MercyA Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 We received this foraging puzzle for free and our dog enjoys it: It's not super challenging for her but gives her something to do while I'm working in the kitchen. 🙂 Do you have any favorite activity type toys for dogs? I was looking at snuffle mats but I think our dog (and most dogs) would make very quick work of finding the food in those. Christmas is coming! 🙂 Thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 My dogs enjoy the above toy and ones similar even though they can 'solve' them quickly. Two of our favorites: Take a handtowel and wet it. Place kibble or treats on the open towel and then roll it up tight and then tie it up as tight as possible. Freeze the towel overnight. Give to your dog Place kibble or treats in a small box, amazon packing bag. Close up. Place in slightly bigger box and close up. Give to your dog and they have to chew the box open to get to the kibble/treats. One dog I place box inside box inside box. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Frozen Kongs and Frozen Toppls. Fill an emptied-out bell pepper with similar treats as frozen kong and freeze. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildflowerMom Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 We have a snuffle mat and a couple of puzzles. They make puzzles of increasing difficulty. Mine definitely have the mat and puzzles figured out but they love them anyway. I put cheerios in ours. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 8 minutes ago, zimom said: My dogs enjoy the above toy and ones similar even though they can 'solve' them quickly. Two of our favorites: Take a handtowel and wet it. Place kibble or treats on the open towel and then roll it up tight and then tie it up as tight as possible. Freeze the towel overnight. Give to your dog Place kibble or treats in a small box, amazon packing bag. Close up. Place in slightly bigger box and close up. Give to your dog and they have to chew the box open to get to the kibble/treats. One dog I place box inside box inside box. Don't your dog just eat the towel then? My dogs are small but the amount of fabric they chew through is crazy. I'm trying to figure out how this works that doesn't involve them eating the towel to get to the stuff inside. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 I do treats in rolled up old towels, ‘cuz Sam is really rough on things! I attempted to start doing “treasure hunts” with him, “hiding” a few treats around the house. But this dog, who can track down all the deer poop and detect the cheese drawer being opened can’t seem to find meaty treats in open spaces. 🤨 Spencer just waits for treats to fall from the sky. 1 1 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 We do the frozen kongs and topples too. Also freeze stuff to lick mats. Commercial snuffle mats have been a bomb here because my dog figured out she just had to lift the mat and shake out the treats. We've had better luck with the homemade ones (fleece tied onto a heavy duty outdoor rubber mat) because she can't lift it). We've used this: OUTWARD HOUND Lickin' Layers Interactive Puzzle Game & Slow Feeder, Multicolor, One-Size, 2 cup - Chewy.com The trays separate so you can freeze stuff into them first if you want. Here's a few more we have: TRIXIE Mad Scientist Turn Around Activity Strategy Game Dog Toy, Level 2 - Chewy.com Pet Supplies : Feixun Dog Treat Toy Ball, Dog Tooth Cleaning Toy, Interactive Dog Toys(1 Green+1 Blue) 2.8" Pack of 2 : Amazon.com PETSAFE Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat Treat Dispenser Dog Toy, Medium - Chewy.com 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSera Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 29 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said: Commercial snuffle mats have been a bomb here because my dog figured out she just had to lift the mat and shake out the treats. Same! How do you not have the same problem with the puzzle toys? Ours realized the same with those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 37 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said: Don't your dog just eat the towel then? It hasn't been an issue here. I guess we are just lucky. 2 labs and a GSD who can chew through anything but they just know what really is food and what isn't. They love to grab paper towels and tissue from me when they see them but they just shred them and don't eat them. I taught them all a good solid 'leave it' from an early age to help reinforce what they are allowed to eat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 We had a couple of those "dog puzzles," but our dog ate them! Outside of human interaction, our dog seems most engaged in disemboweling stuffed toys. He used to eat the insides, so we were always taking the toys away. Now we just take the insides out as soon as he rips a seam open. He will try to unravel rope toys, but if they are made too well, he stops trying. He also likes to gnaw on beef bones, which can be purchased in the refrigerated dog food section of your pet store. Those are kinda messy at first though. We keep it outside until he's done eating all the gross parts. Our dog can destroy almost any dog toy, and he thinks that's what he's supposed to do with them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 1 hour ago, KSera said: Same! How do you not have the same problem with the puzzle toys? Ours realized the same with those. No, the "open" toys like the licky mats and the three tray spinner I linked we freeze (kibble with cottage cheese, applesauce, bone broth etc) so even if she flips them nothing comes out. She either has to lick/chew the food out or wait till it melts (aint happening). The other toys have small openings so only a few pieces fall at a time. Doesn't matter how much she shakes them, she can't empty them in one go. But when I'm picking puzzle toys, I make sure to select ones that are hard to open them all at once (or I freeze them). 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wathe Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 26 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said: No, the "open" toys like the licky mats and the three tray spinner I linked we freeze (kibble with cottage cheese, applesauce, bone broth etc) so even if she flips them nothing comes out. She either has to lick/chew the food out or wait till it melts (aint happening). The other toys have small openings so only a few pieces fall at a time. Doesn't matter how much she shakes them, she can't empty them in one go. But when I'm picking puzzle toys, I make sure to select ones that are hard to open them all at once (or I freeze them). Our dog very quickly learned that dropping those down the stairs was a very effective strategy 🙂 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 10 minutes ago, wathe said: Our dog very quickly learned that dropping those down the stairs was a very effective strategy 🙂 Ah, Mine don't have access to the stairs so have never had the opportunity to try that but I would imagine that would defeat the great majority of puzzle toys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 8, 2023 Share Posted December 8, 2023 Our lick mat is baby Yoda… now with one ear. But he only comes out for nail trims. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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