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Our Pets Smarter Toys IQ Treat Ball - Colors Mary Vary - 4" (2130010792)?
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63 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
Our lab puppy was very destructive in the beginning as well. No matter how tired we tried to make her, dogs are resilient she has never ending energy. So if we weren't able to tire her out, we had to keep her interested in something.
I found some dog treat puzzles on amazon, like this one. It did help but definitely not 100%....
We also installed cameras, where we could talk through them to the dogs, so if I would see her start to get into something I could call her name. it distracted her for the most part, not all the time though...
You just have to keep thinking of ways to keep them engaged in something other than your stuff! Anything you could set up and control remotely in the puppy room would help
My dog really likes this.
Unlike other puzzles toys, he doesn't figure it out once and then it takes him 5 seconds after that to work it out. Even on the easiest settings, my retriever will play with this thing for hours one end trying to get the treats out. He knows how it works, but it still takes some effort for him to get it aligned perfectly to where he can get it out. But I am warning you, it can get very loud when they starts banging it around and rolling it. Also, heavy chewers can make marks and dents in it, but other than the aesthetics of it, it's held up very well for us.
I live in an apartment with a GSD. He gets twice daily walks with my son, as well as working for his kibble, but since we live in a place with Winter, there are times the walks are either cut short or turned into potty excursions only. That's when the puzzle toys come out - I like Outward Hound puzzles and this ball has been a HUGE hit. (If you have a real smartypants, you'll want multiple puzzles that have multiple steps, otherwise they turn into slow feeders rather than puzzles)
My boy is suuuuuper laid back, but for those rare occasions when he gets a little stir crazy, we go to a local park that has enclosed tennis courts. I pick a time when people aren't likely to be there, take our lil Nerf chucker, and let him off-leash while I sit on my walker and toss balls. Those chuckers are awesome - they really let you get some distance on the balls! My previous dog was more naturally energetic, so we had a regular date at the tennis courts, even with his walks.
Here is the link! treat egg ball
That looks nice. I got this one OurPets IQ Treat Ball Dog Ball Dog Toy & Dog Slow Feeder (Interactive Dog Toys, Dog Puzzle Toys, Treat Dispensing Dog Toys - Great Alternative to Slow Feeder Dog Bowls) 2 Size Options-Colors May Vary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_78VZJKQTXKQQK7DJSPF4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 but he got bored of it quickly.
Also, good news! He just ate his first meal after his intermittent fasting days!
OurPets IQ Treat Ball Dog Ball Dog Toy & Dog Slow Feeder (Interactive Dog Toys, Dog Puzzle Toys, Treat Dispensing Dog Toys - Great Alternative to Slow Feeder Dog Bowls) 2 Size Options-Colors May Vary https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_3P0YB9WHSVM81SPC06VB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I bought a puzzle feeder ball with an adjustable hole that allows for food to be dispensed faster or slower. I’d also recommend hydrating his food, stuffing it in a slow feeder, then freezing it. If he’s food motivated enough that could occupy him for up to an hour.
I have a 7y/o lab mix who is insanely food motivated. I bought a little ball that I fill with kibble that slowly dispenses the kibble as she pushes it around and plays with it, and it is her absolute favorite thing ever! Found it on Amazon!
OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_26ALAb3XT8VFQ
Your girl sounds just like my Millie :)
It's this one from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Interactive-Dispensing-ASSORTED/dp/B003ARUKTG
You could probably find similar ones by googling something like "dog food puzzle ball toy" if the link doesn't work for whatever reason.
My Millie absolutely loves it. I've tried other types of puzzle toys, such as the ones with lids and sliders, and she figures them out too quickly. She just breezes through them like they're nothing. They just don't keep her entertained for long. She's too smart for her own good sometimes.
This one takes much longer for her to get the food, even though she has the method down. I usually give it to her for her meals. It has really slowed down her eating and kept her from begging for more food after she finishes. She has also become less bored and mischievous since I've started using it. It's the best toy I've ever gotten her.
It has settings that can make it easier or harder for the food to come out. I started her on the easiest setting and she is now on the hardest.
The only downside is that she has a tendency to roll it under things and lose it. She has three of them and one is almost always missing. I've learned to put her in an area that she can't lose it, which is why you see that little fence at the front of my kitchen. It's only there to keep the ball in the room until she finishes. I do forget more often than I should, though.
On the upside, she is starting to learn to come and get me when it goes under something and she can't reach it. She quietly woofs at me to get my attention and then leads me right to it. She's such a smart girl :)
We also have a poodle mix! We have a puzzle treat ball that keeps her occupied until we take it away. We fill it with tiny beef liver treats, because she loves those and they’re easy for her to smell. This toy gets soooo much of her energy out.
Ours is like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_izkHCbZGFKPWJ
In a similar vein, I like to put kibble in the iq ball. You can adjust the difficulty. You may have to teach your dog at first... My dumb was used to chewing to get treats and was getting frustrated she couldn't fit it the ball in her mouth. Rolled it around a bit and she picked it up. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5CagCb93ME7WC
I have an IQ ball for my dog and she loves it. I fill it up with little treats and she runs around the house after it until its empty. Sometimes its 15 minutes, sometimes its up to an hour. It keeps her busy and entertained which is the goal.
THIS is a treat ball that I use with my doggie. He freaking LOVES it! Sometimes he won't eat his food, so I've learned that when that happens, I fill the ball up with his small-sized dog-food and let him play with it. He will even pick up the ball and bring it to me to fill up. It's so cute!!
That thing kicks out a ton of food! I have this one and my dog loses his mind over it. He has to work pretty hard to get food out of it and he loves it. I'd like to get a soft rubber one like you have though. Which one is this? The plastic one is way too noisy for anything off carpet.
Dog puzzles are awesome. We use a kong (if you call that a puzzle) and an IQ treat ball that we use sometimes. That said you don't necessarily need to spend a fortune on new toys. You can hide treats around the house, throw them in a box for him/her to find, put balls in their food bowl, or stack a couple dish towels with treats between each layer, etc.
My issue with a toy like Pickle Pocket, is that I'd be afraid it'd be a choking hazard looking at the shape. There are other simpler toys like OurPets IQ Treat Ball - with over 5000 reviews, more traditional and cheaper. Just my 2c.
Sounds like a very anxious dog. Definitely would not recommend a shock collar - that's likely to make her anxiety worse. Same with the yelling and slapping.
I think the first thing you need to do is evaluate whether lack of physical and mental exercise is the primary issue, or whether it goes deeper than that. Has she ever been completely tired out (e.g. from doggie daycare, a nice long hike, day at the beach, or jog at the park?)
If so, has her behavior improved dramatically, or is she still extremely reactive? It could be that you could benefit from some anti-anxiety prescription medicine, and perhaps a pheromone collar (like the one from Adaptil).
Does your bf's dog have a regular vet? What have they said about this? A good relationship with your vet can be very helpful, as they can recommend trainers, supplements, and write prescriptions. A veterinary behaviorist consultation would be ideal, but that's a more significant investment.
In parallel, you may want to try walking her at times where no one is around (perhaps early in the morning), or driving somewhere a bit more desolate for her daily exercise.
As for mental stimulation, how is she fed? If she eats kibble, I would recommend feeding all her meals inside food toys like this one:
https://smile.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG?th=1
There are some good options/ideas here, but I just want to reiterate: work up to it. A sudden change from never alone to 8 hours alone is setting her up for failure, so start leaving for an hour or 2 every day right away and work up to more, see how she does free-range, crate if you're the least bit concerned she might get in to something (mine likes to chew on the corners of rugs but hates to be crated because my other dog has emotional baggage and is never crated, so I have to put something heavy on all the corners before I go). When you leave, give her something yummy to keep her busy, especially at first - kong stuffed with goodies is mine's favorite, frozen wet dog food is a hit this time of year.
I just recently started leaving my 11 month old schnauzer home all day while I'm at work all day. Until May he wasn't alone for more than 4 hours, then he started going to daycare 2-3 times a week and had someone let him out during the day the other days. Now he goes to doggy daycare 2x/week and stays home the other 3 without a break. We just started that last week, but so far so good, no accidents and no damage. Hopefully in the next few months, daycare will just be for funsies and not to keep him from getting bored and eating all my rugs... :-P We go on a long walk before work, which sucks because it's already 80 degrees at 7 am, but thank goodness he has short little legs so he gets tired out after about 45 minutes. It's too hot for walks on pavement after work, but do other stuff and they both seem happy.
Another thing I've found helpful are puzzle toys, the puppy really likes this one but the old man is scared of it because it's loud on hard floor.
We have an 11 week old Pembroke Corgi. She's so-so on eating on her own. We ended up getting one of those kibble balls (this guy) and putting about half her food in it three times a day. It seems to make her more interested in eating if she has to work for it, and shes gotten better about eating the rest of the food out of her bowl when offered. Good luck!
I don't know about switching to adult food for large breed dogs but we just bought a puzzle treat dispenser for our 12 wk old corgi that we use to feed him dinner and we love it!
It has different difficulties to control how much work the dog has to do to get kibble out and it keeps our puppy engaged and focused mealtimes for 30 minutes or so.
Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469584755&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+iq+toys
I bought a 4 inch one and it fits a little under a cup of kibble.
Yeah, my pom is afraid of anything that has ever made noises or fallen over (puppy gates, treat balls, those potty doorbells, roll out keyboard drawer, etc) and she reacts the same way when you step on her. If you even start to step on her she shrieks.
My papillon and collie are not scared of most of what she's afraid of, either. In fact, our collie doesn't even move when you're walking over him, but he's much bigger so that might have something to do with it. I keep running into him because I'm expecting him to get out of my way like little dogs do :p
My 8 week old Aussie seems to really love his IQ treat ball
Although fair warning, it can get a little annoying after a while. He was nosing it around for almost an hour trying to get kibble out and it's just a tad noisy.
I just picked one at random as an example so not sure. I use this with my dogs when I don't have time to do training. Its pretty small though only fits about half a cup of kibble
How old is your pup? If the dog has adult teeth, try getting a deer antler. They are a renewable, non-staining, long-lasting chew toy and my Papillon loves them. She also loves her kong stuffed with peanut butter or dog food or cheese and any of the prior combinations but she won't really chew on anything aside from the antler. If she doesn't have one or can't find hers for a couple days, I find that anything in the house becomes at risk for chewing and she's 2+ years old. You could also try this with some food or hard treats inside just to keep the pup busy. Hope that helps! EDIT: If you find that keeping the dog in sight is an issue, leashing the pup and keeping them tethered to you with a carabiner to a belt loop helps a ton!
On days that she's full of energy and you're not feeling up to playing with her, try freezing a kong filled with peanut butter to give to her. Or one of these food ball things (kind of noisy though, so not great if you have a migraine or something.) The frozen peanut butter kong is my go to for when I need some peace and quiet haha
I got several treat toys like this. Also, lots of kongs. Having something that they can play with on their own that occupies their whole attention can be a mind saver. You will go crazy after a few days otherwise.
Get a variety of treats and food in small packets so you can find out what your puppy likes. My boyfriend and I went through 3 types of food until we found one our's likes.
Good luck!
My dog loves this one: IQ Treat Ball. She'll roll it everywhere playing with it until it's absolutely empty, and she will get pissed off and come bark at me if she rolls under the couch and can't get it, haha.
A puppy who is full of energy and would rather play than eat might benefit from a more engaging meal - try a treat ball or a Kong (add her meal, seal it with a bit of peanut butter and freeze it for a fun treat). Treat feeders, along with feeding on a schedule, helped reform my dainty eater.
My dogs have never really been chewers, but I've got a decent collection of interactive toys.
I love Premier's Busy Buddy line of toys. The Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom was really good at tiring my pup out, & we liked the Twist and Treat and Tug a Jug too. The IQ Treat Ball was another one we had success with.
I have a Jack Russell mix and filling this toy with his kibble and treats keeps him occupied for longer than any other one I've bought.
How much exercise do you give him? I feel bad about putting my pup in the crate for long hours, so I always try to take him for a longish walk (30+ minutes) beforehand.
Since your pup's 1 year old, you can try giving him a BIT more freedom while you're gone. I would suggest a small area blocked off with a baby gate. Right before you leave, you can leave an interactive toy to play with so he has some mental stimulation while you're gone.
I just picked up one of these and it holds the attention of my easily bored, overly excited, chewer. I've used the tug-o-jug and the food cube, both of which she figured out how to pick up and throw around until they break open, and then she chews on the sharp plastic bits if I don't get to them quickly enough. So far, she can't pick up the ball so she can't slam it down and destroy it, and it rolls around which entertains her a good bit. She gets every meal served in this and never seems to lose interest.
how old is she?
leashes/collars:
our puppy was cleared to go home at 7.5 weeks and 9 pounds. we went to target and got a boots and barkley size XS collar. it was $4. we only spent $4 because within a month she was in a M collar. she's going to need a large collar in the next few months.
we had a lighter leash from our other dog (cocker spaniel) that we used until we switched collars, then we got a heavier duty 6' nylon leash off of amazon. 6' is a good length for training because you can do come and stay with 6'.
it's really tempting to spend a lot on cute collars and leashes when you get them, but they grow so quickly that it really is kind of a waste of money...
toys:
a puppy kong would be good (believe this is the baby blue one). she'll be learning to mouth. we also got some softer plush toys for her, smaller, because she can't get her mouth around the bigger ones. samus REALLY liked small flat toys and there isn't stuffing for them to rip out of with their razor sharp puppy teeth. the stuffing can make them sick if they ingest it. also, some of the flat ones have a crinkly paper sound and not a squeaker, which can also be better.
https://www.jefferspet.com/products/flat-farm-toys
goldens are REALLY smart so you have to keep them busy. there are a lot of 'puzzle toys' out there but samus always figured them out within 10 minutes. even as a 2-3 month old puppy the ones that say 6 months + were way too easy (she is just turning 4.5 months).
my husband found this toy on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG
it is our LIFE SAVER. it is the ONLY toy that keeps samus interested for HOURS. it has to roll on carpet though, so if you dont have carpet it might not be a good choice. we tried other ball/puzzle toys and she would figure them out. we put a handful of her food or some treats and her food in the ball and she is so busy. the kicker with this toy is that the inner platform has an adjustable hole to make it more difficult for the food to fall out of, and then it falls into the ball and has to fall out of the second (outer) hole. so, out of everything we have ever purchased, this was the best $8 we have spent.
bowls:
we used a small 2 cup pyrex like dish for the first couple of months and now she is in a Kong slow feed bowl from PetSmart.
food:
we do natural balance limited ingredient lamb and brown rice puppy food. puppy food is important because they're growing. our vet told us large breed isn't necessary because large breed is more for your dane sized puppies. whatever you feed her, make sure you are starting with an 80% breeder provided food/20% your food, next day do 70/30, 60/40, etc...slow moving or it will upset their bellies and you'll be sad because they can't hold their liquid poops in since they are puppies. ask the breeder for a weeks worth of food for the transition.
misc:
- clickers to do clicker training.
- soft treats for when you start name recognition
if you have a petco near you, ask them for the puppy coupon book. it'll come with a lot of 50% off coupons for treats that you can use with price matching and manufacturer coupons.
I took these 50% one bag of 12oz tricky trainer treats, looked on their website, got a price match (it's usually a ton cheaper on their website) and then got the 50% off of that price match.
I ended up with 3 bags of treats for about $4
They'll go through a bone just as quick. Coconut's small for the breed and she can disappear a smoked bone in about 20 minutes. This giant rawhide lasted about a week but I only let her chew on it for about 30 minutes twice a day.
The only thing that's ever slowed her down was this giant beef knee I got at the farmer's market ($20!!) that she'd gnaw on but I had to throw it away because it started to stink before she made any real progress on.
She never really had any issues with the smoked bones I got at the farmer's market. But the last one I gave her came from Amazon and after destroying it in under a half hour she started throwing up every other morning for a week or 2 until some partially digest bone chunks came out. And it seems like if I don't regulate her rawhide consumption she gets loose stools.
She doesn't chew on PB stuffed kongs but she does love to lick the PB out of them. In terms of non-chew toys that can occupy them, she loves pushing this ball around and gobbling up all the treats that come out:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKTG
But sometimes she picks up the whole thing in her mouth and tries to open it so I have to take it away for a while.
I found the ones I used on amazon.
OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OE47AbH4PAY32
I think mental is actually more important than physical for ACDs. They're physically active; they can run on leash practically all day. The trick is to keep them busy mentally. Puzzle toys, flirt poles, chews, games of tug, agility, obedience training, trick training, and off leash sniffy walks/runs are key, IME. Fetch is good, but if you do it every day and never switch up their routine it just becomes the bare minimum. It takes a lot of work to come up with new and exciting activities, and new places to walk/run/adventure all the time, but if you're the kind of person that's into having awesome experiences with your dog, they make the best buddies.
| Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| OurPets IQ Treat Ball Dog Ball Dog Toy & Dog Slow… | $13.94 | $13.94 | 4.1/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
We don't actually do a lot of puzzle games, but he gets a lot of training. Our end goal is therapy dog work. He gets two meals each day, one in a slow feeder and one doing the Vito thinking game (I'll leave a link below). If we don't have time for the Vito thinking game, we'll do a roll ball for one meal. We also do 10-30 minutes a day of whatever we learned in class the week before. Right now our intermediate obedience class is working on recall/send-outs, heel through distractions, and holding a "sit". When we play fetch, I'll usually make him sit, down, or stand, etc, before throwing the ball and releasing him. It makes him think while he's amped up. Doing trick training is a great way to bond with your dog, too.
I recommend looking into taking a beginner obedience class, or maybe agility. They're a lot of fun, and you'll get a lot of comments on your beautiful Golden 😊
Vito thinking game - https://youtu.be/rPUyTTkwLuA
Roll ball - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_P0E6P3QA1DJRJZDPC171?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I felt the same way you did when my girl was little. It’s like having a newborn baby. She is still growing and maturing. Right now she is needy and it can be stressful. She is playing rough, being loud and difficult. It’s normal puppy behavior.
Here are some tips:
Like others below said, Gentle Leader. It has done wonders even with my 152lbs Mastiff.
If your dog is treat driven. When walking show the treat and place close to your chest on the side she walking. She will be walking and busy paying attention to the treat so she won’t be pulling you. Do not place treat on the opposite side as she will cut in front of you and trip you. This also worked with my Mastiff.
Leashes. At first keep her on a short leash with the gentle leader. As she gets better with her walking and not tugging, slowly release some of the lead giving her more room. Eventually you want to have like a loose J between doggo and you. Also, I use the leashes with a padded handle: https://www.petsmart.com/dog/collars-harnesses-and-leashes/leashes/kong-weave-padded-handle-comfort-traffic-dog-leash-5296270.html
Mental Stimulation Games. Some dogs require more than just physical exercise to tire themselves out. I play find which hand has the treat games. Also: Your pet will love this Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Smart Puzzle Game Dog Toy: https://app.chewy.com/m3Sv2jNC5ib
Interactive toys. To be honest, I have been popped in the shin many times but it keeps her busy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_ANQ0Q21Y58R8SFB0CB13
Routine. Find a routine that works for you and your lifestyle. It will make it easier for her to adapt and you to stay consistent. What worked for one person isn’t necessarily going to work for you.
I would first like to commend you for doing so much with your pup! You're clearly very invested in her enrichment and I think that's great.
One puzzle feeder I didn't see on your list was the IQ ball. I've tried most of the other ones you have and honestly this is the only one that lasts for more than a few minutes because it has an adjustable slider so only so many kibble can fall out at one time.
The tug-a-jug is kind of difficult and might just be out of the sweet spot of being worth her effort. You could try mixing in some yummier treats, and maybe putting some in the bottle neck so they fall out right away. My pup figured out if he leans the toy upside down against the wall or his bed that the kibbles fall right out lol. Speaking of jugs I have also used cleaned/dried milk jugs or other bottles (with close supervision of course)
I really like Leopold's crate too. It's just a Hollee roller and a bunch of felt strips. I just cut up a cheap dollar store blanket and boom - disemboweling toy.
Another thing I've done is sniffy boxes. Very similar to the cardboard boxes you let your puppy destroy, but the box is filled with old papers, spare linens, etc. that he has to rummage through to find the kibble. It's more about the sniffing than the destroying. The next level of difficulty I do with sniffy boxes is hiding puzzle feeders in there.
Then of course there's the totally free options of using kibble for training (tricks, recall, crate games, etc.). Playing hide and go seek in the house. Scattering around the house or yard for her to sniff out.
Our puppy loves to chase this ball around for his breakfast.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_awdb_imm_t1_xTvRFb0ZG2PNT
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Interactive-Dispensing-ASSORTED/dp/B003ARUKTG
It works well and has an easier and more difficult setting. He loves it and it keeps him stimulated - cause he’ll do anything for food (but not much else) ��
That's so exciting! Congrats! My big dog (7 years old) and my cousin's puppy both love this treat dispenser toy.
Our Pets IQ Treat Ball... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf
I believe there are two different sizes
You could get her interactive toys, such as these
I really like the Wobbler, Kong, or just an IQ ball like this or this. I also like the trixie pet products. I have a German Shepherd and he tries to eat everything, but he hasn’t munched through any of these so I think you’re fine.
For an alternative to bully sticks, I really like pig ears, pig snouts, duck head, duck necks, and freeze dried turkey necks. They usually last my dog a bit longer than bully sticks.
If you want something really long lasting, check out the Himalayan chews. Out of all the chews I’ve tried, it lasts the longest for my dog. He once spent hours on one. If they stop caring about them, microwave it up a bit and watch them go mental.
Game and maze toys are great! They also help to get my pyr to eat since she isn't usually inspired by the food in her bowl. My pup loves these two toys and will nudge them around the house until they are empty. Congrats on the new pyr :)
OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-hrMzb3WWTK2W
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RirMzb483MJ7Z
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKTG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
im a huge fan of this toy, it's got adjustable difficulties and my bc loves it!
This might work if he's not into eating fabric. I stuffed the ball with fabric and pieces of kibble throughout, rather than wrapping the treats up like he did. My dog also likes the IQ ball.
WALL OF TEXT INCOMING.
My GSD pupper is just about 7 months old. A few pieces of advice/warnings:
- BE PREPARED TO GET CHEWED ON! Don't lose your temper, don't hit, don't yell - just get up and walk away. That has been the most effective way of dealing with the insane amount of chewing she has gone through (literally everything else just made her more crazy and she'd just bite harder). She is now much, much better. We taught her soft mouthing, so even when she's riled up and puts her teeth on us it doesn't hurt anymore.
- HOLY CRAP SHE GETS BORED SUPER EASY. Invest in puzzle feeders, and look up trick training! I've found that one of the best ways to get her engaged is to teach her lots of fun tricks and then string them all together in new ways. Also, peanut butter stuffed kongs and this thing have been super distracting for her - give it to your pup when you need a break.
- Crate train! It makes potty training much easier and helps reduce separation anxiety (we would leave her in her crate for a few hours a day in a different room when she was small, now she doesn't freak out when we leave the house). There are plenty of great tutorials on how to make the crate a comfortable, safe place and not a scary doom cage.
- ALWAYS insist that your vet checks for hip dysplasia at EVERY vet exam. Just this week my pupper was diagnosed, and because it was caught young enough she is a great candidate for a TPO surgery. She will most likely recover full hip function after the surgery because her growth plates haven't sealed yet. Keep an eye out for signs and symptoms at home too - do her ankles touch together in the back? Does she sometimes lie down and not want to get back up, even for play time or treats?
- SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE! Take your pup to the park right after your first round of shots! Carry her in your arms if you have to, but do it. Let her see kids/get pets and treats from strangers. Set up play dates with other dogs that are vaccinated BEFORE she hits 12 weeks old! Enroll her in puppy classes ASAP - most places only require you to have one or two rounds of vaccines before you sign up. Look into a doggy daycare, find one that has good behavioral screening, and take her there as well. My pup is the sweetest and most friendly little girl to everyone and everything (except cats... she hates cats...) because we made sure that she was socialized from the get go. Also know that people are inherently more afraid of GSDs, and that is a stigma you will have to face down.
Never be harsh with your GSD. It is super true that you catch more flies with honey, and I believe that is especially true for this breed. We have always found with our pup that she responds much, much better to a soft correction than any sort of yelling or harsh voice.
Have fun! Puppies are delightful but also incredibly taxing!
And here are some pictures of the little devil, Malta.
I've got an 18 lb dog and we usually alternate between a kong with frozen dog safe peanut butter, a ball that she can push around until treats come out ( https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485722531&sr=8-3&keywords=dog+puzzle+toy ), and also this toy with flaps but she figured it out too fast: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006ZTTSOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
My puppy loves this one and the difficulty is adjustable. Easy to clean too!
OurPets Smarter Toys Interactive IQ Treat Ball Dog Toy (Colors may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZQvmybAZCEFXN
How about a treat dispensing toy?
Sounds like you've got a smart dog!
He is successful at cracking the IQ ball and popping the kong wobbler open
You could try to monitor how much he gets out of training or puzzle toys and then make up the rest in his dish. Our pup does not like to eat out of his bowl for some reason, but he'll eat enough food through training or puzzle toys. I just bought an IQ treat ball and a Petsafe Barnacle Toy after he mastered a Kong puzzle in a day. We haven't gotten a chance to use the new ones yet, but I'm hoping they'll help wear our pup out!
I got an IQ ball for my dog, but depending on the size of your dog, mine eventually just slapped it into a wall and it opened...and hes only 12 pounds.
http://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG
I like these two - part of what you pick depends on the type of food you have.
This one works pretty well for small kibble, and you adjust the difficulty by changing the size of the hole in the middle http://www.amazon.com/Ourpets-DT-10504-Smarter-Toys-Inches/dp/B003ARUKTG
This one is adjustable so it can work for large kibble/somewhat irregularly sized foods, although you're supposed to cut the little plastic 'arms' depending on the difficulty you want, and that's irreversible. http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Premier-Buddy-Kibble-Nibble/dp/B001F0RRUA/
No idea how to fix, my coffee table has similar markings though. May I suggest a kong chew toy or perhaps a interactive treat ball?
My dog loves this one from Amazon: Our Pets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy (ASSORTED COLOR) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_S046CbV67QKTE
I just got a lab puppy a month ago and his favorite toy is a ball that dispenses treats (called an IQ Ball). You can adjust levels of difficulty (make the hole that dispenses treats bigger/smaller). The puppy has to push as roll the ball in a certain manner to dispense the kibble. It keeps him distracted/occupied both mentally and physically for a few hours. Here's the one I got: OurPets Smarter Toys Interactive IQ Treat Ball Dog Toy, 4 Inches (Colors may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JKQmxbH09CE8Z
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