It has to be said that my dog Coco would be the first one to admit to her own capacity for genius and ingenuity in the canine intelligence stakes – No – she’s never been one for false modesty and I am not at all biased..!
However, when we were approached by the people at Perfect Fit +, even she welcomed the idea of a new challenge in the form of a puzzle feeder as part of their 5 Step Perfect Fit Programme.
A puzzle feeder is to put it simply, a food dispensing toy. The main aim of which is for your pet to work out the necessary movement needed to reach the delicious treat enclosed within. It’s a wonderful aid to mental stimulation for both dog and – if I’m really honest – the owner…
Of course, you can go out and buy a perfectly adequate puzzle feeder from your local pet store, but the challenge for me was to build one out of everyday household supplies.
I started with three empty plastic water bottles of a similar size.
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Coco giving me a look that says that she would have had this finished hours ago… |
I then found a bag of bamboo garden supports in the potting shed, and chose the thinnest one…
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I knew that these would come in handy one day! |
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Hurry up Mummy! |
It was then time to measure a place to pierce 2 identical holes on either side of each bottle in order to allow the bamboo cane to pass through…
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Measuring up… |
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All set to drill a hole, although a sharp pen could also be used. |
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Lining up the holes. |
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…Now push the bamboo through the holes. |
The holes were made slightly higher than centre and at the thinnest end, in order to maximise ‘swing potential’ when filled with treats…
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All three bottles threaded through. |
I then needed to create a holding structure to attach the canes so that Coco could confidently attempt to reach her ‘prize’ without everything collapsing on her!
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Patiently waiting for Mummy to secure the bamboo cane at either end. |
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Something to secure the cane to the stools. |
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Tying the canes to the stools. |
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All Set… |
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Just the treats needed now! |
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“Waiting until we’re allowed to start…” |
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“Ready…Stead…GO!” |
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“We’ll try this end one first…” |
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“No – I think that this middle one is the weakest link!” |
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“There you go – I knew I’d get there in the end!” |
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“Rather delicious, and definitely worth the wait!” |
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“Kibble? What kibble?” |
Well, the whole exercise was a wonderful success. Coco found the ‘challenge’ highly entertaining and was happy to keep challenging herself over and over – and over – again…
I was left confident in the fact that I had done something special and creative for my dog, and Coco in turn was encouraged to ‘think’ and stay mentally challenged, whilst indulging in a little light exercise and boredom busting activity.
It was a win win situation all round, and as I have since read that Puzzle Feeders can actually aid in weight control, as well as encouraging your pet to eat slowly, I am wondering whether the same concept may work with me and my predilection for frosted donuts – although finding a bottle with a mouth wide enough to fit a donut through may be challenge enough in itself!
Until Next Time!
Thank you to Perfect Fit + for sponsoring this blog post and inviting Coco to be part of their 5 Step Perfect Fit Programme.