Picking the Best Interactive Dog Toys for Your Mutt

Out with the old, in with the new. Say goodbye to the average boring canine plaything you’ve seen over and over and over again… Nowadays, interactive dog toys are what your mutts and pups are raving about! Let’s discover what all the hype is about and how you can best choose some for your pet’s enrichment.

What Are Interactive Dog Toys?

OK, so we’ve set the table for interactive dog toys, but what does this even mean? A toy is a way to entertain your animal, but the interactivity adds an extra level to the mix. It keeps your mutts engaged even if you aren’t around and let them stay busy when you are too. Not only are interactive dog toys mental exercises and challenges, but they bring out canine natural foraging habits while helping you keep them healthy. Here’s how.

Benefits of Interactive Dog Toys 

Big or small, fluffy or scruffy, your mutt surely loves to play! Dog interactive toys have multiple benefits besides playtime:

• Enhancing physical and mental stimulation – Excite your pet by stimulating senses and brain activity. The more focus gained, the better the attention span outside of playful moments, and the lower the risks of elderly dementia.
• Focusing excess energy to deter from destructive behavior – Your new pup or usual companion has a lot of energy to burn? These interactive toys are great for tiring out animals and providing a solution to a common problem. Indeed, if your animal is too rowdy, chances are he or she will engage in destructive behavior, but our tools assist you in keeping them focused on other things.
• Reducing boredom and anxiety – Whether your mutt needs to stay home alone or suffers from chronic anxiety, interactive toys reduce stress and provide well-deserved entertainment.
• Respecting your dog’s instincts – Hunting for their next meal has always been normal for dogs. Maintain canine instincts by making your baby work for food, a natural habit in his or her DNA!
• Proposing an alternative to bad weather – Is the weather too harsh to play outside? Doesn’t mean mutts need to be lazy! Keep them active rain or shine with these healthy and fun recreation solutions.

How to Choose an Interactive Dog Toy?

All pooches are unique and love assorted things, so chances are you will want to try various Messy Mutts’ interactive toys for dogs. Here are some tips and tricks to pick the perfect fit.

First, take into consideration these factors:

• Younger dogs won’t be looking for the same kind of interaction or skill level as older pooches.
• Different breeds have different needs. Get to know the particularities of your dog’s lineage.
• Analyze your mutt’s favorite playtime rituals. What’s the agility level you are working with and see if patience is of the essence before choosing the best interactive toy.
• What kind of behavior and personality does your dog portray? Finding certain toys cool and original doesn’t mean that your pet will love them.

Then, ask yourself why you are buying the toy. Is it a way to make playtime for your dog even more fun or is it to provide treats and kibble? Are you trying to slow down a fast eater during mealtime or stimulate a lazy hound on a rainy day? Does your dog have a lot of energy you need to channel or are naps more common around the house?

Experts recommend having at least 5 toys per dog at your disposal, to alternate and change out often. When you give him or her a different model, your mutt will feel like it’s new and gets all excited again. You can therefore alternate types of toys and level up slowly as your darling’s familiarity with the interactive toy increases. Various difficulty levels are available!

Let’s examine 4 types of dog interactive feeding playthings. Keep in mind that some also cover two or more categories of interactive treat toys and most take in all the benefits we previously discussed.

Vessel Toys

Mainly known for extraction and tough play, vessel toys can be stuffed with treats to keep dogs occupied for as long as their skill level delivers. 

• Totally Pooched Squeak n’ Stuff Dog Toy, Foam Rubber
• Totally Pooched by Messy Mutts Puzzle’n Play Dog Toy 

Ball Dispensers

Totally Pooched by Messy Mutts has you covered for a cool hide-and-seek session or indoor and outdoor bounce, fetch, retrieve and release periods. Ball dispensers are playful and even float!

Photo Courtesy: @finlay_the_dalmation

• Huff’n Puff Two Balls and Stick Set 
• Totally Pooched Catch n’ Squeak Dog Ball

Photo Courtesy:  @lucy_thegoldennn

Treat Dispensers – Interactive Feeding Games

Treats don’t need to be hidden in a ball or a chew toy to be appreciated! Slow feeders, treat dispensers and licking mats make dogs work for their reward while taking a healthy amount of time to finish their meal portion or snack.

• Silicone Therapeutic Dog Lick Mat

Sensory Toys 

Squeaky pleasures and sounds pair with funny movements and levels of difficulty to provide mutts with loads of fun and smart stimulation. Sensory toys add a layer of benefits to regular energizing playthings.

Photo Courtesy: @mynorthernpack

• Totally Pooched Chew n’ Stuff Dog toy, Foam Rubber

Small dogs, heavy chewers, puzzle lovers and mind game aficionados, large dogs, excited puppies… No matter the type of mutt you have at home, make sure you pick the best interactive dog toy thanks to these efficient tips and tricks. You’ll keep your pup occupied, healthy and energized all at once!

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