Dog Enrichment toys are designed for different sizes of dogs and levels of experience. If a toy is too difficult to retrieve the treat or food from, the dog will lose interest. Equally if it is too easy, the food will be retrieved very quickly and the objective of the toy is lost. We use quality toy brands in our Pet-hampers such as Kong and K9 Connectables based in Ireland. You can fill the toys with your dog’s favourite treats or food and they will spend their time trying to get at these treats.
As your dog gains experience, you can make the task more difficult ensuring they exercise their mind and body. The skill level can be built up gradually and the toy can be chosen based on the Size of the dog. An example of this can be the Kong classic. It comes in several different sizes e.g Pup, small, Medium, Large, and X Large. Using this chart you can decide the right category your dog would need. This is the reason we ask you the size of your dogs breed. so we can place the correctly sized enrichment toy in your hamper. E.g A golden retriever weighing 70lbs would need an extra-large size Kong.
In the past I have bought toys based on my dog’s size at the time of purchase only to find he quickly grew out of that size. When buying for a pup of a large breed dog buy a size up from what you think he is. This way they will grow into the toy. This will eliminate the need to purchase additional toys if you find that some toys are no longer suitable, give them a good clean and donate them to your local rescue centre.
As with all toys they progress and improve as time goes on and we hope to source and provide the latest new toy innovations to our customers one of the new toys on the market is the K9 Connectables. This Irish company provides toys with different skill levels built into the toy which you increase as the dog becomes familiar with it.
This chart will give you an idea of what your dogs category is, if you are unsure pop into your local vet and they will be happy to help you. You can also send an email to us through our “Contact us” page.
It is also important to know the correct size and weight of your dog for the feeding guidelines as recommended on the pack. Most pet stores and vets have a courtesy weighing scales, so when passing, pop in and weigh your doggy. This is only a guide and as time goes on you will know by the look and feel of the dog if they are carrying a little extra weight. If you give your dog treats during the day for training, ensure you reduce the recommended quantity of their food to reflect this.
