry afterwards, because I haven’t allowed my stomach to digest what I’ve eaten. By ensuring your dog is taking their time to eat, you slow the feeding process down, meaning they are fuller for longer.
A frozen Kong took Bear 1.5hrs. This is by far the the best thing to slow him down. A lot of owners aren’t too sure how to use them correctly. Check out our Killer Kong video for simple steps.
Variety is the spice of life. I try to avoid solid ones that crash around the house taking chunks out of my skirting boards or ones that take half a day to fill. So here are some of Bear’s favourite interactive toys:
- Squirrel Dude
- Green Feeder
- Ruffwear Gnawt-A-Rock
- Snuffle Mat
- Kong Activity Ball
- Kong
Check out the best ones in our Online Shop. Remember to always pick them after use and do let us know if you have any other suggestions that your dog loves!
