Today I want to talk about something I do for Oats every day, twice a day, that has made a world of difference in her life, and is something any dog owner can (and should!) try. The main reason dogs are overly hyper or have behavior issues is because they are bored. Just like humans - they have incredible brains that need to be stimulated. Dog owners often attribute these issues to a lack of exercise, but that’s not the only thing dogs need to thrive.
Physical exercise for dogs is vitally important, yes. But mental exercise is often overlooked as an essential part of a dog’s well-being. Please note that even if your dog is not hyper and does not have behavior issues, mental stimulation is still extremely important for them and should be something they experience as much as possible. Mental activities are also vital if you are in a quarantine situation right now where you cannot physically exercise your dog outside. Some cities have closed down all their parks and trails, and walking your dogs outdoors can be quite challenging. Now is definitely the time to try out some of these fun ideas, and give your dogs a different kind of “exercise.” I’ll be talking about a lot of different dog enrichment ideas over the coming weeks, but today I want to talk about one of my favorite ideas that I practice every single day with Oats - interactive feeding.
Interactive feeding simply means to use something other than a bowl to feed your dog. This can mean that you use food-dispensing toys, that you play games for their food, that you sprinkle their food in the grass and have them search for it, or almost anything fun you can think of to have them “play” or “work” for their food. You want to keep this fun, and not so challenging that they get anxious or stressed. I use a variety of different toys to feed Oats, which I talked about in a recent Instagram video (link below) and which I list below as well if you’re interested in purchasing them for your own dog!
Why I Prefer Toys Over Slow Feeder Bowls
Oats gets two meals a day, like most dogs after they grow out of their puppy stage of eating three times a day. These are two excellent opportunities to give your dog (or three opportunities for puppies!) some much needed mental stimulation. It gives dogs a job to do, it stimulates their brain, it helps prevent resource guarding, AND it forces them to take a longer time to eat. Many dogs, especially labs like Oats, will scarf down a bowl full of kibble in about 10 seconds. This can be dangerous, as it can be both a choking hazard and a cause of stomach issues (including very serious ones, like bloat). Slowing down dog feeding has been a popular topic of discussion for years, and slow feeder bowls have become very popular as a means to slow them down. I am not an expert on slow feeder bowls, but having seen many dogs eat from them, and doing some of my own research, it is my opinion (just as a dog owner, not an expert) that food-dispensing toys are a much better alternative to slow feeder bowls. If you’ve ever watched a dog eat from a slow feeder bowl, many still try to scarf down the food as if it were in a standard bowl. They get frustrated because they cannot get to the food quickly enough, and it is possible that this struggle can cause them to get anxious and ingest extra air when trying to eat. Again, I am not an expert and if your dog does well with a slow feeder bowl, that’s definitely a better alternative to a standard, basic bowl. However, I will encourage you to give toy-feeding a try. I think it is the best option available, and gives your dog a much better variety of enrichment than a slow feeder bowl.
My personal story of interactive feeding with oats
I’d like to share my personal story of how and why I started doing this, and how it’s benefited my own dog. Oats had two knee surgeries, back to back, when she was 3.5 and 4 years old (they were 6 months apart). These were serious surgeries - the equivalent to ACL surgeries in humans. She was unable to do any real exercise for an entire year, aside from physical therapy and eventually short walks. For a young, overactive labrador, not being able to run or play ball was very difficult and heartbreaking. She was bored all the time and therefore also much more hyper, which unfortunately was exactly the opposite of how she needed to be in order for her knees to properly heal. I had two dog trainer friends that introduced me to the concept of puzzle toys and interactive feeding, but it took me a while to jump on board. I thought it would take too long, it would make a mess in my house, and it really wouldn’t make much of a difference. But after a while I gave it a try with a toy called a Tricky Treat Ball (check it out below). It’s a food/treat dispensing toy with a lip inside to prevent the food from falling out at once, making it a fun challenge for dogs. I tried feeding Oats with this ball for a few days, and it went well. Then I got lazy one day and just threw her kibble into her bowl like I always used to. She ate it, of course, in 10 seconds, and then when she had finished she picked up her Tricky Treat ball and actually tossed it into my lap from her mouth. She was saying, “ok I’m ready for my food toy now.” It was then that I realized she really enjoyed this daily ritual of playing with this ball to get her food. She told me what she wanted from me, and I felt it was my responsibility to listen to her. That was the day we ditched the bowl. I’ve tried dozens more interactive food-dispensing toys with her over the last 5 or so years, and it’s become a normal part of our routine. I have now figured out which toys Oats loves the most and which ones she doesn’t care for (I can tell by what she goes for first, what she brings to me when she’s bored, and what ones she typically doesn’t finish). I even bring a select few favorite ones with us when we travel. With the exception of her wet food that she also gets at every meal, we have never again used a bowl for the feeding of kibble. The process of eating a full meal out of toys typically takes about 10 minutes, and I usually put the food in 3-5 different toys each time (when traveling I usually bring two toys). That’s 10 full minutes of great mental stimulation, using a variety of different items. After each meal, Oats is ready for a nap. This is IDEAL because especially with large dogs, they should be resting for about an hour after every meal to prevent bloat or other stomach issues. This process has worked extremely well for us and is now part of our normal routine. I strongly encourage you to try this and consider making it a part of your daily routine as well. I think you’ll be amazed at the improvement you see in your dog’s behavior and happiness.
Check out our video to learn more!
Check out our latest video on IGTV, where I explain my interactive feeding process, the toys I love the most, and watch Oats use them. There’s also a whole lot of hilarious Oatsy commentary (I know why you all really watch my videos!) and of course, a full minute of bloopers. If you’re not already following us on Instagram, click the “Follow” button so you can be the first to see all our videos and cute doggy photos!
In this video I go through each of the toys that I regularly use to feed Oats and explain each one. I also mention that if you don’t have these toys and want to get started right now, you can use almost anything around your house, such as egg cartons and cardboard boxes. Simply put some kibble inside them and let your dog rip it up (shredding things is also great for their mental stimulation). You can also take a towel and sprinkle some kibble inside it, roll it up and let them unravel it to get their food.
Or you can of course purchase the toys we mentioned in our video! There are links in the next section for each one, along with a description of why we love them.
If you’re not already following along with us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, click these buttons to do so. We’ll be posting lots more dog enrichment ideas soon!
The Toys We Love
Here are the toys we showed you in our video and that, after many years of trying nearly every interactive toy we can get our paws on, we love the most. I encourage you to call your local pet stores and see if they have any of these toys before ordering them online. Supporting our small, local businesses has never been more important than it is right now. As someone who used to manage an independently-owned location pet shop, I can tell you that treat and toys sales in addition to your food orders will immensely benefit your favorite local stores. They’re all offering curbside pickup and many are offering deliveries as well (but please be patient with them and order enough to make these deliveries worth their time - most are just tiny shops with a couple staff members). However, if your local shops don’t have these items, please click the links below to order them online. If you order them using these Amazon links it does benefit my small business, and I appreciate that so much!
Disclosure: The links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
1) Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball
This ball is wonderful because it is highly durable and has a small lip inside the opening which means that the kibble will not simply fall out. It is challenging but fun, and it is one of Oatsy’s favorite toys and the original toy we used when starting interactive feeding! I recommend purchasing the large size so it doesn’t roll under the furniture. We have 3 of the medium size ones and they are always getting lost under the couches!
Challenge Level: Intermediate
2) Planet Dog Snoop
This is a classic beginner toy, so if you have a dog that’s new to interactive feeding I would recommend this as a starter toy. After they’ve figured it out it becomes a bit too easy, but for older dogs who need something simple this is a great one. It has a large opening so you can stick a Planet Dog nook or a regular tennis ball in there to make it an extra challenge.
Challenge Level: Easy
3) Planet Dog Link
Definitely another one of our favorites, we use the Planet Dog Link every day. It’s different than the Tricky Treat ball because it doesn’t roll, so dogs have to flip it around with either their mouths or paws. You can also buy a couple of these and “link” them together. They have four pieces that pull apart so if your dog likes to pull toys apart, this is a fun one! Then you can easily put the pieces back together.
Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate
4) Starmark Bob-A-Lot
Another one that we use daily and is shown in our video! This is a very heavy toy and acts like a bowling pin, but never falls over. It is weighted at the bottom so if you have hardwood floors or tile, this may not be your best bet. If you don’t mind the noise of it hitting the floor, it’s a great toy and very different from the others. Dogs can also pick it up by the top piece and move it around.
Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate
5) Snufflemat
We made ours ourselves, so there’s a tutorial below if you’re the DIY type, or purchase one on Amazon or in your local pet store.
Here’s a great tutorial by our friends at The Honest Kitchen (who I’ll be featuring in my next enrichment blog post and video!):
DIY Snufflemat Tutorial by The Honest Kitchen
Challenge Level: Easy
Other toy ideas:
Kong Wobbler
This is a great alternative to a Bob-A-Lot if you don’t want something quite as heavy or if you have a dog that you think will chew on the top of the Bob-A-Lot. The Wobbler can’t easily be picked up and works in a similar way.
Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate
Kong Genius Toys: Mike
This toy is named after Michaelangelo! I have this one and it’s very durable and a great quality toy. I don’t use it much only because it’s not Oatsy’s favorite, but that doesn’t mean your pup won’t love it! I’ve found that this toy works better for small treats but something not quite as small as kibble.
Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate
Kong Genius Toys: Leo
Here’s another Genius toy - named after Leonardo DiVinci! Again, I use this one occasionally but not daily because it’s not Oatsy’s favorite. It’s great for changing up the variety of toys occasionally, and has to be flipped around or rolled. It’s a unique shape so it’s definitely a nice one to have in your arsenal!
Challenge Level: Intermediate
Join Me for A Live Interview!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be chatting on Instagram Live with amazing local dog trainer Casey Coughlin of Inspiration Canine on Friday, April 24, 2020 at 12:00pm EST. Tune in live with us to learn all about interactive feeding and awesome dog enrichment ideas from the person who introduced me to this important topic! We’ll also be chatting about socializing your dog during COVID-19 and why social distancing is actually great for puppies and adult dogs. You don’t want to miss this!
friday, april 24th
12:00pm EST
instagram live @withloveandoats
more videos, interviews & GIVEAWAYs!
Over the next few weeks I’ll be releasing more videos, doing another awesome interview and doing a few giveaways! The first giveaway will be for three of the interactive toys Oatsy loves the most! Make sure you’re following us on social media so you don’t miss a thing.
