Ask a Dog Trainer – How Do I Choose A Stimulating Toy For My Dog?

iHeartDogs is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you A lot of dog trainers and vets recommend people use activity toys and with good reason. They are great for boredom, mild separation anxiety, slowing down fast eaters, increasing problem solving skills and even tiring your dog out (thinking is hard work!). However, activity toys can be pretty expensive and if you don’t know anything about them, you might spend a ton of money on toys that never work for your dog. So, before rushing out and buying a bunch of toys, here is a quick guide, along with a review of the most three most popular types of activity toys, which will help you decide which ones to buy for your dog. While my dog has used activity toys in the past, all three of these were new to him for this test. My dog gets a cup of food and the kibbles are pretty small, around a quarter of an inch. Slow Feeders Slow feeders were an amazing invention – for the first time there was a feeder designed to make dogs eat slower, which helps prevent bloat. While these feeders can be pricy – up to $60 for some models – they are really irreplaceable. I have seen la...