You’re working from home and have an important conference call in a few minutes. What can you do to keep your dog from barking when the mailman comes in the middle of the video conference or your cat from walking across your laptop during the live webinar? Treat toys to the rescue!
About an hour before the event, take your dog for a walk, play with him, or do some training-incorporating games such as puppy pushups or hide and seek to have some fun, clear your mind, and get your pup’s energy out.
Then when you come back inside, it’s quiet time. If you have a crate in your office, put your dog in there or have him lie down on a dog bed.
To keep his mind-and mouth-occupied, here are some treat toys I recommend.
Kong
My go to is the Kong. They have pink and blue ones for puppies, red for most dogs, and black for extreme chewers.
You can put some kibble or treats inside along with a little wet dog food if you like. Then close the hole with a little peanut butter, Cheese Wiz, or plain yogurt.
To make it even more challenging, freeze it. It’s a “pupsicle” and my dogs love it, especially in summer. You could have 2 filled Kongs and rotate them so one will always be ready to go.
Kong Genius
Kong has several types of treat toys other than the traditional red or black conical shaped one. Another type is the Kong Genius. They come in various shapes and sizes and one type looks a little like a pot bellied stove. You can put any shaped treat in the “X” and use the toy on its own or connect several together to make it more challenging to get the treats.
Omega Paw Trick Treat Ball
Another toy to keep your dog active but quiet is the Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball. It has “craters” on the surface like the moon and a hole large enough to put in kibble or round treats.
I wouldn’t advise putting anything too large in there because it gets stuck on the inside lip of the toy. The dog pushes the toy around with his nose and gets rewarded when the treats fall out.
It’s plastic so if the dog hits it against a wall or furniture, it won’t make a noise or destroy anything.
The small Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball is a good size for cats. Cats can enjoy other types of treat balls as well. It will keep them busy as well.
Nylabone
Something that’s not a “treat toy” but keeps chewers busy is a Nylabone. They come in different flavors and size and look like a bone. Dogs can chew them and eat the “splinters” that come off. When the Nylabone is reduced to about 2 inches, throw it away so the dog doesn’t choke on it.
You can find any of these toys online or in big box pet stores. Try giving your dog one or more of these toys to occupy his time and create a little quiet time for yourself.
***If you’d like your dog to get some exercise while you work, we can take him on a walk. Just go to the dog walking service page on our website and then contact us at (540) 353-2485 or info@thewell-traineddog.com. We’d love to hear from you!