Meals are an exciting part of your dog’s day – and let’s be honest, they’re exciting parts of a human’s day as well. Your pup gets to eat, and you know you are helping to fuel their body with good nutrients. However, you can also use mealtimes as an excellent opportunity to exercise your dog’s brain and body. Through various forms of enriching games and toys, your dog will be even more satisfied with mealtime.
At its most basic, a meal is already a form of enrichment. Your dog gets to experience smell and taste, which light up areas of their brain that aren’t active when they are just hanging out. However, after a while, your dog gets used to the mealtime routine–they know when to expect it, and they know what the food will taste like. To change the routine, prevent boredom, and even burn some energy, you can incorporate different games or feeding methods to make eating more enjoyable and engaging.
Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys are beneficial for dogs who quickly scarf their food down. Eating too fast can lead to severe issues like choking or bloat, which are life-threatening conditions. Puzzle toys prevent dogs from inhaling their meals and force them to problem-solve to get their kibbles. There is a vast amount of variety available when it comes to puzzle feeders; some have grooves that make it difficult for your pup to grab the food, some have wells that come with covers that your dog needs to slide or flip to access the food, and some need to be rolled or pushed to release kibbles. Get two or three and rotate them throughout the week to know which puzzle they will need to solve for their next meal.
DIY Enrichment
You can make your own toy by folding or rolling the edges of a paper towel roll and filling it with your dog’s food. Dogs who enjoy tearing things will love this approved chance to rip the tube to shreds in addition to getting their dinner. You can also punch holes the size of your dog’s kibble into a plastic water bottle and give it to them to push around so that the treats fall out; however, keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t try biting through the plastic and cutting their mouth.
You can also change the way you prepare the food. If your dog usually gets dry kibbles, try putting them in a bowl with a couple of inches of water. Your dog will be forced to slow down, and they’ll work a bit harder to get them. You can even let the kibbles soak up water and then freeze them, resulting in a tasty icy treat that will take your pup a while to eat. This is a great option for summer when it’s hot, and your dog needs to stay hydrated and cool.
Hide Food
Make mealtime an adventure by scattering food in your yard or throughout your home (just check that your dog found it all). This is an excellent way for your dog to exercise their strongest scent and have an absolute blast looking for its food. If you don’t want to spend the time it takes to hide the food inside, simply bring the food to your yard and scatter it before allowing your pup outside to scavenge for it.
If you need more training assistance for your pet, call the experts at Gulf Coast K9 Dog Training of Bradenton.
