Doggy Blocks! Brain Games for Dogs! #chewyinfluencer

We got a second chewy.com package this month and Zoe was happy to help open it! 

Chewy.com is an awesome company that ships all of your favorite pet products right to your door! They have amazing customer service and their shipping is incredibly fast. They are one of our favorite companies!

 

If you've been following my blog at all, you will know that I feel mental stimulation for dogs is extremely important. My dogs absolutely love trying out new puzzle toys and we were super excited when we were given the opportunity to try Doggy Blocks by Outward Hound!

Doggy Blocks is a neat puzzle feeder that has hidden compartments. The toy contains 4 square treat chambers and four hidden cups. The dogs must pull all the blocks out and then learn how to rotate the tops of the toy to get to the hidden cups. Several scent holes will help to trigger your dog's natural curiosity and help them to stay motivated and get all the treats.

Interactive, treat-seeking doggy fun

Keeps your pup playing longer

4 treat-hiding cups

8 treat chambers

Adjustable difficulty knob on bottom

 Made with durable food-safe plastic

BPA, PVC, & phthalate free

Doggy Blocks is a pretty simple puzzle toy for the girls but I like that it's adjustable. If you watch the video, this was only their second time trying the toy out and I had it set on the easiest possible setting.

Phoenix says puzzle toys are hard work and make her sleepy!

Overall I think this is a pretty fun toy and the girls really liked it! I do worry that Zoe might be able to pull or pop off the top part that spins. It feels kind of flimsy to me. As a general rule, I never leave my dogs unattended with these kinds of toys, though! Doggy Blocks is easy to set up and clean and I would recommend checking it out if your dog is in need of a new puzzle toy!

ZoePhee received the Doggy Blocks puzzle toy in exchange for an honest review. We were not monetarily compensated and all opinions are my own. Chewy.com is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Buster Activity Mat! Take 2! New Activities!

Keep your dog busy and mentally engaged with the Buster Activity Mat! 

 

Back in November I had the wonderful experience of working with Buster on a review for their Activity Mat (you can find that by clicking here) and today we are doing take 2 with new activities for it! 

 

The Buster Activity Mat is a really fun puzzle toy that keeps dogs from becoming bored and destructive by giving them a job to do. My dogs really enjoy working out the puzzles and I love that Buster has a variety of different puzzles to choose from. Buster sent us our new activities in exchange for an honest review. 

The Rainbow Purse

The Rainbow Purse is a rectangle task that has four compartments to hide treats in. It folds up completely and "locks" with velcro. Just like all the other activities for the mat, it attaches with 3 press studs. The dog must use their nose and paws to open the purse and find the treats. 

Top Hat

The Top Hat is a circular task that has 8 pockets that you fold together and secure with the hat. The dog must then pull the hat off and find the treats in each of the pockets. The pockets are sewn closely together, making it more difficult to get the treats. This is one of the more advanced tasks that Buster has available. The Top Hat attaches to the mat with 4 press studs.

The Mouse Trap

The Mouse Trap is another more advanced task. With this task, you hide treats in the loop of the "mouse" then slide them into the pockets. The dog must pull the "mouse" out by it's tail to get the treats out. The Mouse Trap attaches to the mat with four press studs.

Here's a short video of Phoenix working on the new tasks for the Activity Mat! This video was originally 15 minutes long and it would of been even longer if I had added more food to the tasks. I will often feed them their dinner in puzzle toys and it can take them around 30+ minutes to get all the food out of this one with all the tasks to do.

My dogs absolutely love doing the tasks for their Activity Mat. They have been having so much fun with the new ones and we still use our old tasks, too! The Activity Mat keeps them mentally stimulated, especially on boring rainy days! I think it's so awesome that Buster has extra tasks available for purchase and this is one of the most versatile puzzle toys we've ever had. The tasks for the Activity Mat keep them very busy, generally around 15-30 minutes per dog worth of seeking out food. The toys are all made from rip-stop nylon and my dogs have not been able to tear or hurt anything. We've been using the Activity Mat since November and all of the toys are still in brand new condition. I also love the storage bag that comes with it, all of their tasks fit in perfectly and I haven't lost any of them. When not in use, it's easily stuffed in the closet.

As with all puzzle toys, I highly recommend monitoring your dog while they use them.

I would highly recommend checking out the Activity Mat by Buster. Your dogs will love it!

ZoePhee was sent the Activity Mat Starter Set and the additional tasks in exchange for an honest review. We were not monetarily compensated and all opinions are my own. Buster is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated with the Buster Treat Ball

So we've been dealing with some "March blues" and a bit of cabin fever as well. The nonstop raining that tends to happen in March in the Pacific Northwest can become a total bummer for everyone. My dogs hate the rain and they do not like walking in it. Forced marches in rainy weather are no fun for anyone. We still do them but we don't go as long as we usually do when it's not raining. The dogs have not been getting as much exercise as usual and keeping them from becoming bored can become challenging. I like to have a variety of puzzle toys around and I am always excited about trying new ones.

Today we are reviewing the Buster Treat Ball. Buster is a fantastic company that makes all sorts of puzzle toys for dogs and they also have a great variety of other dog products and even some cat products. They are always fun to work with and we've done a few reviews for them in the past. The Buster Treat Ball is very similar to the Buster Food Cube (review) and I really like them both.

The Buster Treat Ball can be filled up with your dog's favorite treats or you can fill it with their (kibble) dinner. I prefer to do puzzle toys at meal times so that my dogs have something to do and they have to work for their food. These kinds of toys are great because they are working both their mind and their body.

The Treat Ball is an awesome toy because it features Buster's patented inner maze for slow release of the food/treats. This puzzle toy has two openings, the bottom one has a door on it so you can shut it to make the toy harder or open it to make it easier. This makes it an awesome puzzle toy for any dog, regardless of their puzzle toy experience. I really appreciate it when a company makes a product so versatile, especially since both of my dogs have different needs. Zoe will sometimes give up on a toy if it's too hard and being able to make it a little easier for her is so great!

The Buster Treat Ball is made from durable, ABS plastic and we've been using it for over a month. The dogs have not been able to chew it up or hurt it in any way. It's a very well made toy. The treat ball comes in two different sizes: Small or Large (ours is a large) and two colors: Blue or Red.

Check out our short video of Zoe and Phoenix playing with the Buster Treat Ball!

Zoe and Phoenix are both really enjoying the Buster Treat Ball. Zoe can be difficult to please with toys and having toys that spit food out at her really help with that. I really love how versatile it is and that the difficulty can be adjusted. It's also just an all around awesome durable toy! We are planning on ordering a second one. I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you have a busy, active dog!

ZoePhee received the Buster Treat Ball in exchange for an honest review. We were not monetarily compensated and all opinions are my own. Buster is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Keep Your Dog Busy and Engaged with the BUSTER Activity Mat

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a great day! Today I have a review for you on an exciting new "puzzle toy" from BUSTER! My dogs absolutely love playing with puzzle toys and I highly recommend them for every dog owner. Puzzle toys are awesome because they work the mind and the body. They are wonderful to have on those awful winter days when it's raining too hard or it's too cold to spend much time outside. I also find them very useful for when I'm not feeling well and the dogs need something to do or when I want to take a break from training and just have some fun.

We recently had a few bad rainstorms, so bad that there was flooding in some places! My dogs hate the rain and they refuse to play outside. Having indoor activities for them to do is essential so that we don't all go stir crazy.

This is the BUSTER Activity Mat Starter Set! The starter set comes with three puzzles for the dog to solve and Buster offers around nine more puzzles that you can buy separately for when your dog advances past the first three. 

The Water Lilly

The Activity Mat has 35 press studs placed 10 cm apart. You can attach different tasks to the mat, most of them with varying levels of difficulty depending on whether you fold the tasks or leave them open. The whole idea for the activity mat is to hide food in the different pockets of the puzzles and then the dog has to use his or her nose and paws to get to the food. 

Phoenix is working really hard!

Zoe tries the Water Lilly

The Starter Set comes with these three puzzles: 

Envelope, Cone Cloth and Water Lilly

Water Lilly
Square task with pockets for treats. Each corner is folded towards the center and closed with Velcro. The task is attached to the mat with 4 press studs.

Envelope
This task consists of a square envelope which is closed with the stick. The task is attached to the BUSTER ActivityMat by 4 press studs. The dog must then remove the stick in order to solve the task and find a treat.

Cone Cloth
This task consists of a fabric cloth which can be attached to the BUSTER ActivityMat mat using the elastic band with a press stud at each end. You can make it into a cone or roll it with treats hidden in the middle for the dog to find.

Here's our short video of Phoenix using the Activity Mat!

Both of my dogs have had a ton of fun playing with the activities from the Activity Mat! It's been keeping them very busy. I also think it's awesome that Buster has more activities that you can buy separately and I'm planning on ordering more of them soon!

On the back of the Activity Mat it has some non-skid material on there so that it doesn't slide around the floor while your dog is playing with it.

The Carrier Bag is as big as Zoe!

The Activity Mat Starter Set comes with a handy bag that is great for storing all of your dog's puzzles and it's also helpful for carrying them around to new places.

Overall I am really happy with the BUSTER Activity Mat! It's on a whole new level from all the other puzzle toys we've tried. This one makes them work so hard to figure out where the treats are. You can really see their noses and brain working. It keeps them busy for a decent amount of time and if you watch the video Phoenix was still thinking and searching even after she got all the treats out.

I would not recommend leaving your dog unattended with the activity mat (or any puzzle toy, really), it's best that you stay and monitor them while they are using it and then put it away when they are all done. The mat is really sturdy and can take some punishment but my dogs had a tendency to want to chew on the wooden dowel that comes with it as you can see in the video. I didn't want to encourage that so I asked Phoenix to give it to me.

I would highly recommend checking the Activity Mat out and getting one for your dogs! I also think it would make an amazing Christmas present for any dog owner in your family. Every dog can benefit from playing with this.

Update: We tested this toy on my friend's Belgian Malinois and he had a great time playing with it and it held up to Malinois teeth. I'm sorry I didn't snap a photo of it! It was way too dark in the house to get good pictures.

ZoePhee was provided with the BUSTER Activity Mat Starter Set in exchange for an honest review. We were not monetarily compensated and all opinions are my own. BUSTER is not responsible for the content of this blog post.

Buster Food Cube Review

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having a fantastic day! Today I have a review for you on two amazing puzzle toys, the BUSTER Food Cube and the BUSTER Soft Food Cube made by Kruuse!

My dogs absolutely love puzzle toys, Zoe is a puzzle toy addict. She thinks they all belong to her! (Which we've been working on!) Puzzle toys are one of my favorite ways to feed my dogs. Mental stimulation is so important and by giving them a puzzle to solve, it works their brain and helps to tire them out so they don't get into other mischief around the house. I love having different puzzle toys, especially around winter time because it's rainy and the girls generally don't like going out in a downpour. Puzzle toys are one of the best ways to beat doggie boredom and it gives them a task to do.

The Buster Cubes are made to be used with kibble or other similar sized treats and I will generally just fill them with the girl's daily meals and let them have them. It can take them anywhere between 15 and 30 minutes to get all the food out.

BUSTER Food Cube

The Original BUSTER Food Cube is made from durable plastic and can definitely stand up to any abuse your dog might put it through. You can easily put treats or kibble inside and the dog has to roll the cube with his or her nose to get the treats out. They come in two sizes and four different colors! 

Phoenix tries the Original BUSTER Food Cube

Phoenix is really concentrating hard on this task!

Zoe is in LOVE!

BUSTER Soft Food Cube

The BUSTER Soft Food Cube is also made with durable plastic but it's softer and the edges are more rounded. This one comes in two sizes and two colors. It's definitely a lot quieter than the original and it's a bit easier for the dogs to roll around. I would recommend the Soft version of this toy if your dog is timid and just starting out in puzzle toy use. My dogs had a much easier time getting the food out of it than from the Original. This would make a great starter puzzle toy and then as the dog gets really good at using it you can advance up to the Original Food Cube. The Soft Food Cube has been wonderful for Phoenix who is just learning to love puzzle toys! She's become a BUSTER Cube master and has been having so much fun using these toys! I would say she's actually better at getting the food out of the cubes than Zoe. Which is awesome!

Zoe having fun with the Soft Food Cube

Yum!

Phoenix is the BUSTER Cube master!

Phee is rewarded for her hard work when the cube finally releases some treats!

Check out our short video of Phoenix using the Buster Cubes!

As some of you might know, it can be challenging to keep smart dogs busy doing activities we approve of, instead of getting into things they are not supposed to. Having puzzle toys is just one more tool in my toolbox for keeping my dogs busy, out of trouble and happy. The girls had so much fun playing with these BUSTER cubes! They are working their minds and bodies and it's so much better than just getting fed out of a bowl! As soon as they are done playing with their cubes, they lay down and take a nice long nap! I love using puzzle toys on rainy days or days where I can't get a training session in. They are so useful to have around! I would highly recommend checking them out and getting one for your dog! They also make BUSTER Cat Puzzle Toys, that are very similar to the dog ones, so you can keep your kitty busy too! How neat is that!

Have you ever tried any puzzle toys with your pets? Did they like them?

ZoePhee was provided with two Buster Food Cubes from BUSTER Kruuse in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and BUSTER is not responsible for the content of this blog post. 

Indoor Exercise and Impulse Control for Dogs

Have you ever been sick or hurt yourself? Maybe it's too hot or too cold for going out. What if you have a breed that can't tolerate the climate you live in? Maybe you're disabled and you can't always walk your dog. Your dog might be reactive and you just can't handle another day of barking and lunging.

I think we've all been there at some point in our lives where getting outside just isn't going to happen. I've had days where I was sick, days where it was way too hot and days where it was pouring rain. My dogs absolutely hate going out in the rain and they don't like being cold. Dogs still need exercise and mental stimulation and that's where coming up with indoor games is critical.

Recently I signed up for Susan Garrett's "freecaller" program. You got a portion of her "recaller" class for free. Sadly, her program is way too expensive for us and we couldn't continue with it but at the end of the free portion she did a live webinar. During the webinar Susan did a demonstration of her puppy playing an impulse control game that she dubbed the WOW! game. We've played a lot of impulse control games before and I really liked the way she did that game so about two weeks ago we started playing it, too.

Here's a video of my dogs playing the game. 

Note: In the video, you can see that Zoe does not like having her collar grabbed and she does not like being restrained. She is more weirded out about the restraint and doesn't like it when I use it to "drive her forward". I'm definitely planning on working on this!

After doing this game for about twenty minutes they were both ready for naps. They were exhausted and since the game is mentally and physically challenging it's win-win! They love playing this game and it's a great alternative for going outside. It also makes feeding time a lot more interesting than just pouring a bunch of kibble into a bowl and setting it down. Since they also have to "search" for the kibble it gives them a job to do and dogs love jobs.

Teaching Impulse Control is such an important aspect of dog training. They have to learn how to control themselves and that not everything dropped on the ground is for them. It's also helpful in so many other ways and makes living with dogs much easier. I plan on doing another post about this important topic so stay tuned.

Now for some directions. If your dog is new to playing impulse control games I would recommend taking a look at the It's Yer Choice tutorial. Kikopup also has a great one about teaching them not to mug your hand. I would recommend working on those two things first before proceeding on to the more advanced version of what I did in my video. You can still toss kibble and have them chase it for the exercise, though! I also do a version of It's Yer Choice (with the treats in my hand first and then near me on the ground) before I start the WOW! game to warm them up for it. 

Do you play indoor games with your dogs? What's your favorite?

Happy Fit Dog Friday everyone!

Dog Miracle Puzzle Toy Review

Hi everyone! I hope you are all having a fantastic day! This is a re-write of the blog post that Blogger ate. Fun times! Right!?! :D Today I have a review for you on the Dog Miracle Puzzle by Nina Ottosson and distributed by The Company of Animals. I'm not being monetarily compensated to tell you about this toy, however we did receive the toy in exchange for an honest review.