Enrichment Stuffing: A Beginner’s Guide to Stuffing Dog Toys
Ever wondered how to keep your dog amused when they are alone or you just need to get some work done. Eva Forde gives us a guide to stuffing dog toys
Enrichment toys are the perfect way to keep your pup engaged, entertained and, well, enriched! Adding to your little fur ball’s day to day with an extra bit of fun is a great trick for making sure that they are always well catered for, even when you have to be getting on with the more serious side of your daily routine! We all love our dogs more than anything, but that doesn’t mean that admin, cooking, cleaning and general, seemingly never ending stuff can go unaddressed.
Kitting your dog’s collection out with an enrichment toy really is one of the best things you can do for providing all of the fun whilst you can’t be giving them your 100% – and an even better way of bringing the entertainment? Adding some tasty snacks into the mix! Follow this beginner friendly stuffing guide to take your dog’s solo play time to the next level…
Enrichment toy stuffing ideas
Try out these delicious snack ideas to stimulate your dog’s play time and get those jaws crunching!
Peanut butter
Dogs really do just love their peanut butter! Make sure that you stick to an organic natural variety that is free from nasty chemicals and sweet additives such as xylito.
Yogurt
Natural greek yogurt is perfect for pups who want a softer snack or to act as a base layer for more chunky treats.
Frozen fruit
Frozen fruit is an ideal option for summertime enrichment eating. Pop berries, banana and watermelon in the freezer and chop up into small chunks for a refreshing dose of chilled deliciousness.
Chopped veggies
Cut up carrots, celery and capsicum make great options for adding a healthy dose of crunch to your dog’s enrichment toy. Be sure to cut these up nice and small to make sure that eating veggies is manageable and enjoyable for your dog.
Kibble and treats
This might be an obvious one, but it is obvious for a reason! Adding kibble and treats to yogurt and peanut butter adds an extra layer of crunch, perfect for really stimulating your dog’s taste buds and bringing some unexpected excitement to enrichment play time.
How to clean your enrichment toy
Once you’re familiar with stuffing your dog’s toy, you’re also going to need to get acquainted with the concept of cleaning. Is it as much fun? No. Is it incredibly necessary? Yes.
The best way to make sure that your dog toy collection is spick and span at all times is by simply filling your sink with warm, soapy water and soaking them for a minute or two. Then simply scrub to remove any cheeky bits of food that might be clinging to the toy’s surface.
The best soap to use is your usual dish soap, anything that is gentle and cleansing will do the trick nicely. You need to do this with any food that you pop into your enrichment toy, no matter how diligent your doggy might be during their snack time.
More reading: Could your pet be bored?
How to choose the right enrichment toy for your dog
Now that you’re fully informed on how to stash snacks in your enrichment toy and how to keep it clean, it’s time to actually shop for one! There are a couple of things that you need to look out for when you start searching for that perfect toy. Watch out for these elements when you are starting to sniff about the big, beautiful world of dog toys.
Materials: First things first, materials. You need to watch out for what your dog’s toys are actually made from, they are going to be chewing on it, after all. Look for bio-friendly, food grade silicone and nothing else to make the right choice for your dog. There should be no loose aspects to your enrichment toy otherwise this could dislodge during chow down time and cause safety issues for your dog, which simply cannot happen.
Size: Next, size. You need to select an enrichment toy that is the right fit for your dog’s beautiful little smile! It is as simple as selecting something more compact for smaller dogs, mid-size for the medium breeds and big and bold for larger fur friends. The right size is important so do not neglect this step.
Durability: Finding a toy that is going to stand the test of time is easy if you choose the right materials as detailed above. This means that your dog will be able to play with their favourite toy whenever they want, for the long run. Investing in higher quality toys pretty much guarantees that they are going to stick around that little bit longer, saving your dog from the heartache of losing their favourite toy.
Style: Lastly, style! Choose colours and textures that best fit with your dog’s personality to make a beautiful style selection.
With these snacks and stuff ideas, your dog is going to be totally in love with their new dog toy! They are even going to be thrilled with an empty enrichment option, just the texture and mouthfeel alone is enough to stimulate that adventurous K-9 mind! Start shopping for the perfect enrichment toy style to find the right fit for your fur baby and your lifestyle and, remember, a dog can never have too many toys!
About the author
Eva Forde is a full time Freelance writer with 3+ years experience. she’s loves writing about lifestyle, pets and watching Netflix documentaries in her spare time. Check out Stylish Hound.