30/04/10 14:48
Just so we’re clear, this is a completely unsolicited plug for a company that just so happens to be awesome. Planet Dog didn’t pay for any advertisement or send us any freebies. What they did do was create a company who makes innovative products and gives back to the community.
Let’s look at the haul, shall we?
These are toys from the Produce line: realistically sized and shaped fruits and vegetables that have a lovely minty smell and are hollow for filling with treats or food (more on that in a moment).
The eggplant is soft and squishy but tough, and can hold about a cup of small diameter kibble. As a bonus, the hole in the top is large for easy filling but the shape keeps the food from all just spilling back out.
The artichoke has a smaller hole in the base and holds about a half a cup. This size provides an excellent challenge - your dog has to knock it around to get the food out, just remember to use a small diameter kibble.
The strawberry has a similar feel to the eggplant, and also holds about a half a cup of dry food.
The raspberry is the only toy that doesn’t get any action. They warn you on the site that this one is for small dogs only - but they mean really small dogs. It’s only slightly bigger than a ping pong ball, and the little treat hole is really too small for filling. But that’s ok, because it’s cute.
So why all this sudden interest in sharing my dog’s toys? Because giving your dog a toy filled with part of his daily ration of food is a great way to stave off boredom, and get him interested in chewing on things other than your coffee table leg. Many of the dogs that come to the shelter as owner surrenders arrive there because of bad behavior. Often, though, you can correct or prevent those behaviors simply by giving your friend something to do. Even the most uninterested dog will usually perk up when you start hiding food in his toys. And by focusing on the magic ball (or eggplant) that gives him food, Rover will eventually forget all about that old coffee table leg. Chewing on safe things not only encourages healthy behavior in your pup, but it burns energy, which means that by the time you come back home, you’re greeted by a calmer pet who’s ready to listen and play instead of a maniac who mauls you before you’ve put your keys down.
** This is the part where I need to remind you that I am not a dog trainer and I am in no position to give you advice. But, I am a pretty accomplished reader (I totally scored well on my 5th grade reading comprehension test) and I think these people have the right idea. In fact, the whole website is a great resource for anyone looking for another perspective on dog training and behavior.
The second reason to mention Planet Dog is to remind you about our adoption bonus program. When you adopt a shelter dog or cat, you’ll find a sheet inside your adoption folder called “Kiss me, I’m adopted.” Fill it out and send it in along with a copy of your proof of adoption and you’ll get a ton of cool stuff back in the mail:
You’ll get your choice of an Orbee Tuff Ball or Mouse, an “Adopt” sticker, a very cool Euro sticker in either “woof” or “meow”, a The Bark magazine mini-magazine, a trial issue of Dog’s Life magazine, a free year’s subscription to the Pet Protector pet locator service (plus an ID tag), and finally, a promotion code that will give you 15% off of Planet Dog merchandise for a whole year.
How cool is that? I’ll tell you, it’s very cool. I know because Buster told me so:
Buster knows cool.
Interested in seeing some adoptable pets? Click here.
