My dog Harry eating from his food puzzle.
Dr. Ernie Ward
Most pet parents and vets never give much thought to one of the most important aspects of pet nutrition: how we feed our pets. Want to know the best way to feed your dog or cat? A food puzzle.
A food puzzle is a simple device that makes dinnertime educational and entertaining for your pet. I was first introduced to food puzzles around 2004-2005. At that time only a couple of manufacturers were producing them and they were considered a bit of a novelty. What I didn’t like about food puzzles back then was the price; the first models were pricey. I remember ordering my first food puzzle for our Peke worrying that he’d reject this $70 food bowl.
I shouldn’t have worried. My aging Pekingese took to the food puzzle like a Kardashian to paparazzi. Soon every meal became a game. It reinvigorated my teenaged pet and I attribute some of his longevity to introducing feeding by puzzle.
There are many types of food puzzles available. For dogs, most consist of slides, pulls, spins, levers, and doors that must be opened, pulled, or pushed
Itty Bitty Kitty exercising her brain.
to reveal food. Feline food puzzles are often much simpler with tubes or recessed compartments with a drawer or two in the genius categories. (I’m not going to comment on what this says about a cat’s intelligence but I do know what it says about dogs.) Food puzzles are available in dishwasher-safe plastic or wood and most are under $40. Mine will last a couple of years before I trade them for a newer model. The newest fad is to have interchangeable elements that become more challenging as your pet masters a particular skill.
There are many reasons food puzzles are good for pets. The first is it slows down eating. For giant or deep-chested dogs prone to bloating, I think eating slowly is very important. I also like the fact that if a dog or cat doesn’t gulp its food, you’re less likely to feed seconds. Too many pet parents complain that their pet gobbles so greedily that it must be starving. It’s impossible for a pet to scarf its food when fed from a puzzle. Food puzzles also tap into a pet’s natural instincts. Dogs scavenge and cats hunt. A system that makes a pet earn its food surely is more satisfying, especially for predators such as felids. Food puzzles also limit food bowl bullying by forcing each pet to solve their own riddles.
I also believe food puzzles encourage problem solving and higher thinking skills for pets that probably spend most of their lives downright bored. I rarely encounter a pet that refuses a food puzzle. I often encounter pet parents who do. They witness their dog or cat struggle for a day or two and abandon the idea. Give it a couple of days and rest assured your pet isn’t going to starve to death. Push your pet – and yourself – out of the comfort zone on occasion. Food bowls are boring; try something new. Talk to your vet about the best type of food puzzle for your pet before you buy.