Love It: Contempo Tessa

Lately we have been testing quite a few food dispensing toys at our house.  Seeing as Athena eats out of different toys two to three times per day, we have become very familiar with the pros and cons of each toy.

One toy that is at the top of our list is the Ethical Contempo Tessa.  I have actually never seen this toy sold in a pet store, only online at Amazon and Pet Mountain.  I'm a bit shocked at how much we love this toy because it only cost us $6.00 (see our Pet Mountain haul here)!

Athena waiting patiently for her dinner

The Contempo Tessa works much like the Kong Wobbler and the StarMark Bob-a-Lot in that it has a weighted bottom to allow for "wobbling" action.  The difficulty of the toy can be adjusted by spinning the lever on the bottom chamber where the food is placed.  Not only does the dog have to get the food out of the bottom chamber, but they then must knock the food out of a small hole on the side of the toy. This toy will keep Athena occupied for about thirty minutes with 1/2 cup of kibble inside.

Contempo Tessa's pieces

Bottom chamber where kibble is stored

Athena mostly uses her nose to scoot the toy around and will occasionally bat at it with her paws if it gets stuck in a corner.  The tip of the Contempo Tessa is narrow, so Athena will sometimes pick it up with her teeth to move it to a new location.    This has left a few teeth marks on the top, but she has not come close to puncturing the plastic.

Athena scooting the toy all around the house

My one complaint with this toy is that it can be frustrating and time consuming to fill.  Pouring kibble into the bottom chamber takes some time and it can be difficult to twist the top and bottom parts of the toy together.  However, I think it's worth the slight frustration!

When can I have it, dad?!

As far as durability, this toy has lasted one month without any significant damage (other than a few teeth scratches on the top from Athena carrying it around in her mouth).  We make sure to remove the toy as soon as all of the kibble is gone so that Athena won't use it as a chew toy.  For $6.00 this toy certainly passes the durability for your money test!

Unlike the Kong Wobbler, the Contempo Tessa allows for difficulty adjustment making it fit the needs of many dogs.  Its ease of use for the handler is similar to the StarMark Bob-a-Lot in that it can be time consuming to fill.  Also, the Contempo Tessa cannot hold as much kibble as both the Kong Wobbler and the StarMark Bob-a-Lot.

Have you tried the Contempo Tessa, Kong Wobbler, or StarMark Bob-a-Lot?  What do you like (or not like) about them?

Bye, Bye, Food Bowl!

A couple of weeks ago we began Canine Life and Social Skills (C.L.A.S.S.) training with Athena.  Our first two classes were exceptional and we have really enjoyed the new trainer.  With all of her suggestions, we have seen a huge improvement in Athena's behavior.

During our first class we talked to the trainer about Athena's high energy level and her tendencies to get into trouble around the house (like when she miraculously finds a used tissue or dirty sock when we swore there were none left out).  The trainer simply said, "put away her food bowl."

Bye, bye, food bowl.  Hello, yummy treat toys!

When we first adopted Athena, I read all about No Free Lunch Training and other methods that expect dogs to earn their food rather than be given it for "free."  Although I read that many people swear by this type of training program, I just wasn't that into it and so we continued to feed Athena from her food bowl and used fancy treats during her training sessions (now I realize that it was those dang fancy treats that probably made Athena three pounds fatter...).

Eating a snack from the Contempo Halo Bottle treat dispenser

When I heard "put away her food bowl," I was a bit skeptical.  But, the trainer told us that Athena's high energy and tissue hunting drive probably stems from boredom and lack of mental stimulation.  As much as we physically exercise her with walks, games of fetch, and play time in the house, she wasn't being given enough opportunities to exercise her brain during the day.

So, for the past two weeks we have been rationing out Athena's usual two cups of kibble (plus a few yummy treats) throughout the day.  She eats her breakfast, snack, and dinner in food dispensing toys and then receives the rest of her kibble during daily training exercises.  Now she must work for every bit of food that she receives which provides her with the much needed mental stimulation.

All of the wonderful things that we bought from Pet Mountain for only $80!

Seeing as treat dispensing toys are often expensive, we decided to do some online shopping for reasonably priced toys.  We came across Pet Mountain which sells their toys (and other pet supplies) for ridiculously cheap prices (nobody can beat a half priced Kong!) so we bought an entire box full of toys to keep Athena occupied and stimulated.


Here is a list of the food dispensing toys that we purchased (and how much they cost us):

• XL Kong Extreme- $10.79
• L Kong Extreme- $6.97
• L Kong Stuff-a-Ball- $8.99
• Kong Wobbler- $10.40
• Contempo Tessa- $6.00
• Contempo Halo Bottle Treat Dispenser- $4.00
• 5" Atomic Treat Ball- $7.47

Food dispensing toys that we already owned:

• StarMark Bob-A-Lot
• JW Pet Hol-ee Roller X Extreme
• StarMark Everlasting Treat Ball

Food dispensing toys that we wish we owned:

• Premier Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug
• StarMark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball
• Buster Food Cube
• Smarter Toys IQ Treat Ball
• Premier Twist and Treat

Spoiled Athena now has plenty of toy options to choose from when working for her food.  Soon we will review some of our favorite treat dispensing toys to let you know how long they keep Athena occupied and how durable they are for power chewers (so far we are in love with the Contempo Tessa- why have we never seen this toy sold in a store?!).

Contempo Tessa in action

Since putting her food bowl away two weeks ago, we have seen some MAJOR improvements in Athena's behavior.  She spends quite a bit of time each day tackling her food dispensers.  Whether it be a kibble filled Bob-a-Lot that takes thirty minutes to clean out, or a frozen pumpkin/peanut butter/kibble   Kong that lasts up to three hours, Athena is now very well occupied throughout the day and ready for some major snoozing afterwards.  The rest of her kibble is plopped around the house for mini training sessions such as doggy pushups and recall.  Athena also earns quite a bit of her training kibble during walks as she works to perfect her loose leash walking.

Have you ever put your dog's food bowl away and traded it for treat dispensing toys?  What are your favorite treat dispensers on the market?