[Sinister]

So, I'm flipping through my Jeffers Pet magazine, and I saw something interesting.
Interactive games. They're all by Nina Ottosson?

Has anyone heard or used them? I'd be afraid Juno would just chew them up rather than play them.

What do you all think?

Wooden ones: Nina Ottosson Dog Puzzles and Toys at DesignerDoggy.com

Others: Dog

 

[PatchworkRobot]

I know a lot of dogs who love them! However, you have to supervise them while they play to avoid parts getting eaten and/or chewed up.

 

[MeadowCat]

Shanoa likes them. She's too smart for some of them, though! I like the Nina Ottoson toys, but you can also find similar toys for much less.

 

[Sinister]

Meadow, could you provide a link?
I figure I'd give her one when I'm doing house work or something.

 

[Adobe4two]

Patriot has a couple of the plastic versions. He loves playing with them (it involves food, so of course he does. lol)

But a Kong Wobbler expends a lot more energy and keeps him occupied a lot longer. With the puzzles, once he figures it out and gets the kibble, its done. And once they figure out scenting and opening the compartments, that lasts all of a minute or two.

 

[Sinister]

Patriot has a couple of the plastic versions. He loves playing with them (it involves food, so of course he does. lol)

But a Kong Wobbler expends a lot more energy and keeps him occupied a lot longer. With the puzzles, once he figures it out and gets the kibble, its done. And once they figure out scenting and opening the compartments, that lasts all of a minute or two.

So not worth the $40? Lol! I do need more kongs. Thanks for your input!

 

[Adara]

Try CVS. I got 2 interactive toys that look just like the Nina Ottosson toys for $10. They do require supervision.

flirt2 - YouTube

toy3 - YouTube

 

[MeadowCat]

Yes, I've seen them at CVS and Walgreen's, too. Drs. Foster & Smith also have some: Dog Toys: Puzzling, Challenging, Seek-A-Treat Dog Toys. I love the Kong Wobbler and so does Shanoa, so that's a great option, too. I have friends who use the Tug a Jug, too.

 

[JoshG]

Nina Ottosson toys are great, but are meant for interaction between handler and dog too. They are not intended to be used like a stuffed Kong. It helps the dog learn impulse control as they wait for you to fill the toy, then teaches them how to use their noses (or paws, depending on the challenge, and your rules), as well as how to problem solve (sliding covers, lifting bones, pulling drawers, spinning different levels, etc).
I own most of the Nina Ottosson toys (I managed to get a stupid-great deal through my trainer who made a large order for her hall), and do enjoy bringing them out every now and then.

If you are simply looking for something like a kong with a slightly different challenge, I recommend Busy Buddy toys. We like the Tug-a-Jug (the rope smells really bad very quickly! Ditch it when it's gross, and toss in a tennis ball instead), Kibble Nibble, Twist n' Treat, and Magic Mushroom.
They are pricey compared to some toys, but you can get them online for cheap (I know amazon has a small variety of nina ottosson and busy buddy toys).

Or, if your goal is to encourage your dog to problem solve and use his/her senses for real cheap, go to the dollar store!
We have something we've called Eva's "trough". It's a planter that is built to go over a railing, so it has a large barrier running down the center. The two sides are just wide enough to fit her nose. It keeps her occupied for a while.

I know Nina Ottosson has a hiding blanket type thing, which is really just a blanket with sequencially smaller blankets stitched overtop. The idea is to hide kibbles under the folds to encourage the dog to use his/her nose to locate the food. you could just as easily toss a blanket on the floor, and do the same thing without all the stitch-work or money spend.
Our douve is very "fluffy" for lack of a better word. We toss a handful of kibble on the bed and send Eva after it. As soon as she jumps up, all the puffs and folds naturally hide some of the kibbles. Mind you, we only do this on cleaning day, since the douve usually needs to be cleaned afterwards.

There are tons of cheap, easy things you can find around your house, or at the dollar store to keep your dog occuppied. Just get creative!

 

[R2reddobes]

I bought the Nina O. Dog Brick for Maiya. I think it is one of the easier games. I only take it out once in a while so Maiya hasn't lost interest yet. It is definitely a game that you have to play WITH your dog.

Maiya isn't that interested in the Kong Wobbler nor Buster Cube-type of toys and she gets a stuffed Kong when I'm going to be gone for awhile. When she was a young puppy, it was difficult to find things that would keep her busy without me so I tried to tire her out with "find-it" games (toys, people, treats), training or a flirt pole.

 

[CH4Sure]

what do you all stuff your kongs with? perhaps I should start a new thread with this but I'm just not sure how much stuff to fill it with, peanut butter would seem like the natural choice but its so fattening, i can't imagine stuffing the whole thing with it, that would be like a thousand calories but when I put just a little in it, around the top rim, she seems to eat in in a second then discards the kong. today i tried filling it with a whole mushy banana then froze it and she liked it until she couldnt reach any more of the banana on the inside then she just left it. Any suggestions on what to put in it would be greatly appreciated. Also what is the difference between a regular kong like we have and a kong wobbler? is this wobbler thing better? also,what is a magic mushroom? thanks.

 

[ZeldaRules]

I like my bob-a-lot, you can get it at petco..you can fill it with kibble, small treats, or just let them knock it around

Amazon.com: StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large: Pet Supplies

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tug a jug is a fun one too!

 

[Hank]

They had some puzzle toys at the feed store here. Almost bought one because they were only $20 and not $40+ like Ive seen online. My dog would probably be too bored with it though.

what do you all stuff your kongs with? perhaps I should start a new thread with this but I'm just not sure how much stuff to fill it with, peanut butter would seem like the natural choice but its so fattening, i can't imagine stuffing the whole thing with it, that would be like a thousand calories but when I put just a little in it, around the top rim, she seems to eat in in a second then discards the kong. today i tried filling it with a whole mushy banana then froze it and she liked it until she couldnt reach any more of the banana on the inside then she just left it. Any suggestions on what to put in it would be greatly appreciated. Also what is the difference between a regular kong like we have and a kong wobbler? is this wobbler thing better? also,what is a magic mushroom? thanks.

With my dobe I mixed kibble and some treats with canned dog food and then stuffed it in the kong and froze it. Would last hours. That would be his breakfast when he was stuck home while I was at work.
Trying to figure out what to stuff it with now since I feed my pup raw. Was thinking of cooking some ground turkey and mixing it with some treats and freezing it.

Kong wobbler is pretty much exactly like the toy in the video that ZeldaRules posted but the Kong one is red. Its full of sand on the bottom to keep it right side up and the dog has to knock it around to get treats out of.

 

[DogsR4Life]

Why not do an intelligence test? I think it's 10 tests in total, and all you need is a house of furniture, treats, and dog mental activity for hours.