Sail_Away Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Hi DOLers Just wanting some recommendations for interactive dog toys such as puzzles etc… My dog is now 8 months old and is outgrowing and becoming bored with all her 'puppy kings' and a few other treat toys I have… looking at the Nina Ottosson puzzles.. which one is the best? I think I will buy some more kongs too - again which ones are best? She has a wobbler that she loves.. thinking of the 'leo'… Would love to hear what toys your dogs spend the most time playing with, especially ones that will keep them amused when home alone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosetta Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 Hi Kongs and Puzzles are great but I also find that home made things are good too and the dogs enjoy them. Cardboard cylinders - glad wrap holders etc - are good. Just fold up one end and semi fold the other so they can flip it around so treats such as kibble, small chunks of meat etc gradually fall out. Also a small plastic milk container with holes punched in and top removed full of kibble is a great treat dispenser. Ice blocks are good in warmer weather - just freeze some beef stock in a small container with a few bits of meat they spend ages licking at it. Hope this gives you some ideas :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCNut Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I think good old plain kongs are worth their weight in gold if you haven't been down that path already, dividing up their bikkies and using one of many different methods to change the difficulty. I found this video a good start : Buster cubes are good as well. Of the Nina Ottosson stuff i've heard the Casino is good...but looking at it, looks very chewable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I have to say Hamish's favourite things to be left with are his kong, cardboard boxes (folded shut with food inside them - great for tearing to shreds!!) and plastic bottles with food in in them. He's one of those "kids" that prefers the packaging to the actual toy!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disintegratus Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I can't give my dogs as many boredom toys as I used to because my sister's pig gets at them. But before he came along they would get heaps of stuff. pretty much anything homemade as my dogs are all destructosauruses. Milk bottles with kibble were always a favourite. I give them ice blocks on hot days, but sometimes I feel bad for them because they go stash their ice blocks only to go back hours later and think some nasty being has stolen them! :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I have to say Hamish's favourite things to be left with are his kong, cardboard boxes (folded shut with food inside them - great for tearing to shreds!!) and plastic bottles with food in in them. He's one of those "kids" that prefers the packaging to the actual toy!! +1 for plastic bottles with food in them. Although my guys will spend hours pouncing on an empty bottle and being amused when it flies across the room, so it doesn't take much :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 I have to say Hamish's favourite things to be left with are his kong, cardboard boxes (folded shut with food inside them - great for tearing to shreds!!) and plastic bottles with food in in them. He's one of those "kids" that prefers the packaging to the actual toy!! +1 for plastic bottles with food in them. Although my guys will spend hours pouncing on an empty bottle and being amused when it flies across the room, so it doesn't take much :laugh: Oh there is definitely pouncing and chasing a sliding bottle once it is empty!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnsunshine Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 (edited) I have to say Hamish's favourite things to be left with are his kong, cardboard boxes (folded shut with food inside them - great for tearing to shreds!!) and plastic bottles with food in in them. He's one of those "kids" that prefers the packaging to the actual toy!! +1 for plastic bottles with food in them. Although my guys will spend hours pouncing on an empty bottle and being amused when it flies across the room, so it doesn't take much :laugh: +2 for plastic bottles with kibble in them. My dog's new favourite toy is the cheapest one of all. She has a blanket in her crate which she doesn't really lie on so I fold up the sides, tie up the ends etc and hide kibble in it so she smells around, nudge her nose to get into the folds. haha thats about 5 minutes entertainment for her. I hope that made sense! Edited April 23, 2013 by cnsunshine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 Everything in this range is great: http://www.busybuddytoys.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/toys/busybuddy My favourite is the Squirrel Dude with kibble inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 Thanks for the suggestions everyone. Yes I have tried lots of the 'free' toys like bottles filled with treats and I also hide small treats around the house in different spots each day for her to go and 'find' - although being a gundog with an incredible nose it doesn't take her long to sniff them out!!! She is very smart and enjoys spending time working on her Kongs's so this is why I thought a puzzle would be good to keep her amused for longer periods… I'm just not sure which of the Nina Ottosson one's would be the most challenging for her.. I like the look of the 'Casino' and the 'Dogworker'… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 (edited) The Nina o stiff is good but it isn't designed to be left at home alone with them. The trixie range at Amazon is even better IMO. Try the Nina o site for the best deals. The buster cube is a great one that is safe to leave with them - it requires them to really work to get the food out. I also give them a shoe box with the lid on tight and food inside - they live this. Fir non food boredo Busters some boxes that they can rip up go down well. Edited April 23, 2013 by megan_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted April 23, 2013 Author Share Posted April 23, 2013 The Nina o stiff is good but it isn't designed to be left at home alone with them. The trixie range at Amazon is even better IMO. Try the Nina o site for the best deals. The buster cube is a great one that is safe to leave with them - it requires them to really work to get the food out. I also give them a shoe box with the lid on tight and food inside - they live this. Fir non food boredo Busters some boxes that they can rip up go down well. Thank you. Yes I wasn't sure if the Nina O puzzles were OK to leave with the dog unsupervised as there are quite a few small pieces in them. I have checked out her website and there are a few that look good, I have no idea which one would be best for my dog… she uses her paws a lot and would work them out pretty quickly I would imagine so harder the better. I will look at a buster cube. Would you just put dry kibble in this? She plays with her Kong Wobbler all the time when I'm home but I fill it with dry food in the morning and it's still full when I get home, so she hasn't touched it… this morning I put some peanut butter around the hole of it and that was all licked off when I got home I need to get her some new Kongs as the ones I had were 'puppy' ones and she has nearly destroyed them… I think I'll get the classic and leo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted April 23, 2013 Share Posted April 23, 2013 I have one of the more difficult Nina Ottoson toys and even my, um, "spethal" dog worked it out in a few minutes. They love it, but they do work them out very easily :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted April 26, 2013 Author Share Posted April 26, 2013 I have one of the more difficult Nina Ottoson toys and even my, um, "spethal" dog worked it out in a few minutes. They love it, but they do work them out very easily :) Haha gotta love those 'speshul' ones I have done a lot of the 'free' toys before such as plastic bottles with food in them - she loves plastic bottles but recently she is chewing through them so not really safe to leave with her when alone I also tried the shoebox idea with newspaper inside and some treats but she didn't get the treats out.. she had played with it cause it was in another spot.. I will go online this weekend and get some new toys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted April 26, 2013 Share Posted April 26, 2013 Bob a lots are great too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakkjackal Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 My boy loves the Everlasting Fire Plug -- and I'm telling you this thing is tough! Took him a good while to get stuff off the treat. The only con would be the stupidly high price of the treats, although you could be creative and use bully sticks and mince (freeze it in) etc for filling them instead of the Everlasting treats. I was skeptic at first as my dog demolishes most toys he gets his paws on but this one is still intact even though he has continuously tried to rip the toy apart. Kongs are pretty awesome too; once again stick a bully stick down the middle and put mince around it. Freeze for extra difficulty. Although I have to say my dog's favourite is propably the "box in a box"; several cardboard boxes taped up, put inside each other with treats in between. Oh the fun! (and the mess afterwards...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 I like these as you connect multiple together and in different ways so that you vary the way they work and also the difficulty. http://www.caninegenius.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bundyburger Posted April 27, 2013 Share Posted April 27, 2013 Hockz, they aren't that tough! My dog killed a fireplug and two Leo's in a day. He's never been able to destroy anything else. The everlasting treat ball is still in fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sail_Away Posted April 27, 2013 Author Share Posted April 27, 2013 Hockz, they aren't that tough! My dog killed a fireplug and two Leo's in a day. He's never been able to destroy anything else. The everlasting treat ball is still in fact. Bundyburger you have a Vizsla?? What is his favourite toy? My girl Sailor is very inquisitive and uses her paws a lot so more complicated toys are good. I was thinking of getting either the everlasting treat ball or fire plug but most are out of stock online… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sares Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 (edited) I can personally reccomend the Kibble Nibble... I used to give my frenchie plastic bottles with kibble in them and she would chew her way through the bottle to get to the kibblle which. I would worry she would swallow the plastic or cut her mouth. We bought her a Kibble Nibble and she LOVES it! she is getting better at getting the kibble out and also she has grown to just enjoying rolling it around even without kibble in it. Edited April 29, 2013 by Sares Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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