Why to use dog puzzle feeders
As the owner of a smart dog, you may be interested in finding ways to make mealtimes more interesting and engaging for your furry friend. If that's the case, it sounds like you need the best dog feeding puzzle on the market!
A feeding puzzle is any toy or object that can hold food and makes the pup work to figure out how to get to it. At pet stores and online stores, you can find a wide range of feeding puzzles made by companies like Kong, Premier, and Nina Ottosson.
An increasing number of pet owners are turning to feeding puzzles as a means of providing mental stimulation, preventing their pets from overeating, and generally improving their quality of life. With the help of feeding puzzles, eating can be turned from a passive way to get food into a fun and fulfilling activity!
When it comes to your dog's mental and physical well-being, food toys are among the best options. There are so many benefits to using feeding puzzles for your dog. In the rest of this article, we'll talk about the main benefits of dog puzzle feeders.
1. It helps your dog feel satiated for longer.
The feeling of satiety plays a critical role in preventing canine obesity. As is the case with humans, dogs who wolf down their meals may not have had enough time for their brain to let them know they are full. They'll spend the next 30 minutes begging their owners for more food, even though they're not necessarily hungry. And after all, who can refuse those big puppy eyes?
To help manage your dog’s drive for food, it's important to slow their eating so they feel full after each meal. The use of a puzzle feeder in conjunction with any diet (including weight loss diets) can help your pup eat more slowly and feel fuller after consuming the same amount of food. So, if you're at a loss as to what to do about your overweight dog, a puzzle feeder could be a great part of the answer.
2. It aids in the reduction of gas and bloat.
In GDV (Gastric-dilation-volvulus), the stomach swells and twists, cutting off blood flow to the organ and possibly others nearby. The less severe form of this condition, known as bloat, occurs when the stomach simply fills with gas and does not twist.
Dog breeds with deep chests, such as German Shepherds, Great Danes, and standard Poodles, have been found to be more susceptible to developing GDV. Eating too quickly (also known as "scarfing" or "gorging") and following certain diets have also been linked to this condition.
If your dog regularly eats this way, they may develop gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) due to the excess air they swallow. Using a puzzle feeder can slow down your dog's eating and lessen the risk of gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), or bloat.
3. It keeps your dog's mind active and engaged.
Dogs are intelligent and curious animals. Like all of us, they need regular mental stimulation to meet their needs. Most dogs were bred to work alongside us and perform a multitude of extraordinary tasks. We see this all the time with service dogs, police dogs, and much more. Some dogs even have a vocabulary of over a thousand words and can even deduce the names of unknown items. These days, we can quickly and easily feed our dogs from a bowl without giving it much thought. As I always tell my client’s though “that bowl isn’t doing anything for you or your dog. Work Smarter not Harder! Use puzzle toys to help stimulate your dog’s mind so you aren’t the one having to fill that role”
Feeding your dog with a puzzle toy encourages them to think and solve problems in order to get their food. Your dog's happiness and intelligence will both benefit from the use of toys that stimulate his natural foraging and hunting behaviors.
4. It has the potential to aid in the suppression of undesirable habits.
Some negative dog behaviors can be mitigated with the help of mental stimulation. Giving a dog something to work for (such as a food puzzle) can keep them occupied and give that busy brain something to do instead of eating the couch cushions from your mother-in-law. Putting that mental energy to use can reduce the likelihood that they will engage in destructive behavior when bored or anxious. When they have used that mental energy on a puzzle toy, they are less likely to do things that aren't good for them.
Food toys are also used as part of behaviorists' separation anxiety management programs. Though food toys are generally helpful, you should exercise caution. If your dog is resource-guarding or swallowing toys consult an expert at www.morganspawsitivepuptraining.com
5. It can be fun even when physical activity is limited.
Everyone understands that it's crucial to keep your dog active. However, injuries, illness, or weather, can refrain you from taking your dog for walks. What do you when faced with this lack of physical exercise?
When owners need to limit their dog's exercise, many of them look at me like I've lost my mind. They're afraid their dog will go crazy without its daily walk. If you want to keep your dog occupied but don't want to take him or her outside, a food puzzle toy could be the answer. If physical activity is limited, choose a stationary toy instead of a ball or rolling toy.
6. It provides a stress-free environment for your dog, which can improve his health.
Dogs today often experience a variety of stressful situations, including exposure to loud noises, crowded public places, long periods of solitude, and unwanted handling. All these minor stresses can add up and make your dog anxious, which can then manifest physically.
Dogs can benefit from playing with food toys because they help to alleviate the daily stress they experience. When shelter dogs are given enrichment in the form of food puzzles, their stress-related behaviors, such as barking, pacing, licking themselves over and over, and smacking their lips, get better.
7. It may slow down the effects of aging on the brain.
Degenerative changes in the brains of older dogs lead to canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD), also known as "doggy dementia" Like Alzheimer's disease in people, it causes a wide range of mental and behavioral problems, such as forgetfulness, compulsive behavior, changes in sleep patterns, and anxiety.
The good news is that there are a variety of brain-training games that can be used to keep the brain active for a very long time after traditional methods of exercise have become ineffective. Dogs' mental capabilities benefit greatly from the challenges posed by food puzzle toys. There are varying levels of difficulty for puzzle toys, so you can find the right one for your senior pup.
The verdict is: puzzle toys are a must-have.
The use of a dog feeding puzzle has many positive effects on your dog's health and well-being, including improved physical health, weight management, behavior, and even reduced stress levels. To prevent your dog from becoming bored, stock up on a variety of designs, and pick out one with a challenge level that's just right for them!