There’s a celebrity gossip magazine (I don’t know which one!) that has a recurring feature called “Stars! They’re just like us!” I think someone should start a dog magazine with a feature called, “Dogs! They’re not just like us!” Because it’s true. Whether we like it or not, sometimes our pampering of our pups becomes anthropomorphism (whoa big word).
One area where I this this is really true is in feeding. I mean don’t get me wrong, dogs sitting at tables or using utensils or wearing aprons make for very entertaining photos. But, when it comes to the actual act of eating, dogs are very, very different than us.
You see, dogs like to work for their food. And yet, most of them are fed, day in and day out, out of a simple, shallow, boring bowl that only takes them a few minutes to scarf down.
So here’s a challenge to you: Ditch the bowl.
Instead, pick up some food dispensing toys. The idea of these toys is that your dog has to figure out how to get the food out of the toy to eat. There are so many benefits to meeting meals out of toys. For starters, it takes dogs longer to eat which reduces health risks associated from fast eating like bloat (and also will give you some time to change out of your work clothes rather than having to rush out the door for a walk in the evening!). Or, if your dog is a finicky eater it can turn mealtime into a game to ensure they eat rather than snubbing their nose at that boring bowl. Food dispensing toys also give dogs some mental stimulation, which is just as important to their health as physical exercise. The list of benefits goes on and on, but for now here is a list of our favorite, tried and true food dispensing toys, organized from beginner level to advanced. If your dog has never eaten out of a food dispensing toy before, we recommend starting at the top of the list and working your way down.
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1. Fun Feeders (come in various designs and shapes)
2. The wooly snuffle mat
3. The Bob-A-Lot
4. The Tornado
5. The Magic Mushroom
6. The Tricky Treat Ball
7. The Barnacle
8. The Tug-a-Jug
Note: all of these toys are for feeding kibble. When it comes to wet/canned food or other goodies like peanut butter, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, or pureed veggies, we have yet to find an option as good as the KONG Classic Large
If you give any of these toys a try, let us know how it goes!
