Kong Dog activity toy, photo showing red Kong granade

What’s an activity toy?  Basically, it’s something that the dog has to work on.  When successful at “working” the toy, a treat comes out.  It’s a great concept; the dog works at the toy and gets rewarded with food for his or her hard work.  It’s a great way to engage the dog, reduce boredom or anxiety and keep the dog busy so they have less time to get into trouble.

You might think I’m evil, but Max never gets food in a dog dish.  He has to work to get all of his food out of something.  Ok, maybe “never” is too strong of a word.  When I’m out of town, I have no control over how Max is fed.  However, 98% of the time, he works for every meal. 

Have you seen a Kong like the one in the picture?  Imagine it stuffed with frozen food (I often use our leftovers mixed with dog food).  Max works very hard on the Kong to get his food out.  I also use Squirrel Dudes.  These toys are great for dispensing dry dog food.  You can also make activity toys.  A milk jug punctured with holes makes a great dispenser for small treats.  Since the jug is big, it’s best if the dog has a good amount of room in which to work. 

I’d love to hear more ideas on how to make feeding time play time.