Toys to stop my dog getting bored

Toys to stop my dog getting bored Dogs are important members of the family, but sometimes can dev...

Toys to stop my dog getting bored

Dogs are important members of the family, but sometimes can develop bad habits! Begging, surface stealing and chewing are all common problem behaviours that can affect the relationship between you and your canine companion. Interactive puzzles and chew toys can change the focus of your dog, so that they are mentally stimulated by using the toy.  

The behaviours:

Begging

When dogs get into the habit of begging from the table, it can be difficult to stop this, and can make owners feel bad when trying to ignore them to deter this behaviour. Instead, during meal times, interactive toys can focus the dog away from your table, so that you can eat your meal in peace, while they are thoroughly entertained!

Surface Stealing

Finding your dog has gone onto work surfaces in the kitchen, or even jumped onto the dining table is a bit of a shock! Interactive toys mean that your canine companion is mentally stimulated and has a food source. Toys (together with other management techniques) can help stop the unwanted behaviour.

Chewing 

Dogs chew for multiple reasons, but the two most common reasons in adults is due to hunger, and boredom. Interactive toys are useful to both alleviate hunger and keep them entertained during quiet times, which reduces the chance of them chewing.

The Toys:

There are lots of different toys available, below are a selection with a guide of how to use them, but there are many more! 

Treat dispensing toys

The central core of treat toys is empty, so allows something tasty (and healthy!) to be smeared along the inside, for the dog to chew at. You can even mix some dry kibble food into the mixture to make it even more enticing!

Treat balls are a great way to keep your dog entertained and exercised! They are commonly spheres which are safe to chew, and are cavitated with different sized holes, with a large hole in the centre which hard kibble can be placed in. This means that your doggo has to knock the ball around the floor to shake the kibble out. This toy would be the best option for any pets struggling with their weight, especially if they are on a calorie restricted diet. Any food placed into the ball should be deducted from their daily intake.

Snuffle Mats

A snuffle mat can be bought, or you can make one at home yourself.  It consists of a flat base with holes in, with lengths of fabric protruding.  This gives dogs something safe to chew on. You can also spread hard food over the mat, so that dogs can enjoy the challenge of locating the kibble from within the fabric fronds.

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FAQs

But aren’t dog’s carnivores?

Dogs are in fact nutritional omnivores as demonstrated by a robust scientific study published in the reputable journal Nature (1,2) in which it was shown that they have 30 copies of the AMY2B gene responsible for digesting plant-based foods.

They have also evolved relatively long intestines (21) (almost as long as humans) and relatively flat surfaces on their molars (31, 22) which they use for digesting and chewing a whole range of foods.

The common misconception that dogs are carnivores probably arises from the fact that they are classified in the order Carnivora but so are plenty of other species like bears, skunks, racoons who are omnivores and even the giant panda who thrives on a plant-based diet (20).

Is plant protein digestible to dogs?

Absolutely yes, studies which have looked at how much protein dogs can absorb from plant-based and fungi-based foods like soya and yeast demonstrated over 75% digestibility which is on par with meat-based foods (23, 24, 34, 35 & 25).

Both these protein sources also contain all 10 essential amino acids (36, 37) that dogs need to thrive.

Isn't there too much fibre in plant-based food?

The average amount of fibre in a commercial dog food diet is between 2-4%. omni’s plant-powered recipe has a fibre content of 3% which is on par with meat- based diets.

In our survey with over 200 dog owners, 100% reported that their dog’s stool consistency was either ‘normal’ or ‘perfect’ and there were no reports of any digestive upsets (data on file).

Can I mix omni with other meat-based diets?

We are proud that our recipes are nutritionally complete and so include everything your dog needs to thrive. This means omni can be fed as a sole ration. We also fully support a 'flexitarian approach' like meat free lunches or using omni as a mixer.

Every little helps to bring some of the health and environmental benefits of plant-power to meal times. Mixing omni with meat/fish will help to add variety into your dog’s diet whilst adding in healthy ingredients with a relatively low carbon footprint.

Can plant-based food provide the essential fatty acids dogs need?

All the essential fats and oils that dogs need, including omegas 3 and 6 are found in a variety of both meat and plant-based foods (31, 28).

omni’s recipe is rich in plant-based sources of these nutrients so your dog will get all the essentials they need.

I hear a lot about feeding raw meat, isn’t that better?

Feeding raw meat to dogs has become a very popular trend in recent years, but most vets will warn against this practise. This is because the cooking process is vital to help kill off dangerous bacteria like E coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter (9) that have necessitated several food recalls from the market and caused serious illness and even death in both dogs and their owners (40, 41, & 42).

There are also several worms and parasites that are only killed off when raw meat is cooked. Dogs are dogs, not wolves and thanks to their domestication over thousands of years, thankfully don’t need to hunt to get their grub nor do they need to eat raw meat, it's just not worth the risk.

References

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