Smart Dog Toys = Busy Dogs

bob-a-lot busy buddy dog chewing dog toys indestructible dog toys kong puppy chewing puppy toys separation anxiety smart dog toys

Smart Dog Toys = Busy Dogs

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Keeping your puppy busy and out of trouble isn't always an easy job! Even after an hour long jog and a rousing game of tug, some dogs aren't even panting let alone ready to lay down for a nap (if you own a vizsla or a german short hair you know what I mean). It's extremely important to get all of the different types of pent up energy out of your dog- physical energy, mental energy and chewing energy. The best combo is to take your dog out for an off-leash romp with other dogs for at least an hour, play a training game with him, and give him something to chew on. You will finally have a tired dog that will want to take a long snooze. However, sometimes this just isn't realistic in our busy hectic human lives so to cut a few corners and to add some extra fun and entertainment to your dog's existence you can get some smart dog toys. Smart dog toys combine chewing with thinking, which knocks off two of the energies that dogs need to get out in one punch. All of the following smart toys are available at Noah's Natural Pet Market. Here's a product review of several smart dog toys that passed Daisy and Taj's lab tests...

#1- Bob-a-Lot by Starmark

This toy rock and rolls literally! Daisy and Taj had so much fun playing with this new cylindrical toy that babbles and waddles around as they pushed it with their noses. Pieces of kibble fall out of the little hole on the side of the container and it can be adjusted to make it harder or easier for the dogs to get it out. This is the only toy that

actually keeps dogs entertained for longer than ten minutes. The food not only comes out, which reinforces the dogs desire to keep playing with it, but it also moves around a lot and keeps them chasing after it. This toy is great for keeping your dog busy, and it's also good for dogs that inhale their food. You can load up the Bob-a-Lot with your dog's breakfast and the food will fall out little by little. It's a little pricey, but worth every penny. It also passed Taj's chew test. This toy gets five paws!

#2- Genius by Kong

This Genius toy is very similar to the traditional kong, but it's more of a long tube and it's bigger so you can fit more

food in it. This was Daisy's first choice because she could easily carry it around and

she liked the softer rubber. Kibble comes out of it f

airly easily so she was able to quickly figure out how to get her goodies. She learned very fast how to tilt the toy up and her food would fall out. Not quite as fun as the Bob-a-Lot, but it still kept her entertained for as long as there was food still in it.

#3- Tug-a-Jug by Premier

The Tug-a-Jug is a lot of fun especially for dogs that like to carry things around with them. It looks like a jug that has a rope sticking out of it an

d it can be filled with kibble. As your dog rolls it

around and chews on the rope, the food slowly falls out. It's not quite as satisfying for some dogs as the Bob-a-Lot because the reward is not as frequent and there's a frustration factor involved. However, overall it's a clever idea and will keep your puppy safely preoccupied so that you can take your eyes off of him for a little bit.

#4- Busy Buddy by Premier

The Busy Buddy is a ton of fun too, but it's not as sturdy as the first two toys mentioned. Daisy was able to chew it up into little pieces. However, if you don't have a voracious chewer, the Busy Buddy is much more convenient than the traditional round Kong because it can be unscrewed and placed in the dishwasher for easy cleaning. It's great for little pupp

ies and can keep them

busy for a long time.

#5- Traditional Kong

The traditional round, red Kong is a good standby smart dog toy because it's safe and hardly any dogs can chew it up. You can load a Kong up with all kinds of goodies, like kibble, wet dog food, treats, pieces of chicken etc. and freeze it to keep

it on hand for giving it to your dog before you leave for work or for a long period of time. It's a good way to keep your dog preoccupied without worrying about them choking on anything. The Kong is always a great option for keeping your dog busy and is the perfect thing to leave with a dog that has separation anxiety, chewing, or barking problems. Instead of having a panic attack and unleashing their frustration on your house, your dog will be more than happy to see you leave because he'll be excited to chew on his yummy Kong.

Don't leave me!! ~ Relieving Separation Anxiety

dog separation anxiety positive reinforcement dog training separation anxiety

Don't leave me!! ~ Relieving Separation Anxiety

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One of the biggest concerns that I hear from dog owners is how to relieve their dog's separation anxiety. I'm not talking about a few whines and whimpers when you leave, I'm talking about full blown anxiety that leads to destruction, serious noise complaints and physical exhaustion. I've heard of dogs' nails and teeth bleeding from trying to escape from their crates and houses. I've seen door knobs chewed, curtains ripped down, door frames eaten, glass laying everywhere and couches mauled. While getting ready for work in the morning or going out for a quick errand may seem like a boring old routine for you, it can be the most stressful chain of events for some dogs suffering from separation anxiety. Sadly, many dogs with severe separation anxiety are given up on and cast away to the shelters. Other dog owners become prisoners of their own homes and dogs, and will literally never leave their dogs alone. While there is no quick fix for curing your dog's anxiety, there are several ways to relieve your dog's stress in a positively reinforced way. If you have a puppy, take the time and energy to really work on these issues before the behaviors become even more engrained as an adult dog. Old dogs can learn new tricks, but it may take longer to recondition an older dog who has learned  for years to panic whenever a car key jingles. It takes time, patience, commitment, love and a few angry notes from the neighbors, but it can be done. Don't give up and definitely don't get angry. Getting mad at your dog when you come home and find your house wrecked will only intensify your dog's anxiety. Keep calm and zen.

• When you bring home your puppy or dog for the first time, be sure to stick to your regular routine. We have a tendency to stay home and coddle our puppies all day with a 'fear' of leaving them alone by themselves. Your dog will pick up on this 'fear' and internalize it. Don't be afraid to leave for 15 minutes or a half hour. Gradually increase the time that you are away and try your best to stick to your normal routine. Remember... alone time is good time for your dog in the long run. Usually it's the human that has the most separation anxiety. Trust me, I know how hard it is to leave those sad puppy eyes!
• Whenever you leave your dog, try not to make a big fuss about it. Don't 'whine' to your dog in a baby voice expressing sympathy or sadness. Keep it light, cheery, but not a big deal. Or just don't say anything at all. 
• When you leave try to associate your absence with wonderful things. It's great for dad to go to work because I get a yummy raw bone to gnaw on! Woohoo! You can also wait to put down your dog's food bowl when you are about to leave. Some dogs have such bad anxiety that they will hunger strike till you are back and then they'll wolf down their food. Work on getting your dog comfortable with eating without you being in the room. Make his food the most pleasant, irresistible food in the whole world and disappear around a corner when he's eating it, then pop back in the kitchen while he's still eating. Keep doing this until you're able to wait a few minutes before coming back. Associate you being out of sight as a really good thing. 
• A lot of dogs will freak out the second you shut the door. Most puppies and dogs learn from an early age how to communicate with us through barking and whining. If you leave your puppy and they start howling, chances are you'll come running back and scoop the puppy up in your arms. Thus, howling means human comes back. When you leave your dog for the first time ever and he starts howling and you open the door back up to him, he's being positively reinforced for his behavior. You've created a pattern and your dog has learned to voice his needs to get a reaction. Essentially, your dog has trained you! Smart doggie! Keep this in mind when reacting to your dog's vocalizations.
• So if your dog has already trained you, how do you re-train him? The best thing to do is break it down into the tiniest little steps. If your dog is terrified of you disappearing around a corner without him, you may have to start inside your house. Working on the basic commands like sit, stay and leave it, will build your dog's confidence and help work on the disappearing act. You can start by playing hide and go seek in the house. Teach your dog to sit and stay until they are so good at it that you can step behind a corner, but then quickly reappear and come back to him before he thinks about whining or moving. You might have to use treats in a ring around your dog to help him focus on 'leave it' instead of you leaving. Just before you are about to step around the corner say 'ok have it!' and your dog will associate you leaving with the goodness of treats. You might have to do this three times or three hundred times before your dog is comfortable with being left alone. 
• Once your dog is good at playing hide and go seek in the house, move it over to the door and repeat the same exercises. Tell your dog to sit and leave it, and then scatter a whole handful of treats between him and the door. Just before you are about to step out of the door say, "Ok, have it!" and close the door. Open the door after a few seconds while your dog is still vacuuming up the treats. It's pretty hard for Fido to bark while he's eating. And, oh my goodness, human has already returned and all that doggie had to do was be quiet. Do this a ton of times until you are able to gradually increase the time. You may only be able to be behind the door for 3 seconds or 10 seconds, but gradually you can add time that your dog is comfortable with. ONLY reappear when your dog has been quiet for at least five whole seconds. ONLY when your dog is quiet should you reappear. ONLY do what your dog can barely handle. 
• If you have to leave your dog and can't be doing the yo-yo door training, try to leave him with a friend or another dog who is calm and confident. For dogs that have been raised in a crate it's also safer to put him in there than it is to let him destroy the house. Make sure to puppy/dog proof your house and be sure to lock all windows and doors. 
• There are also some herbal remedies such as Rescue Remedy and Bach's essential flower oils that can calm your dog in a natural way. Put a few drops on a treat before you start getting ready to leave or put a few drops in your dog's water bowl. 
• Try to vary the order of your routine and don't make your dog's schedule too rigid. Maybe leave your car keys hidden in the garage where your dog won't be able to ever see them. Have someone distract your dog in another room so that your dog doesn't see you leave. Also, block window doors so that your dog can't see you walk off into the distance. 
• Also, remember to throughly exercise your dog before you leave. A tired dog is a good dog and a zen dog. 
• Frozen raw marrow bones and frozen stuffed Kongs can provide hours of lasting entertainment. Get your dog's mind off of you leaving by leaving him with something really wonderful.
• When you return to your dog, try to come into the house when your dog is quiet. Even if you have to make a loud disrupter noise like clapping your hands or anything that will get your dog to be quiet for a second and listen. Then calmly enter the house and ignore your dog until his energy level has visibly dropped. Reward your dogs quiet calm energy by giving him quiet, calm attention. In a low, nice voice say your hello and then give your dog all of the love in the world. 

These are just a few helpful hints and some things work with some dogs and not others. It's all about timing and comfort zones. Try your best to keep zen even though a barking frenetic dog can be the most stressful thing in the world. If you have any questions please feel free to comment or contact me. Good luck!