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How do I teach my dog to play with treat-release toys?
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Follow these simple steps and your dog will become a master at treat-release toys in no time!
1. Be sure to use very small, dry treats to fill the treat-release toy. They should be small enough so that they come out easily when the toy is rolled on the floor.
2. Place the toy on the floor in front of your dog, and gently roll it around so that treats fall out of the openings.
3. Encourage your dog to eat the treats.
4. Most dogs will be intrigued (treats are a powerful motivator for curiosity!) and will inspect the toy more closely.
5. As you roll the treat-release toy around, your dog will start to push it with his/her nose and/or paw. Encourage your dog with verbal praise when he/she starts to do this.
6. Soon your dog will be working on his/her own to figure out how to empty the toy.
Remember that every dog has a unique learning pace, so be patient-it may take several sessions especially if your dog is shy or older.
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2
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What types of treats should I put in the treat release toys and how should my dog's frustration threshold affect my choice of treats?
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When you are first starting to use the toy with your dog, we suggest using dry small treats only. Some treat-release toys can be very challenging toys compared to may others on the market, and small dry trats are easier for your dog to remove them. After a few times using easy treats you will be able to better jusdge what we call the frustration threshold of your dog.
Often when you start the dog out with easier to remove treats, the dog gets a chance to learn that with just a little patience they can remove the treats without destroying the toy. As the dog learns to build its frustration threshold you can vary the types of treats being used to make it more difficult. Moist treats are far more challenging than dry treats, and larger treats (moist or dry) are more challenging than smaller treats.
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3
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My dog already knows how to use treat-release toys and has mastered the game using small treats. How do I make this game more challenging for him/her?
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This is usually one of the special features of treat-dispensing toys: customizability! If your dog is already experienced, then you should use larger treats inside the toy. The cross-cut hole or the various hole designs allow you to stufff large treats inside easily. The larger the treats, the harder the dog has to work to get the treats out. You can also select your treat fillings based on your dog's individual skill level.
Some ideas for fillings are: Dehydrated chicken strips, beef liver, lamb lung/heart or osterich, buffalo heart, turkey bites, chunks of semi-moist food rolls, dog-cookies/biscuits, strips/strings of cheese.
Moist fillings such as peanut butter, liverwurst, yogurt and cream cheese can also be used with some treat-release toys and are an excellent way to keep your dog busy for a good long time.
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4
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How do I make these toys even more challenging for my dog? He is so smart he figures out puzzles very quickly, and I want to keep him amused/busy for a really long time!
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If your dog is a little too smart for his own britches, you can fill most of these toys in a variety of ways to keep him really busy. Use combinations of fillings - moist and dry. Try stuffing a large dog biscuit inside the toy. Then using a knife, pack peanut butter butter or honey in the toy and or in the holes or cross-cuts. Combine large dry treats with moist ones make the job of getting the treats out more difficult! For a larger dog who really enjoys a challenge, you can even push a raw frozen marrowbone down through the cross-cut sections or holes on some toys (please remember to supervise your dog when using bones)!
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5
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My dog is really destructive with his/her toys. Are treat-dispensing toys a good toy for my dog to be playing with?
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Every dog has a different chew and play style. Most treat dispensing rubber toys are designed for problem solving treat-release games rather then a chew toy (chew toys are designed for jaw exercise only). Most rubber made toy materials a very durable, especially if they are made specifically for tenacious chewers. If your dog is a known toy destroyer with other very durable rubber toys, then some of these toys will not be the ideal toy for your pet. Be sure to start your dog with really small, easy to remove treats if he/she has ever been destructive with their toys.
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6
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Is there a way to teach my dog to be more gentle with his/her toys so they last longer?
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If your dog is destructive with their toys, try following these steps:
1. If your dog does not already know "gentle" and or easy (usually taught from taking treats), this is an excellent opportunity to teach him/her these cues or commands.
2. Verbally reward/praise the appropriate mouthing behaviour (usually when your dog first starts playing with the toy). Say "Good Gentle" or "Good Easy" in a calm, pleasant encouraging tone of voice.
3. If the dog starts to show destructive mouthing behaviour, give a No Reward Marker ("Eh-Eh") in a calm, gentle voice and remove the toy.
4. Give the toy back to your dog later, and keep an eye on his/her behaviour. While he/she exhibits appropriate mouth behaviour (non-destructive), repeat the positive cue/command, "Good Gentle" etc. when/if the destructive behaviour resumes, repeat the NO REWARD MARKER ("Eh-Eh", "Too Bad, Wrong") cue/command and remove the toy again in a calm, gentle manner.
5. After a consistent cycle of this training, your dog should learn that when they get too destructive, they loose the privilege of playing with the "object of desire" (the toy).
6. Be sure to reward/praise verbally the appropriate mouth behaviour your dog offers you. Dogs (like kids) need to be shown which behaviours we do want form them, not just punished for unwanted behaviours!
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7
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My dog bit a very small piece of the material off the toy. Can I still allow my dog to play with the toy?
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The rubber treat dispensing toys are usually made from Government approved material. However you do want to make sure that your dog doesn't ingest pieces of any toy! If damage has been done to the toy, it may be possible to take a sharp kitchen knife and cut part or all of the damage portion off of the toy. The toy might then allow you to continue the use of the treat dispensing toy, the toy may still provide your dog with hours of fun and he/she will likely love it just the same. If your dog continues to try to destroy the toy in anyway or you notice increased damage, remove it from him/her immediately.
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8
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Can these treat dispensing toys be used for other things or games in addition to releasing treats?
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Yes, by all means! Many of the treat dispensing toys are an excellent toy for playing fetch and/or tug with your dog if you so desire. The materials and shape of many of these toys cause it to bounce in wild unpredictable ways your dog will love. In addition many of these items float, so they are great at the lake and in the pool!
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9
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Can these toys be washed after use?
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Just about all of these toys may be washed in a house-hold dishwasher or with warm water and soap. Due to the large cross-cut hole designs on some toys it is easy to clean by hand, even if it has remnants of peannut butter, honey and other tasty treats inside!
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