Happy Tasty Tuesday everybody! This week, we’ve put together a round up of some of our favorite interactive treat toys and feeders for dogs plus a couple that cats will enjoy too. Interactive toys and feeders are a really great way to keep your pet active, engaged and entertained while you are away, or to just get them motivated to work for their food or treats rather than just giving it to them. Many trainers recommend this and some call it the “no free lunch” concept. They are also really helpful for slowing down pets who tend to eat too quickly, which can lead to big health problems.

My main reason for using interactive treat toys and feeders is to keep Daisy as busy as possible so that she doesn’t get bored while I’m working, or anxious when I’m first heading out the door. I’ve found by watching her on the PetCam, that as long as she’s happy and busy with treats for the first 10 minutes she’s left alone, she’s usually fine! Plus, she really seems to enjoy the challenge…you should see her tail wag when I get out one of her favorite feeders or toys.

Most of these products can be used for either feeding or treating your fur kid, and have been Daisy Tested & Approved for fun and durability. It’s important to observe your pet with the toy or feeder a few times before leaving them alone with it, since some dogs can break anything and that can be a safety issue when left unattended.

Interactive Treat Toys and Feeders to Keep Your Pet Busy

KONG Wobbler Treat and Food Dispenser Dog Toy: This toy is definitely one of Daisy’s top favorites! It’s one of the ones we’ve had the longest, and I love it because it’s held up really well, despite the tooth marks where Daisy has obviously tried to open it rather than “wobble” the treats out on occasion. You put treats or dry kibble inside and your dog bops and paws at it til the treats come back out through the little hole. They’ll bang it all over the place, and usually spend a good 10 minutes or so working to get the goods. Made in the USA. Comes in Small and Large. I think cats would enjoy this one too, since they love to bat at stuff!

Interactive Green Feeder for Dogs (and Purple Feeder for Cats): This is one of the newer interactive feeding toys that Daisy has come to love. You just pour down the kibble or treats and your pet has to find and retrieve each piece from the blades of “grass” that make up the feeder. It really helps to prolong meal time and slows down your pet’s eating so they don’t get sick from bloat or eating too quickly. This one is great for staying in place, and difficult to tip over or bang around. It was larger than I expected, but turns out to be the perfect size! Getting all the food or treats should take anywhere from 10-25 minutes depending on how fast and hard your pet works. Read all the great 5-star reviews!

Aikiou Interactive Pet Feeders for Dogs and Cats: Aikiou (pronounces IQ) makes a super fun feeder for dogs that is a puzzle toy. You can fill every compartment or leave some empty and then let your dog go crazy figuring out where the food or treats are and how to get into each spot. They also offer an interactive feeder for cats that is designed based on kitty’s hunting drive, with tubes to put food or treats in.

KONG Classic Stuffable Dog Toy: Daisy has had a KONG Classic since we adopted her! First the Puppy KONG for teething puppies 15-35 pounds, and then the larger red one that you might recognize. They are almost everyone’s favorite because they are extremely durable, and super versatile. You can stuff them with peanut butter, bananas, greek yogurt, pumpkin puree…just about anything you can think of. You can also freeze them, which makes it even more fun for your pet and takes even longer for them to get everything out! Check out this ASPCA tip sheet on How To Stuff A KONG.

These are just a few of the interactive treat toys and feeders out there. We’ve tried several more that we really like, but we’ll save those for another list! Does your dog or cat have a favorite? Have you ever tried using an interactive treat toy with other pets (rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, etc)? Let us know by leaving a comment below. We’d love to hear from you!