Top 10 Food Dispensing Dog Toys

Food dispensing toys have become a big part of our lives since cutting Athena off from her food bowl cold turkey seven months ago.  Each and every morning, Athena eats her breakfast out of a toy and each and every evening, she eats her dinner out of another toy.  Depending on our schedules and Athena's need for entertainment, she might also receive a food dispensing toy filled with a snack during the day as well.  Since incorporating daily mental stimulation into Athena's routine, she has become a much more calm and relaxed dog.

Because we feed all meals out of food dispensing toys, it is important to us that we rotate the toys often to keep Athena entertained and challenged.  This means that we've accumulated a boat load of different toys.  While some of them have been flops, we have quite a long list of toys that we absolutely love and recommend.

We looked at our favorites and rated them using the following criteria.  However, Athena had the final say in the order of the top ten!

Here's our top ten list of favorite food dispensing toys (counting down to the #1 best toy!):

#10 StarMark Bob-a-Lot

Difficulty:  4 paws

Durability:  2 paws

Ease of Use:  1 paw

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($15.89 for size large)

The StarMark Bob-a-Lot was Athena's very first food dispensing toy.  As you can see from the picture,  it has many indents and scratches from Athena's teeth as she learned how to maneuver the toy.  Because this toy is made from such hard plastic, the scratches have caused Athena to get a few nicks on her nose that have now scarred.  We do love that this toy has two openings (one on the top and one on the side) and that the difficulty can be changed.  However, it isn't as easy to fill with food and it doesn't open up to allow for a thorough cleaning.

#9 Kong Satellite

Difficulty:  3 paws

Durability:  3 paws

Ease of Use:  1 paw

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($7.99)

We recently wrote an entire review of the new Kong Satellite (see it here).  We love its unique shape which provides Athena with a different experience than the usual "nose bopping" toy.  However, this toy is a bit difficult to fill with food and treats which also makes it tough to thoroughly clean.

#8 Kong Wobbler

Difficulty:  1 paw

Durability:  4 paws

Ease of Use:  4 paws

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($13.57 for size large)

We love the Kong Wobbler for how easy it is to fill with kibble because it unscrews at the middle.  This also makes it very easy to thoroughly clean.  The material of the Wobbler is excellent quality making it extremely durable.  A major downside to the Kong Wobbler is that there is no way to change the difficulty, meaning that this is a very easy food dispenser for Athena.

#7 Buster Food Cube

Difficulty:  2 paws

Durability:  3 paws

Ease of Use:  2 paws

Storage Size:  2 paws

Price:  ($17.50 for size large)

Although a bit pricey, the Buster Food Cube is a hit with Athena.  She loves to swat this toy all around the house hoping for her kibble to fall out.  Unfortunately there isn't a way to change the difficulty on this toy, but it is rather challenging as is.

#6 PetSafe Premier Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble

Difficulty:  3 paws

Durability:  3 paws

Ease of Use:  4 paws

Storage Size:  4 paws

Price:  ($13.74 for size large)

This toy has quite the kibble capacity and is unique in how its difficulty is changed.  Kibble is dispensed from either end of the egg shaped toy, and each opening has plastic prongs that can be cut out depending on how difficult you want the toy to be for your dog.  As of now, we haven't cut any prongs from the toy and it has remained EXTREMELY challenging for Athena (just the way we like it)!

#5 Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball

Difficulty:  2 paws

Durability:  3 paws

Ease of Use:  3 paws

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($9.71 for size large)

This treat dispensing toy makes it to the top five of our list because Athena is totally obsessed with it!  She probably loves it so much because it's a ball, but we love it because Athena not only receives mental stimulation, but she also physically exercises with this one.  The toy is fairly easy to fill, although not as easy to wash out.  Another bonus of this toy is that it is nearly silent when Athena rolls it around because of its soft rubber material (perfect for hardwood floors!).

#4 Kong Extreme

Difficulty:  4 paws

Durability:  4 paws

Ease of Use:  3 paws

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($14.03 for size extra large)

It's probably no surprise that the Kong makes it to the top of our list of food dispensing toys.  Athena would do anything to have a Kong a day to keep the doctor away.  What makes the Kong Extreme so great is its mega durability (for Athena anyway, I know some dogs have been known to chomp the tops right off of this toy!).  We usually only offer Athena a frozen Kong that has been stuffed with a Kibble mixture.  See the post we did on Kong stuffing recipes here.

#3 Ethical Contempo Tessa

Difficulty:  4 paws

Durability:  4 paws

Ease of Use:  3 paws

Storage Size:  3 paws

Price:  ($14.99)

At one point in time the Contempo Tessa was our number one favorite food dispensing toy.  As we've grown our collection, it has been surpassed by a couple, but still remains one of our favorites for its unique design and ability to change the difficulty.  We love that this food dispenser has two food dispensing chambers that make it that much more challenging for Athena.  It is also fairly easy to fill and clean.

#2 Kong Stuff-a-Ball

Difficulty:  4 paws

Durability:  4 paws

Ease of Use:  4 paws

Storage Size:  4 paws

Price:  ($10.07 for size large)

Yet another Kong product makes it to our top ten list!  This is similar to the Kong Extreme, but Athena especially enjoys its ball shape.  Our favorite thing about this particular Kong is how much food we can stuff inside before freezing it.  It's also easier to stuff than the Kong Extreme and less expensive =)

#1 PetSafe Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom

Difficulty:  4 paws

Durability:  4 paws

Ease of Use:  4 paws

Storage Size:  4 paws

Price:  ($16.10 for size large)

The Magic Mushroom is our number one favorite food dispensing toy!  Athena has loved this toy for many months and still has such gusto when playing with it.  As you can see from the above picture, the mushroom has taken quite a beating, but it is still in great working order.  Athena absolutely loves flinging this toy all around the house by carrying it around in her mouth (notice all of the teeth marks).  She also gets excited and will swat it around with her paws.  It's easy to change the difficulty of this toy and it's also easy to fill and clean.

But wait, there's more!:

Of course we don't only own ten food dispensing toys (because clearly we are food dispensing toy hoarders).  Here are a few more toys that we love, but didn't quite make the top ten:

Busy Buddy Twist n' Treat

Smarter Toys IQ Treat Ball

StarMark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball

Kong Genius Mike
Kong Dental Toy

PetSafe Busy Buddy Barnacle

Jolly Pets Monster Mouth

We also have a few toys that were major flops, but we'll save that discussion for another day!

Have you retired your dog's food bowl yet?  What are your dog's favorite food dispensing toys?

*All prices are directly from Amazon.com

Water Baby

Recently the weather has been very summerish here in Portland with temperatures in the 70's and 80's.  Not only has Athena been spending time soaking up the sun in her Andy Randy chair, but she's also been splish splashing in her new baby pool.

After the swamp incident, we thought that Athena might enjoy her very own pool (with clean water!) to take a dip in on warm days.  We already know that she LOVES the sprinkler, so we figured that the kiddie pool would be just the same.  It turns out Athena is in LOOOOVEEE with her kiddie pool too!

Of course at first, Athena was a bit afraid of the pool.  She initially thought it was a gigantic water bowl, but after we threw in a few treats, she got brave and poked her head under the water.  Athena didn't do a full splash in the pool until we threw her ball in though.

To make pool time more fun, we recently purchased a water toy make by ChuckIt that floats in the pool.  It turns out that Athena loves the thing almost as much as she loves her ball!  We like to toss the bumper toy into the kiddie pool, and then Athena chases after it.  It also make a great tug toy for practicing "drop it" and "tug."

All of Athena's pool splashing has got us thinking that we'd like to try dock diving in the near future with Cascade Dock Dogs!

Does your dog love the water?

Pitlandia in Portlandia: Doggie Dash 2013

Back in February, I announced that Athena and I were in training to run a marathon 2.5 mile race together.  The day finally arrived this Saturday when we joined over 6,000 others on Portland's Waterfront for the Oregon Human Society's Doggie Dash!

Streets all blocked off for the race!

Of course we couldn't let Athena wear a tutu alone!

Team in Training:

One of our New Year's resolutions for Athena was that we would like her to learn how to jog with us.  Up until we began training for the Doggie Dash, Athena was the worst running buddy ever.  Whenever I would pick up speed from a walk to a jog, she would go bonkers and start sprinting.  Sprinting is now a thing of the past and I am happy to announce that Athena is now a fantastic running partner for myself and her dad!  Athena's Freedom No-Pull harness has done wonders for her as well as our "more fun than dirt" training.

Only a few steps from the finish line!

Day of the Dash:

As great of a runner as Athena has become, I was still very nervous leading up to the day of the Doggie Dash that Athena wouldn't be able to run with me.  From all of our experiences with the Portland Pit Bull Parade and Respectabulls walking groups, Athena has an extremely hard time keeping her cool walking with other dogs.  I was starting to have nightmares of what would happen when we joined 6,000 others and their dogs for a dog run.  It actually wasn't until the night before the race that I made up my mind and decided that Athena would join me for the run.  I figured if she pulled too hard, then I'd just have to quit and hope for better next year.

All dressed up for the dash!

On the day of the run, the time approached 9:00am and I was already sweating as we lined up at the start.  I was so nervous as to what would happen as soon as the shotgun went off.  Actually, I was more afraid of what kind of mess we would be in if Athena started acting crazy during the line up with so many dogs around us.  But, I was an extremely prepared dog mama and packed a whole treat bag full of cheese, pepperoni, and kibble.  As we got in position to begin the race with hundreds of humans and their dogs, Athena had 100% attention on me and her treats.  Not once did she give a play bow to another dog (even though there were dogs only inches away from her), or even show interest in greeting those around her.

Athena got LOTS of treats for paying attention to me!

Clearly all of the other dogs knew that I was the Treat Lady

As soon as the race began and the sea of people and dogs started to run, I knew that I might be in trouble.  Athena started mega pulling and I had all that I could do to hold on tight and hope that she didn't pull the entire 2.5 miles (I may have died if she did).  Lucky for me, Athena only pulled for about the first half mile.  She finally tired herself out and trotted next to me for the remaining two miles, just like we had practiced!  I was SO proud of her.  She was what gave me the push I needed to run the entire time without stopping.

Walkers and their dogs followed the runners

Athena strutting her stuff!

All kinds of fun:

The race ended back at Waterfront park and the announcer said "here come the tutu girls!" as we crossed the finish line.  Athena was totally exhausted and did a frog flop in the grass to cool off.

When we finally caught our breath, we paroozed the many vendors at the event and stocked up on some pretty great samples.  There was also a free pancake breakfast, mimosas, beer, and goodie bags for all participants.

We also met some fellow tutu wearers who we stopped to take a picture with:

The city goes to the dogs:

Following the run, we ate lunch at the nearby Rock Bottom Brewery where they allowed Athena to join us in their outdoor seating area.  Every table outside was filled with doggie dashers!  All of the dogs were treated like royalty and received their very own water bowls and treats from the staff.

Riding public transit:

As if the day wasn't filled with enough excitement, Athena also rode on public transportation with us to and from the run.  For one day only, Trimet allowed dogs participating in the Doggie Dash to ride the max (the light rail system in Portland).  We live super close to a max line, so it was very convenient to not have to worry about driving and parking downtown.

Waiting for our train to arrive

Of course, Athena was pretty nervous getting onto the train, but she warmed up quickly with treats.

Athena the professional doggie max rider!

We did it!:

I keep bonking myself in the head that I almost didn't even bring Athena to the Doggie Dash with me.  I was just that certain that she wouldn't succeed.  I am so glad that I changed my mind and gave her the chance to succeed.  I seriously should have known that she would be a rockstar!  Not only did she exceed my expectations for the run, but she was also an amazing breed ambassador the entire day while riding the max and meeting new people and dogs at the dash.  SO many people approached us wanting to meet Athena and comment on how well behaved she was.  In all of our nine months together, the Doggie Dash has been the most rewarding day that we've spent together.  Athena really showed me how far she's come and just how lucky I am to be her dog mom!  I am also so excited to announce that the Oregon Humane Society raised nearly $400,000 at the Doggie Dash to support the animals in their care.

Post-run picture in frot of the river

Athena and I with our running buddy, J!

* Special thanks to my friend J for running in the Doggie Dash with Athena and I, AND for sporting a tutu with us!  Also, special thanks to the wonderful B for attending the Doggie Dash to be our personal photographer!*

Love It: Kong Satellite

If you haven't figured it out already, I'm a total pet store addict.  Athena and I frequent local pet shops and box stores at least once a week.  Not only do our trips to these store provide Athena with dog and human socialization, but I'm able to parooz the many shelves full of pet supplies, treats, and toys.  Recently I noticed that the Kong company came out with a variety of new dog toys including the Kong Quest Treat Dispensers and the ever intriguing Kong Satellite Treat Dispenser.

I ended up adding the Kong Satellite to my recent Pet Mountain order because it was only $8 which is a mega score for a durable food dispensing toy.  Athena LOVES her Kong Wobbler, so I was curious to find out if she'd love the Kong Satellite just as much.

At first Athena wasn't quite sure how to maneuver the toy to get the kibble out because her usual nose bumps weren't working.  She resorted to attempting to chew off the protruding ends.  I corrected her with an "uh uh" and so she attempted to lick all of the treats out.

After a bit of trial and error, she did finally figure out how to nose bump the toy around to get the kibble to fall out of one of the many openings.  Here's a list of reasons why we like the new Kong Satellite food dispenser so much:

1. It's fairly inexpensive for a large-sized treat dispensing toy.  I saw it sold at Petsmart for $14.99 and I ended up ordering it on Pet Mountain for only $8.17.
2. It's made of durable plastic.  Like most Kong products that we've tried, the Satellite can stand up to Athena whacking it all around the house.
3. It's unique design is unlike other food dispensers on the market.  Most "bobbing" treat dispensers are all similar in that kibble falls out from one hole located on the front or top of the toy.  The Satellite actually has four holes (one on each end and one on the top) that dispense kibble randomly depending on how the toy is turned.
4. It's quite challenging.  Although there's not a way to change the difficulty of this toy, the holes are small enough that Athena isn't able to get all of the kibble out in two minutes.  This toy has Athena working anywhere from fifteen to thirty minutes for her meal.
5. It provides great mental stimulation which is one of the main reasons that we feed all of Athena's meals in food dispensers!

The one downside to this toy is that it is a bit time consuming to fill with kibble and treats.  Unlike the Kong Wobbler, the Satellite doesn't unscrew for easy kibble filling (one of the best features of the Kong Wobbler in my opinion).  I find myself plopping small bits of kibble into the toy at a time which can be annoying if I'm in a hurry to feed Athena her breakfast.  Also, I wouldn't recommend this toy for dogs who are known for chewing up their plastic toys.  I can see the protruding ends being quite tempting to some of those power chewers out there.

Overall, the new Kong Satellite has turned into one of Athena's favorite food dispensers (and trust me, she's tried a lot!).  I'm just wondering when she's finally going to figure out that she's never going to get any food to come out by licking the Satellite openings...

Has your dog tried the new Kong Satellite toy?  What other food dispensers does your dog love?

As Told by Athena: My Andy Randy Chair

Hi Guys!  Athena here.  This weekend we had some bee-u-tee-full weather in Portland and I got to spend lots of time outside soaking up the sun.  Since the weather seems to have changed for the better (meaning no more rain for a while), me, my mom, and my dad helped my grandma to set up her balcony for the season.

This Thean Bean was pretty excited about getting the balcony all spiffed up because if you remember from my trip to the beach, I LOVE balconies!  They are the best for watching all of the happenings in the neighborhood.  I especially love to look out at the dogs who live next door to my grandma.  I will give them a few little whines to see if they notice me, but so far they haven't even glanced over.  Rude.

My favorite thing about grandma's balcony is my new Andy Randy chair.  Mom says it's called an adirondack chair, but I can't pronounce that, so I call it my Andy Randy.  Since I am so fond of lounging, my mom decided to put my special outdoor Molly Mutt bed in the Andy Randy chair for extra comforts.  For all of you special doggies out there with your own Molly Mutts,  I highly recommend that your mom or dad smoosh it into your Andy Randy chair.

My mom thinks that grandma's balcony is going to turn into one of my favorite places.  I love being outside, so it's the perfect place to lay out on a warm spring day.  I'm just hoping that nobody tries to steal my Andy Randy when I'm busy flirting with the neighbor boys.

I can't have anybody hogging my Andy Randy when it's time to get my snooze on.  Just as the sun starts to set, I like to cuddle up in my new favorite chair for the night.  Or as mom says, until she starts being eaten by mosquitos and has to go inside.  No bug bites for the Thean.

Do you have your own comfy Andy Randy?  Have you ever tried smooshing your bed into it?  If not, I suggest that you give it a try when your weathers turn for the season!

Blooming Confidence

For those of you who have been following our blog since the beginning, you know what a scared pup Athena was when we first brought her home.  We were sure that she must have been locked in a closet for her first year of life, because she was afraid of just about everything.  Garbage cans, sprinklers, orange construction signs, skateboards, bicycles, vacuums, cameras, people, etc.  Thankfully, we've been able to overcome many of these fears through positive reinforcement and by exposing Athena to lots of new experiences.

Even though she has come so far, Athena still has her nervous moments and we continue to help her to overcome her fears everyday.  However, recently we've noticed that Athena has had an extremely large boost of confidence.

Bench practice:

For months and months we've been trying to get Athena to jump up onto a park bench.  She-would-not-do-it for the life of her.  Even with the tastiest of cheeses, Athena would back up at the sight of a park bench (she has no fear of jumping on our bed though...).  But, just last week we had a breakthrough.  While walking through the park, I asked Athena to "up" onto the park bench.  SHE DID IT!  And then she continued to do it over, and over, and over and will now gladly get up onto the park bench each time we are at the park (she will even do "down" and "touch" while sitting on the bench).

Roll over:

Has anyone out there struggled to teach "roll over" to their dog?  My goodness, I thought Athena would never get it.  We'd been trying to practice with her for months, but she would just whip her head around trying to grab the treat from my hand instead of following my hand onto her back.  I was completely shocked when Athena actually rolled over for the first time a couple of weeks ago!  Now we practice "roll over" in our training sessions and she continues to make me laugh every single time she does her floppity roll.

Walking on the wall:

Each time we walk with Respectabulls, there's a particular part of our walking route that has a short wall that many of the dogs like to jump up and walk on (see photo below).  Although we've tried time and time again to get Athena to "up" onto the ledge, she was always too afraid.  Much to our surprise, as we were walking during the last Respectabulls walk, Athena just jumped right on up there!  She had no cues from us and just decided that if the other dogs were doing it, she was going to do it too!

Swamp swimming:

If you read our post earlier this week, then you know all about Athena's fun swim in the swamp last weekend.  The girl who is afraid of everything jumped right into a swamp like it was her own personal swimming pool.  I'm still baffled as to why Athena even went into the muddy water, because she is definitely not a girl who likes to get dirty (or maybe that's just her mom...).

Flyballin':

As much as I was excited for Athena to get started in flyball, there was a part of me that assumed she would be too nervous to actually jump over the hurdles.  Of course, Athena proved me wrong on the very first night of flyball training when she jumped over the hurdles multiple times.  As we've progressed in flyball, Athena just keeps improving and she continues to show her confidence every week.

I'm still trying to figure out what it is that has made Athena blossom into such a confident dog recently.  Maybe she has finally realized that she's here to stay, or maybe all of our training and persistence has started to pay off.  I do think that Athena's confidence comes from a variety of things, but I think that flyball has been the biggest factor in building her up.  One of our main goals for starting flyball was to help Athena to gain more confidence and I dare say that I think it's working!