Pawshake
- updated: 17/01/2019 You might feed your dog in the morning or evening, which is probably the absolute highlight of their day (next to walkies)... But in no more than a few seconds, it’s all gone! It’s a shame they can't enjoy it for longer. Your dog is, by nature, an “opportunistic scavenger” - in other words, a gatherer that eats what they find and will hunt if the opportunity presents itself. This means that your dog derives great satisfaction from working for their food. So why not try feeding your dog (or your pet sitting guest dog) in a different, more creative way!
Exercise, tracking, mental stimulation and sniffing: these are all really great for your dog! Simply dropping their biccies or meat into a bowl is not only far from natural: it’s also a little boring. So go ahead and make your dog’s meals more challenging and rewarding. Let the hunt begin!
The tracking game
Your dog’s nose was made for tracking, so why not create a little game of it? Scatter some dog biscuits throughout the entire house and let them “hunt” for their meal. This is even more fun to do outside in the garden or during a walk - especially if your dog is on a raw diet. Hiding bits of raw meat in your living room is perhaps not the greatest idea :-)
“Slow feeder” food bowl
Fortunately, you can now purchase feeding bowls with a variety of shapes and maze-like ridges in them to prevent your dog from gobbling everything up at once. Consider the anatomy of your dog when determining which bowl to buy - some are larger and suit bigger breeds, whereas some are smaller and suit little pooches.
Food ball
A food ball makes for a fun game, during which your dog will have to work hard physically and mentally for their “prey”! Hide their biscuits into a food ball or Kong and leave it with your dog at feeding time - they will then have to figure out how to reach them or knock them out of the toy. It's a great way to keep your dog very busy for a while!
DIY: make your own snuffle mat
It’s great fun to hide dog biscuits in a fluffy fleece mat. You can easily make one yourself and it’s a safe and rewarding gift for your dog! Watch the video instructions here and watch them solve the puzzle!
Do you have other creative ideas for feeding your dog? Do share them on our Facebook page or on Instagram!
