Dog toys are an important way to keep your dog’s mind trained, to reduce stress and boredom, to help control aggressive behavior, could prevent separation anxiety, and other behavior problems.
Today I will talk about couple of my favorites. I actually have a favorite line of these toys. Nina Ottosson. Don’t misunderstand me I like the typical Kong food/treat dispensers, they are perfect specially for extrem chewers, but let’s be honest at some point our dogs need that little bit of extra, we need to keep them a bit more occupied, and stimulate their mind. So with this said, here we go:
The Nina Ottosson Toys
Who is Nina Ottosson?
In case you don’t know who is Nina Ottosson, she is very popular and loved Swedish dog trainer, who teamed up with The Company Of Animals(*) to design and create a best selling innovative and interactive toy line, to stimulate your dog’s brain.
(*)Who is The Company of Animals?
The Company of Animals is a widely known brand for producing high-quality pet products. In fact, you may have some The Company of Animals products at home and not even know it. The products manufactured by the brand are often used in dog shows, which delineates how high-grade their products are.
The line she designed is actually very different in every aspect of the dog toys, the dog owners usually go for. The typical dog owner (like me before I met with these fabulous inventions) is going for the soft, cute toys and chew toys. Well … big mistake for those who have high energy level dog, since these toys the only thing are doing is promoting physical activity.
Let’s have a look and check out couple toys of this great line:
- Dog Tornado
This toy provides a lots of physical and mental stimulation as well as pure fun.
It has 12 compartments for dry food or treats, and also different levels which can be somewhat challenging, but the same time keeps your dog occupied and reduces bad behavior. Great for picky eaters, not great for extrem chewers. To see how it works I will leave here a link to a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J83Mi2uAS64
The price of the Dog Tornado is charting from $18,21 to approx $40, depending where do you planning to buy it. I was digging a little bit and the cheapest places to buy it is on Chewy.Com and Amazon.
- Hide N’ Slide
This toy is just what it sounds like. You simply hide dog treats or kibbles inside the different compartments, and let your dog figure out how to release them by sliding the cups and rotating the flaps.
The game has a real wood look to it, but it’s actually made from a stronger material that’s more durable and easy to clean with just warm soapy water.
Unlike wood, it won’t splinter or break while your dog is playing, but be sure to not let him chew on it.
On top of that, there are no removable parts that can be pulled out, which helps to keep the toy intact and safe for playing.
Level 2 toys, such as this one, requires dogs to solve more complex tasks. This is great if your pup is ready for new challenges and need more mental stimulation. However, keep in mind that some dogs may solve this puzzle too quickly
By the way, if you have a short-nosed dog, such as pug or boxer, the Hide N’ Slide is perfect because it has elevated play parts that help these dogs slide around the pieces and get to the treats easily.
Aaaand here we go with the link where to purchase it on Amazon.
- Dog Twister
MADE FOR MASTER PAWS: The Dog Twister by Nina Ottosson is great for dogs that are looking for more challenging treat dispensing dog games and toys. The Dog Twister is more challenging than Level 1 and Level 2 Nina Ottosson games, but can be enjoyed by paws everywhere!
PULL OUT AND SLIDE: Unique to the Nina Ottosson Dog Twister dog game is the white locking handles. If your dog is good at solving puzzles, introduce them to a new challenge by simply pushing in the white handles to lock all bricks on top.
LEVEL 3 CHALLENGE: Nina Ottosson Dog Games and puzzles are great for dogs of all ages, breeds and sizes. This level 3 dog game is especially recommended for more challenging play, but can be used with dogs of all play levels.
HOW TO PLAY: Pull handles out to unlocked position to slide paw panels. Place treats or kibble in compartments. Line up sliding paw panels and lock them in place by pushing handles in. Let the games begin! Place game on floor and encourage your pet to seek treats. Dogs are smarter than you think. Sometimes we just need to teach them! Leave handles in the unlocked position and offset paw panels so your dog can smell and access treats easier.
EASY TO CLEAN: To wash your dog’s Dog Twister, simply remove all treats/kibble and hand wash with warm soapy water, rinse clean and dry. Fill again for more fun! The price of this toy is charting between $15 and $30, depending which website will you buy it from. The best price I was able to find for this toy it was on Chewy and again – Amazon.
There are much more from where these toys came from, and for now you can find them pretty much everywhere: Chewy.Com, Amazon, Walmart, Overstock…. etc. I leave you guys here the link to Nina Ottosson’s official website as well.
For those who would love to see something cute, soft, and fluffy… Well… I’ve got your back as well:
Was looking for something really interesting for you guys too. And I have found :
- The Outward Hound Hide a Squirrel
This is the perfect toy for all those hunting, chasing doggies out there. In fact, hide and seek is a great game for dogs, since it keeps them from boredom, and sharpens their senses.
With Hide-A-Squirrel, you simply hide the squeaky squirrels inside the soft tree trunk, and let your dog do the rest. Check it out here how it works.
If you like, you can also use these removable furry creatures to play a game of fetch, or buy more of them for more challenge. It is available in 3 different sizes.
But keep in mind that plush toys aren’t made for aggressive dogs or chewers, as they’re very thin and easy to tear open. Clicking here you can find the places where it’s sold and the best prices.
I hope this article will help to keep your FurBabies occupied, and sharpen their mind fellow MommyPuppyns!
