ProductGPT
Try the custom AI to help you find products that Reddit loves.
This is similar to the Fable Pet Dispenser. My pup has one and loves it for treats. It’s half the price. The large size holds up to 3 cups of dry food.
SO and I keep our pup in an open area and just keep tabs on him, which inevitably results in a lot of us saying "stop chewing on the chair, stop chewing on the plant." So I feel you there.
If we need time where we can't watch him constantly (folding laundry, for example) we'll put him in his enclosed space, usually with something to chew on. Sometimes he barks at us or lays on top of the couch and stares at us like, "uh, guys? You forgot to let me out..." It's definitely not his favorite but sometimes it's necessary. If we really need him to be occupied we give him a bully stick; we might as well not exist when he has one of those.
As for toys, my dog loves his frizbee, his Chuck-it! ball (we can't give him regular tennis balls because he eats the fuzz off, but the Chuck it balls are pretty sturdy), and rope toys, which he can only have if we're around. Currently we have a Flossy rope toy and the Kong Tugga Wubba. He also has a few rubber chewy bones, which have held up to his chewing so far. Amazon seems to have better prices for toys than anywhere else I've found. The Flossy rope toy is huge and it cost me like $3, I think?
Another thing that keeps him occupied is a wobbling food dispenser, which another poster suggested and I also highly recommend. It makes dinner time a little more interesting for him and lets you do your own thing for a bit. We have one of these. You can adjust how difficult it is by adjusting the two openings in the toy.
Do you rotate toys out? If I introduce a new toy I always put one away and don't bring it out again for a few weeks; he goes nuts for ones he hasn't had in awhile.
I gave this to my guy when he was a pup. He is not 2 and we still use it everyday. It was pretty easy for him to figure out, but it still takes him about 20 minutes (with each door halfway closed) to finish his food.
I've been looking into snuffle mats too but ended up buying this for the same purpose of slowing my puppy down!
I think I'll still buy a snuffle mat though because I can use that as part of his crate training. Just thought I'd share in case anyone wanted an alternative. You can change the difficulty on this toy by shrinking the hole where the treats fall out, or you can leave the lid off so there's two holes to make it easier. Works a treat.
The puzzle feeders work well. This one has been my favorite so far. My guy also likes frozen carrot sticks. If I really need him to sit still though, nothing beats bully sticks.
Probably goes for any dog, but given how active & playful labradoodles can be, highly recommend getting enrolled in a good obedience training course ASAP.
Labradoodles are very smart, but they'll need guidance and it takes continued structured practice to instill good habits. They train better when they're physically spent, so it's good to play a bit to "get the wiggles out" before a training session.
We've come a long way with ours, but she still is inclined to put her front paws up on strangers. She's very friendly and just trying to meet people, but it's not good behavior, I think it's the poodle in her.
They also love to engage mentally, so I recommend toys like the one below.
Congratulations and enjoy your new best friend!
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Z0ZH5HDX7AMSKY54B9NQ
Could you try going on walks or exercising before feeding? My dogs are always hungrier after walks than before.
If that doesn’t work, it way be easier to work with the dog rather than against them. This is an interactive dog toy that slowly dispenses food as the dog hits it. It may be easier for you to place your dogs food in the toy and have them interact with it to get to it. Make sure to introduce the toy properly by filling it with a mix of treats and kibble first, so the dog likes playing with it and understands what the game is.
Hey! We also faced this problem when she was a puppy, but she did eventually grow out of it around 12-18 months. We've found exercising her mind is incredibly helpful, including interactive feeders. If we need some quiet time at night without her bringing her ball to us over and over, we like to use the Starmark Bob-A-Lot feeder with some of her regular kibble. We also practice the 'relaxation exercise/protocol' a lot to get her used to entertaining herself which is a struggle for her. Teaching her how to relax without being alert/anxious has been a big help for us.
To be fair, our puppy also didn't really know what the Kong toy was until she was like 6 months old and most of her puppy teeth were out. At sixteen weeks, I'm guessing your pup is teething (?) so the frozen Kong might be too hard for your pup. We had this size Small bobble food dispenser when she was a pup and it was a meal saver. I'm not too sure how pointy or flat faced your dog is and if that makes a difference? But, this worked for us.
Starmark Treat Dispensing Bob-a-Lot Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_EqG1yeURtkMhH
I got this it works great for my pup, she has to wobble the food out and you can make it so only one drops from the top at a time. She loves to “work” for the food and it keeps her occupied while I’m working!
Also “snuffle” mats are on Amazon but they’re super easy to make with just some fabric and felt if you’re able to sew or use those iron on hemming tapes. They are interactive and quiet, plus you can make all sorts of difficulty levels and fold it up when you’re done!
Your pup is absolutely adorable!
Pupford training treats were HUGE for us. He was not motivated by food at all until those things came around. They’re a bit pricey but the ingredients list is short and sweet, which I like.
Lick mats have been a God send she it comes to positive associations with grooming.
We also used puzzle feeders from a pretty young age. Not only is it great for his brain, but it keeps him from swallowing his meal whole. This one has been our favorite
We've been using this one for the past few months and it's been great. It takes my dog about 7-10 minutes to get all the food out. Plus it's super entertaining to watch her play with it.
Lmao these dogs are too funny. I have holes around my yard from my smallest but she doesn't try and escape. Most of the holes are at the base of trees or random spots in the middle of the yard.
What do you do when you have to leave the house if you cant separate them/leave them alone? This might sound crazy but I set web cams up for the first year of having my newest puppy. It was quite inconvenient but it fixed the issue. When I saw her doing something she shouldn't I sent someone over to stop her or had to leave work myself. Also getting a toys like this one can keep them entertained for awhile - http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1455902202&sr=1-3&keywords=interactive+dog+toys
We have 3 now, 2 we had as puppies, 1 we foster failed on. I'm sure you have read all about their high energy, it's all true. I had one previously, she was high energy until about 7 or 8 and then medium energy until she passed at 12.
In any case, from my experience they are a very smart breed. So in addition to exercise, mental tasks or training they will thrive in. Training come, stay and wait started early and one of our girls was a stubborn learner. They took to playing fetch and dropping at our feet with almost no training. Mine are awesome ball dogs. Start introducing to water early. Swimming is great for them, I'm sure like your lab.
Mental games. Keep their minds busy when they are young. We had this for about 3months on, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9B6.FbF1N5H8R It's a great mental diversion when you need a break. Also, when our girls were young we did a lot of evening frozen kongs with a tablespoon of greek yogurt and pumpkin or peanut butter or even blueberries and bananas. It was a routine they'd get in the evening to settle down.
Socialization, we took our girls to a doggie daycare once a week when they were young. We wanted them to be super socialized with dogs, which they are to this day. Also it was a break for us, as we wfh pre-pandemic and they were always around only us. At about 3 they really didn't need it anymore, sometimes we take them to one near us now that has a pool so they can swim in the winter months.
At about 9months we taught them a "find it" game. We used one atuffed toy (only to be used with the game) and one person would hide the toy whole the other made the dogs sit and wait. When it's hidden we use the word find it and they race through the house looking. At first we started in obvious places but now we get pretty creative. They love this game. It's a great mental stimulation game that all 3 of our dogs play nearly nightly.
I guess the morale of the story is any activity you want to teach them they will learn and be amazing at. One of my girls figured this out in 15 mins the first time, https://www.chewy.com/nina-ottosson-by-outward-hound-hide-n/dp/175427?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Nina%20Ottosson%20by%20Outward%20Hound&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0fr_BRDaARIsAABw4EvRU_5Tj...
One note, they are super athletic more than a lab. Be careful of high leaping, I've had friends with this breed that had their dogs get knee injuries, the equivalent to an acl tear. And they are barrel cheated so be careful about fast eating and exercise right before or after with creating bloat.
Enjoy what is going to be the crazy and best times! Our 3 are all cuddle monsters when they aren't crazy.
I struggled constantly for the first 3 weeks and now it's just occasional. It's a process - you both need to get to know each other and you will, it just takes a little time. So take it one day at a time and even though it doesn't feel like it now - soon enough it will be one month and you will be doing better.
Some of the things that we learnt along the way - Enforced naps in the crate, bully sticks, feeding meals in puzzle toys/kongs and being able to take her out helped a lot. We also took out all our pillows, curtains from the living room because we were tired of keeping her away from it.
Here's the toy we got to prolong her meals and tire her out - https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=asc_df_B003YHB8EI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198076665015&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7113458409114245374&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032166&hvtargid=pla-355307834068&psc=1
But what really helped me personally is the little things - Just realizing that she's a baby and that she has accepted us and our home as her own - made a lot of difference :)
You will get there!
Mental enrichment will tire him out more than indoor exercise! I recommend ditching the bowl, and using all his food either for training or enrichment. Food enrichment ideas include
If he likes shredding and chewing (and doesn't eat non-edible stuff) you can give him things to destroy like boxes, packaging, paper towel rolls, egg cartons, etc...
You can work on training indoors. It could be basic life skills such as loose leash walking. Or you could do fun tricks. Do More With Your Dog is a great resource for tricks and you can even earn trick titles through them. You can work on cooperative care and husbandry. Things like nail trims, eye drops, injections, ear drops, general handling, teeth brushing, etc.
You could also do indoor dog sports like nosework or agility (you can buy at home agility equipment and I've even seen some creative & cheap DIYs).
You could play engagement building games. I like the courses from Absolute Dogs
If he struggles to settle, also look into relaxation protocol
Also as other people have mentioned, it's not the end of the world if it's raining a bit. If he has a thick coat, try your best to dry him as much as possible
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_Hz8CFbYJ2CPY3
This is the one I have for my dog and I just use small training treats and she loves it!
It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users. I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!
Here is link number 1 - Previous text "it"
^Please ^PM ^\/u\/eganwall ^with ^issues ^or ^feedback! ^| ^Code ^| ^Delete
So sorry for the late reply but here it is
This Bob-A-Lot-Toy self feeding toy - Any suggestions?
Get a slow feeding toy to help them pace their food intake and help with mental activity. Here are some options:
Starmark SMBALS Bob-A-Lot... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B003YHB8EI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Cian (2 Pack) Treat Dispenser Toy... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08HGDQ2SV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
We got our puppy about 3 weeks ago and a friend recommended us to get couple of blankets and ask breeder to rub it on your puppy’s mom or siblings. Those blankets (with familiar smell) and snuggle puppy helped our puppy overcome separation anxiety. Good luck :)
Have you tried the Bob-a-lot? I find it's better than the ball. You can control how big the opening is which is nice. Our mini golden doodle loves it!
Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
---|---|---|---|
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy | - | - | 4.4/5.0 |
FITHOOD Dog Feeder Slow Eating Slow Feeder,Dog… | $26.98 | $26.98 | 3.5/5.0 |
Meieke Flirt Pole Toy for Dogs, Pet Teaser Wand O… | $25.98 | $25.98 | 4.5/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
Item | Current | Lowest | Reviews |
---|---|---|---|
StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy | - | - | 4.4/5.0 |
FITHOOD Dog Feeder Slow Eating Slow Feeder,Dog… | $26.98 | $26.98 | 3.5/5.0 |
Meieke Flirt Pole Toy for Dogs, Pet Teaser Wand O… | $25.98 | $25.98 | 4.5/5.0 |
^Item Info | Bot Info | Trigger
The first few days, act normal. Behave as if you had never even gotten a dog. Give the dog time to relax and explore the new area, and let them choose if they want to interact with you or not.
Look into adolescence and learn everything you can about it. So many people here get blindsided by it and are lost and confused. Your dog is probably just coming out of it, but it is still worth it to be aware.
Crate training is fundamental for having a dog that is comfortable being alone for periods of time. Even if you plan not to use the crate, crate train anyways and phase it out so that your dog still gains the skills it can offer. Make sure that you find sources and methods that introduce the crate gradually and encourage positive interactions with the crate. I believe this sub has some good sources.
I personally think that r/reactivedogs is a great resource, even if your dog isn’t reactive. It teaches you to respect other owners as well as how to handle your dog around a reactive one.
For more info on the breed I would check out the AKC webpage for them.
Use positive reinforcement rather than punishment. Praise the good and ignore the bad. This has worked wonders with my dog. I use the Dogo app for walkthroughs on how to train my dog.
Stay away from rawhide chews and look up the list of foods that are toxic to dogs in order to watch out for them. I give my dogs antlers and water Buffalo horns to chew on, as well as use puzzle toys for mental stimulation. This is one of my favorites, as well as this. Flirt poles are great too and there as also guides on how to make one yourself.
Since your dog is a breed that was bred to swim, look into dock diving as an activity for them.
It’s a Bob-A-Lot. Here you go: Bob-A-Lot
We have had great success with this one: StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YHB8EI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_BrM2Fb7JE3ERP
Hi. I'm late, and my stuff is similar to yours but I'll show you anyway.
Our piglet LOVES this thing, we put cheerio halves inside: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00
I made this rooting box last wknd during the snow storm and he now uses it once a day. I went the cheap route w the pans until I knew he'd actually use it. That's regular hay sprayed down with water and we add raw cut up veggies. http://imgur.com/YM4DK4r
Also, this bed is the best. He roots in it 24/7 and tires himself out. I also have a hot water bottle in there that is kind of heavy, he likes digging under it and rooting into it too. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GQV68U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00
Good luck!
This one is great to start out with.
You can make it more advanced. It's a "treat" dispenser, but I use it to deliver his meal (which is just no grain puppy kibble). He seems pleasantly satisfied.
I use this one too, but it's loud. So if you have hardwood floors, you will start to hate it.