Since Avy is a busy dog, always looking for something to do, I’ve invested in a few “intellectual” dog toys for her to play with. When I get her one of these toys she usually has one of two possible reactions: 1) she figures it out within 2 minutes and then gets bored or 2) she can’t figure it out and she hides it after about 10 minutes so she doesn’t have to look at it anymore.
Currently there is a Busy Buddy Twist ‘n Treat that I cannot find for the life of me. The latest toy I have added to her collection is a Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug food dispenser from Amazon. I had some reservations when I bought it, not sure if this would be one that would find it’s way under the bed or behind the couch, but since it’s been so rainy lately i was in need of some new indoor entertainment.
The first time I filled the jug I put in a mixture of both treats and kibble to catch Avy’s interest. She was instantly intrigued and took the bottle over to her bed to play with. The bottle has a knotted rope it in which has to be moved up and down in order for the treats/kibble to fall out. There is also a chew around the top of the bottle.
After some shaking a few pieces of kibble fell out of the bottle. A bit more shaking and even more came out. Now Avy had it…in fairly short order (about 5-10 minutes) she had emptied the bottle.
The nice thing about this particular toy is that Avy hasn’t gotten bored with it yet. Each night I give her half of her food in her bowl and the other half in the Tug-a-Jug. As soon as I give her the jug she happily trots off to finish her meal. It keeps her entertained for a few minutes and I’m not adding any extra food to her day, it’s just her normal dinner.
Overall I would recommend this toy. It isn’t expensive, it’s durable (Avy can destroy a cheap toy in minutes) and it hasn’t yet lost its appeal. If you’re looking for some gift ideas for your favourite dog this Christmas it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add this to the list.