Dogs today live different lives from their ancestors. Their ancestors were bred to perform specific jobs. Terriers were bred for their quick, tough, and hearty personalities and bodies, to catch rats and rabbits and other small vermin, thus removing them from castles, stables, and farms. The Great Pyrenees dog was perfected by 1407 in the mountains between Spain and France to guard sheep and other livestock from predatory animals in the mountains like wolves and bears. And of course, there are game dogs, bred to collect animals that had been killed and return them, and dogs bred to guard property from would-be intruders. These dogs were hand bred to have the desire to perform duties every single day. Our dogs today still have a lot of this desire, even if they are mixed breeds, or come from a long line of house dogs. Partly due to the thousands of years of hand breeding, and partly due to their genetic ties to wolves, who are wild animals, and live from the instinct to travel and hunt, much as human beings used to do.
For this reason, all dogs need to have this purpose-desire in them addressed and nurtured. Unfortunately, not enough people walk their dogs every day. A dog needs at least two walks a day, and the length of those walks depends on the size and energy level of the dog. In addition to this, some dogs need play and training every day as well. One way to provide a kind of mental stimulation that dogs need, is to feed them or treat them from a treat dispenser. This is a contraption that has small openings for kibble or treats to fall out of when it is moved and rolled. This interests the dog, challenging them to find ways to get the food out of the ball. They have to get it out of corners, from under the couch, away from the cat, etc. It’s a game. Dogs should have a natural interest in it. (If they don’t, they have been under-stimulated for such a long time, that they don’t understand the challenge, and this will be another blog post). It prevents destructive behaviors that are a result of boredom, (such as barking and chewing) and it fosters natural hunting and foraging behaviors, stimulating the natural mind state of a dog.
Some dog parents choose to feed their dog their daily meals out of the treat dispenser. This is a great idea, and if your dog takes to it, I recommend doing it every day as well. You want to give it to them after their walk, and right before you either leave the house, or sit down to work. This way, they are engaged while you are leaving, and they will settle down for their nap after they are done eating.
Below is a picture of my all time favorite treat dispensing toy. It also happens to be my Number One Essential Dog Product. It’s called the Starmark Treat Dispensing Chew Ball Dog Toy. And it just so happens to have been developed by my instructors at Starmark Academy for Professional Dog Trainers. I like it because the holes are small, so the kibble doesn’t fall out too easily, and because it’s round, so it can easily get away from the dog and they have to follow it, but the treats will fall out as it rolls. It’s also made of really durable rubber, so it will last a long time. And you can take it to the dog park and use it as a fetch ball as well!
You can find this ball at most pet stores, and always online.
[…] 1. Treat Dispenser - Get your dog active, investigative, entertained, and off your case for 10 minutes! […]