Food-dispensing dog toys are high on my list of must-have dog stuff because they are invaluable to my dogs’ behavioral health (and therefore, my sanity). Many dog behaviors can be prevented or managed by using these toys since they give dogs a safe outlet for natural behaviors that might otherwise become irritating or problematic. For instance, a food toy could engage your puppy’s sharp little teeth while you cook dinner, help your dog settle more quickly when visitors come to your home or reduce mild stress during a vet visit.
Sturdy food toys are beneficial to dogs of all ages and physical abilities. I like durable, washable options that hold dry dog food, soft treats and/or mushy fillers and can be stored in a fridge or freezer for later use, if needed. Skip the multi-piece interactive puzzles with lots of small parts and require careful supervision. Consider the size, strength and complexity level when picking out food toys. The size should fit your dog’s jaw without being small enough to gulp down and the toughness of the material should match your dog’s chewing strength. The Kong brand, for example, makes kongs for puppies and light chewers in blue and pink, while durable black kongs cater to super chewers.
If your dog is food toy newbie, or tends to give up easily, choose an easier version to build your dog’s confidence. I love the West Paw Toppl for a starter food toy because it allows you to build complexity. Fill the cup shape with dry food and your dog simply needs to nose and paw to get at the food. Use a stickier filling to create a longer-lasting project or connect two Toppls together to increase the challenge. If your dog is especially nose-y, a Snuffle rugs-which allow you to scatter and hide kibble or small, dry treats in a shaggy mat-might be an especially sniffy treat. Beware, this is not a great option for voracious dogs that are prone to ripping and swallowing fabric.
A word to the wise: check and clean food toys frequently. Many dogs want nothing to do with food toys that have old treats stuck inside (this from the same animals that will happily gulp down an animal carcass…go figure). Although most good food toys are dishwasher safe, I find that these are often better cleaned with a soapy soak and a bottle brush scrub.
Giving our pets daily, positive mental enrichment is an important part of their wellness and toys that allow our dogs to sniff, chew, lick and chomp let them play out some very natural canine behaviors. Best of all, such toys many require us to fill and clean them, and take little skill on the human end. And, when it comes to our dogs, who doesn’t love a low effort, high reward behavior enhancer?