Compared to us humans, dogs live a rather repetitive life. Sometimes certain behaviors like eating can get a little boring. Even with food as tasty as Kabo, dogs enjoy a change of pace every once in a while. This can be as simple as switching up how you feed your dog. By simply changing up their bowl or dish, you can help stimulate your dog and make meal time more engaging. There are a number of creative and inexpensive ways you can feed Kabo that will make mealtime more enriching and exciting for your pup!
Puzzles and interactive feeders are often recommended by canine behaviorists and trainers to help stimulate and enrich dogs. Some dogs are anxious, energetic or need a job to do. Interactive feeders occupy their mind and keep them busy for a time. They are especially helpful for dogs who tend to get in trouble when you leave them home alone. The puzzle or challenge holds their attention for some time and provides them with mental stimulation as they work to get the food out. They are also a good distraction for dogs with separation anxiety as the interactive feeder acts as a distraction and reward when you leave them alone for a few hours.
Interactive feeders are also great to give your dog if they eat too fast. Dogs that gulp down their food are much more susceptible to indigestion, bloat and gastric flipping. It’s not a crime to enjoy your meal, but eating too fast comes with risks. By putting your dog’s meal in an interactive feeder it helps them to slow down and enjoy their meal. Not to mention, slower eating also helps with digestion!
With us today we have Rio, Kabo’s taste testing intern. He has graciously volunteered to try out some interactive feeders for both fresh food and kibble to give you the inside scoop!
Fresh cooked food is a fan favorite among Kabo customers. It is delicious, nutritious and easy for dogs to eat and digest, however it is a little more difficult to use in an interactive feeder or puzzle toy. If you’re looking for an engaging way to feed fresh food to your dog, ensure it is in an object that is easy to wash and sanitize to avoid bacteria growth. Check out the following options for some fun and interactive ways to feed fresh food that are also easy to keep clean!
Smear some of your dog’s favorite Kabo recipe onto the mat. The mat’s silicon groves will make it more difficult for them to get all of the food off. Pro tip: for an extra element of difficulty or on a hot day, freeze the mat for 1 hour after spreading on the food.
Rio’s take: Rio was a fan of this one as it was relatively easy to lick out the food. Simple in design and easy to clean. It was also nice that the mat suction cupped to the floor so that dogs cannot move it around and get food all over the house.
The Kong is a very popular dog toy and with good reason! It is incredibly versatile, durable and comes in multiple different sizes and colors. Simply fill a Kong with your dog’s Kabo meal and let them work to get out every morsel of food.
Rio’s take: Rio likes that the Kong can be filled with thawed food as well as frozen for more of a challenge. It is a simple design that is also efficient! Not to mention, it also fits nicely on the top rack of the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
The chilly penguin is not only cute but it also provides your dog with a fun and interactive option for meal time. Fill the penguin belly with food and place it in the freezer overnight. Once frozen, give it to your dog and they will have to work to get the food out.
Rio’s take: The chilly penguin posed more of a challenge for poor, dim Rio. As a cocker spaniel, Rio does not like to work too hard for anything. The chilly penguin would be excellent for dogs with high intelligence, food drive and motivation as it requires a bit more brainwork to get the food out.
This one is for the pups who prefer only a slight challenge. The “fingers” and “groves” in the obstacle bowl means that your dog has to sniff around to get all their food.
Rio’s take: Rio was a pro at the obstacle bowl. It provides enough of a challenge to get the food but it is still easily accessible. This product would be perfect to slow down dogs that eat too fast. It is a little difficult to clean by hand but certain variations are dishwasher safe.
Kibble is a little easier to use in puzzle and interactive toys. Our kibble can be mixed with fresh food, peanut butter, yogurt or any other wet food you like and used in any of the interactive feeders listed above. There are also some other kibble and dry food specific options that are a little more challenging for those extra determined pups!
There are various iterations of food balls but the concept is mostly the same for all of them. Fill the ball with kibble and as your dog rolls the ball around, the food will slowly drop out. We personally like the Omega Paw ball simply for its durability and multiple sizes.
Rio’s take: A Rio favorite! It is both a toy and food dispenser, what’s not to like? This was also the feeder that kept Rio busy the longest as it only drops one kibble out at a time. He spent a solid 45 minutes nudging the ball around to get out every last Kabo kibble.
There are many different types of puzzle toys for dogs. Some have certain sliding or moving compartments that dogs have to learn to open and get their kibble out. Others the dog has to move the puzzle around to dispense the food. There are varying levels of difficulty for puzzle toys but they are generally the most difficult interactive feeders for dogs to figure out. Puzzle toys are perfect for food motivated and intelligent dogs.
Rio’s take: Since the puzzle comes in a range of difficulty levels, there is one for every dog! Rio prefers his easy puzzle for quick access to his kibbles. Anything too challenging and he quickly gives up and instead chooses to take another nap.
Kabo is made with all fresh ingredients. We also offer multiple flavours so there is an option for every pup! As a result even the most picky pups enjoy eating Kabo and are excited for meal time even if they are just eating out of a regular bowl. Alternatively, if you want to change up mealtime for your pup, Kabo offers the option to select multiple recipes so your dog can enjoy a variety of flavours. Simply fill their bowl and let them enjoy!
Inspired to switch up meal time for your dog? Try some of the interactive feeding methods listed above and share your experience with us on instagram @kabofoods! We love to see the new and exciting ways that dogs are enjoying Kabo.
