Pet toys are normally the kind that your furkid mindlessly chews on, destroys it and moves on to the next one. They have fun, but there is no reward for having fun. There is a category of pet toys called “puzzles” or “IQ trainer” that reward your furkid for using their brains. It’s also a good test of your furkid’s intelligence.
There are plenty of puzzle toys for pets on the market… IF you live in a western country. In Malaysia, however, you are limited to a few types of puzzle toys, unless you don’t mind dropping the extra ringgit to have the puzzle toys imported from overseas. Those that are available in Malaysia come in 3 types, which are the treasure box, treat dispenser and snuffle mats.
Treasure Box
Treasure box puzzle toys work by placing treats inside of compartments that are covered with flip covers, covers that slide, covers that need to be removed, or covers that need to be swung out of the way. Some more advanced versions have lever and buttons that need to be pulled and pressed respectively, to reveal the comportments. If that wasn’t difficult enough, some require it to be done in the right sequence, however these are not readily available in Malaysia.
Here are some we found. You may use these as a guide for your shopping.
Treat Dispenser
Treat dispenser puzzle toys work by placing treats inside a toy which your furkid needs to chew, knock and hit to get the treats out. These toys come in a passive version, which is just like a regular toy, and an active version, which contains tech to provide extra engagement. The treats are more easily accessed compared to the treasure box kind, therefore it will keep your pet engaged for a longer period.
Here are some we found. You may use these as a guide for your shopping.
Snuffle Mat
Snuffle mats test your furkid’s sense of smell more than their intelligence, but it still teaches them to identify the direction and location of the smell. Snuffle mats work by placing treats in their folded, tangled and maze-like structures made from fabric material. It resembles the saying “like finding a needle in a haystack”. Your furkid needs to be able to pinpoint the location of the treat in all the mess. Snuffle mats come in various sizes, designs and complexity, so choose one that suits your dog breed the best.
Here are some we found. You may use these as a guide for your shopping.
The OMG's DIY Puzzles
For those of you who are crafty and love DIY projects or want to make the toys with your hands for your furkid, The OMG has some video tutorials on how to make all the 3 types of puzzle toys using items you can find in your house.
Before we end, we did come across a comment from a pawrent saying her dogs just ignore the toys, therefore we would like to say, we cannot guarantee that your furkid will show interest in the toy or even attempt to get the hidden treats. If you don’t want to take the risk, then your best option will be to make a puzzle toy by following our easy DIY steps.
Disclaimer: We will try our best to link online stores with a high number of good reviews. However, we DO NOT guarantee that you may get the same experience as other customers who left good reviews. As always, shop at your own risk.