Pssst, your pets are Bored!   

By Corri Langlois      

It has been a long 10 months inside. Initially, dogs and cats around the world rejoiced because their people were home all the time. Now, like us, they are tired of the same thing over and over again. We wake up, we eat breakfast, we consider getting dressed, we go for walks, or throw the ball around. The inside of your house has never been smaller or less exciting than it is after having been “locked” inside of it for the last 10 months. We still have a long winter ahead of us, full of dark wet days and long cold nights.        

Here are our suggestions for keeping your dog or cat entertained during those long winter nights. Dogs crave both physical activity and mental stimulation. These two things do not have to be mutually exclusive. By providing activities that are both physically engaging and mentally stimulating, your dog will get more out of the activity. They will expend more energy, leading to a happy and tired dog. The same can be said for cats. They need to stay active and mentally stimulated as well; these are just done in different ways. There are many tools and activities available, both commercially and DIY, to create fun and engaging ways for both your dog and cat to have fun while inside.      

The evolution of toys for dogs and cats over the past decade has been fascinating, with new brands and styles offering something for every pet. There are a staggering number of products to choose from, including toys designed for heavy chewers, toys an entire meal will fit into, and puzzle toys with different skill levels for pets to progress through.        

  • Types of Toys       

Food Toys: Kong is the best-known food toy, but there are so many more options now. The Toppl, and Tux from West Paw are designed to be stuffed with food or treats. Pet Safe makes the Busy Buddy line of toys for dogs and cats that offers toys of all shapes and sizes, like the multi- chambered Barnacle. These toys can be used to feed an entire meal or just for offering treats.         

Feeders: These are thought of as slow feeders with the objective of slowing your dog or cat down to eat, but they can also encourage them to enjoy their meal more. Some of these feeders will have your dog or cat laying down to eat, which is more akin to how they would eat while consuming a prey animal in the wild. Some of these toys or feeders, like the Outward Hound Fun Feeders or Lick Mats, can also promote eating at a slower pace if your pet eats too quickly.      

Puzzles: Like the name suggests, these are games that stimulate the problem-solving skills in your dog or catNina Ottosson was the pioneer in the industry that first created puzzle games for dogs. Some of these require the dog to lift a flap or overturn a piece that reveals the hidden treat. Others will have the dog spin a dial or paw a lever to release a treat. We recommend a high value treat like freeze-dried meat to help keep your pet engaged.       

Toys for Treats: There are a wide variety of toys designed with specific treats that go in them, or that will fit treats of your choosing. Starmark has a full line of toys that fit their specific treats. They come in varying shapes and sizes geared for more food motivated dogs and heavier chewers. West Paw makes a toy designed to fit a bully stick or long skinny chew. These can offer a degree of safety if your dog is the type that will quickly swallow the end of a bully stick before you can take it away.        

DIY Fun at Home: Use a box or two to hide treats in and fold them closed. Start by showing your dog a treat in the box and let them open it to find the treat. Once the treat-box association is established, you can start hiding the boxes throughout your house. You can also put a box inside of another box with a treat inside of it to increase difficulty. For cats, try catnip or freeze-dried meat inside of a paper bag or tie string to door or drawer handles. You can also play “hide the toy or treat” under blankets, just know your pet will be digging into those blankets so do not use your nice ones! Another super fun way to treat or feed is a snuffle mat. Check out this article on making your own DIY: MakeYour Dog (or Cat) a Snuffle Mat | The Honest Kitchen Blog.         

  • How to select the best for your Pet      


Food Toys / Slow feeders: If your plan is to feed your pet their whole meal using one of these options, it will depend on what type of food you feed to find the product that will work best for your pet. If you feed a dry food, use something like a Pet Safe Kibble Nibble or a Kong Wobble. Both toys will open completely, allowing you to easily put dry food inside. Outward Hound Fun Feeders are slow feeder bowls that look like mazes and will force your dog to move the food with their tongue a few pieces at a time. If you feed wet or raw food, use the West Paw Toppl or Hyper Pet’s Food IQ Treat Mats and the Busy Bowl. You can stuff or smear wet or raw food on and feed right away or pop it in the freezer and feed the next day. For extra fun, add some freeze-dried meats or whatever your pet’s favorite treat is before freezing.          

Treat Dispensing Toys: Having an idea of your dog’s chewing style will help you select the best toy for your dog. A dog that is strong jawed and will destroy most toys would do best with something like the Buster Cube from Our Pets or the Pet Safe Magic Mushroom. These are hard plastic toys that will be more durable and less appealing to chew on, so your dog will focus on getting the treats out. Starmark toys that fit their own branded treats will be great for the mild to heavy chewers and you can also stuff your dog’s favorite loose treats in these toys.        

Puzzle Toys: Puzzle toys are available in varying experience levels. We suggest starting with the level 1 option and working your way through the levels. These toys do not come naturally to dogs and they need to learn how to use them. Food motivated dogs are going to be interested in finding the treat in the toy. Show your dog or cat how it works first. After they understand it, try placing the toy up on a chair or under a blanket to make it more challenging. Offering different treats or changing the presentation of the toy will help keep interest in the toy as well.        


 

  • Cats need to play too!      
 

Cats can use treat toys and feeders just like dogs, most of the ones listed for dogs come in a smaller size for cats or made specific for cats. Be One Breed offers a slow feeder bowl that has multiple levels and almost endless possibilities to keep your cat guessing on how to get the food out.  Pet Safe offers a great selection of cat toys like the Egg-cersizer and the Slim Cat feeder for both treats and kibble. Offering mental stimulation during feeding time will replace the act of hunting down their prey, which our indoor kitties certainly are not doing. Some of the most exciting toys Pet Safe has are the interactive laser toys. These have motion sensors or timers that will move the laser at random to keep your cat guessing when and where it will come from. Do not forget about the classic handheld laser pointers too. You can effectively get your cat to a panting run safely in the house without ever getting up from your couch!         

Safety note: You must always ensure the toys you select are the right size for your pet by making sure your pet can hold the toy with both paws while chewing on the toy. If both of your pet’s paws cover up the toy, it is too small and you need to go up a size for safety. Pets should not be left alone with any toy or chew. If any toy or feeder is damaged remove and discard the item immediately.   
  

Corri Langlois has worked in the pet care industry since 2004, she has a thirst for knowledge and a passion for holistic health. She graduated from the Nutritional Therapy Association and is currently working toward becoming a certified Companion Animal Nutritionist. She shares her life with two cats, one crazy dog, my two boys that never stop moving, and a man that supports me through it all.