The 5 Best Interactive Pet Toys that Change Your Puppy Forever
How do you want your puppies to grow up? Does your dog sometimes have aggressive behaviors? Although this may not be true, pets need not only physical but also mental stimulation every day to stay healthy just like us. Since we design their niche, we need to make sure they’re healthy and happy. With this in mind, there is an easy way to accomplish the task. Just a little addition, interactive pet toys, to the puppy’s life, it may change the life forever.
OK, it may be too much to promise, but interactive pet toys may be the solution to improve the quality of your puppy’s life. Why and how?
We learned from experienced dog owners and trainers about the benefits of interactive pet toys. Despite some potential safety issues, we are very happy to share the benefits of interactive pet toys based on the reviews. In addition, we’ve selected our 5 best favorite interactive pet toys.
These toys have the best product reviews for keeping them interesting, curious, and fun for hours. Although not all dogs will find these toys stimulating, those who like them often like to use them for a long time. All of these toys are designed to evoke natural instincts; hunting and playful character in dogs with physical stimulation. Your job as a pet owner or master (whatever you are) is to work with your dogs and find the one (or more) for them.
Here are the lists of our best interactive pet toys among millions in the market.
Best Interactive Pet Toys for Dogs (Updated List)
| Product of Choice | Product | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nina Ottoson Dog Smart Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy |  | Best IQ Puzzle |
| Wobble Wag Giggle Ball |  | Best Giggler |
| Bob-A-Lot Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy |  | Best Wobbler |
| IQ Training Treat Dispenser by PETGEEK |  | Best Press Ever |
| Snuffle Feeding Mat by AWOOF |  | Best Snuffler |
Why You Should Get Interactive Pet Toys
One of the many benefits of interactive pet toys is that they can relieve boredom. It also promotes playtime and interaction with your dogs during training and is rewarded with hidden treats. We’ve seen where dogs have to overcome obstacles to find treats, then express the pleasure of solving the challenge to get the rewards.
How cool is that!
Physically and mentally stimulated interactive dog toys can significantly reduce your dog’s anxiety and boredom (as well as his chances of destroying your belongings when there is nothing to do). The interactive pet toys will be the best assistants for you to please your dogs 24/7.
What to Look for When Buying the Best Interactive Pet Toys
In the same way, we think of ourselves, every pet is different. Please remember that you should still choose the best options for your dog’s specific needs, depending on your dogs’ type, size, health, age, character and personality, and etc. You need to work with your dogs to find out the best interactive pet toys for them.
Here are the main 3 important points we should consider while selecting the best interactive pet toys for this article.
1. Look for Fun Fuctors and Mental Stimulation
Solving problems and obstacles require mental energy. Interactive pet toys should provide adequate levels of mental stress and satisfaction to your dogs. Most but not all toys come with treats as rewards. For instance, if it’s too easy, they will take all treats too soon and forget about them after all. If it’s too difficult, they could simply quit and call for the day.
Every pet has different thresholds. The adequate mental stimulation to solve the obstacles not only help them feel pleasure and behave better and happier but also stimulate the parts of the brain for better problem-solving skills which may lead to better behaviors and characters. In addition, the best puzzle toys for dogs will relieve boredom, teach problem-solving, relieve anxiety, keep dogs entertained, maintain weight and prevent cognitive decline.
2. Look for Physical Stimulation
Some toys will allow your dog to play alone and exercise until he gets bored. Interactive dog toys require participation; unlike soft toys, which can be comfortable, these toys react to your dog, which usually means your puppy will spend more time with them.
Physically stimulated interactive dog toys can significantly reduce your dog’s anxiety and boredom (as well as his chances of destroying your belongings when there is nothing to do). Oh let’s don’t forget about the tremendous benefits of their health and weight maintenance.
3. Look for Safety
Most interactive pet toys are not made for their strength or durability. They are not made for stronger chewers or kickers. You may not always be present when they play with the toys as you leave them home alone. They could tear and break into pieces. They could accidentally swallow and choke…hopefully it won’t happen to you and your lovely dogs.
It’s very important to check the conditions of the toys. If you see any signs of damages, tears, or fractures, it might be time to toss. Your dogs will be sad…so be prepared for the replacements before that happens.
Best Interactive Pet Toys Product Reviews
Let’s look deeper reviews for the 5 best interactive pet toys we’ve selected.
1. Nina Ottoson Dog Smart Interactive Treat Puzzle Dog Toy (Best IQ Puzzle)
This Dog Smart Interactive Treat Puzzle is one of the entry-level dog puzzles by Nina Ottoson, one of the pioneers in the pet puzzle industry. Dog smart or puppy smart will stimulate your puppy’s instincts to hunt and seek food with fun treats. You can use dry or wet treats on the base of the board, covering them with bones (artificial of course.) Dogs will use noses and paws to locate and remove the bones to get to the treats. New plays may find a little challenging but as they engage, they’ll develop knowledge and skills. Many pet trainers have observed improvements in the mental well-being of puppies.
Pros
- Entry-level, easy to use and engage & stimulate
- Suitable for any breed and size
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Easy to re-arrange bones or treats in different versions
- Can be used anytime
- Higher advanced levels available
Cons
- Chews up the bones if not trained enough
- Bones are not durable enough for chewers
- May be too easy for smart dog (time to move on to the highter level)
2. Wobble Wag Giggle Ball (Best Giggler)
This Wobble Wag Giggle ball is fun and giggling. There are tubes inside and giggles when it rolls and is shaken. This makes funny giggling noise. Your dogs will react to the noise and roll or clutch the ball. The ball has 6 clutch pockets allowing dogs to pick up easier. It is made of flexible and durable phthalate-free vinyl for safety.
Pros
- Unique noize makes fun and stimulating
- Pocket holes easier for carrying
- Laugh and giggle together
Cons
- May not be durable enough for chewers
- May not be suitable for larger or strong chewers
- Not a fetch type, just kick and roll
3. Bob-A-Lot Interactive Treat Dispensing
Dog Toy (Best Wobbler)
Starmark is well known for its quality specializing in the art and science of dog training, with their simple goal of “keeping pets happy in their homes by improving relationships with their owners.” This interactive treat dispenser comes in two sizes, large and small. The large one can fit up to 3 cups of your puppy’s favorite treats. This comes with a switch that you can adjust the size of the hole to control the amount of treat dispensing. This wobbles and dispenses the treats as your puppy moves and rolls around.
Pros
- Easy but not too easy to knock treats out
- Very stable and wobbles well
- Holds good amount of treats
- Engage and learn to dispense effectively as they learn
Cons
- Very durable but not for extreme chewers
- Some destroy from teething the dispensing holes
4. IQ Training Treat Dispenser by PETGEEK
(Best Press Ever)
PETGEEK IQ Training Treat Dispenser comes with a wireless remote button. This pet food dispenser will dispense the treats along with sound when the remote button is pressed correctly. The remote can be used within 164 ft. or 50 m indoor and up to 98 ft outdoor. It also comes with the suction cup and peg, so you can stick to the smooth surface or on the soft ground outside. You can train to press the button for treats. For more challenges, you can locate the remote in a different place for fun.
Pros
- Need to learn to press with will
- Sound and action stimulation
- Mental stimulation for treats
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Batteries are not included
5. Snuffle Feeding Mat by AWOOF eat Puzzle Dog Toy (Best Snuffler)
This colorful mat is not an ordinary mat. The simple rule is you hide your lovely puppy’s treats on or in the snuffle feeding mat. It sounds so simple but it works and your dogs will have fun snuffling and seek the treats with joy. This will mimic the natural instinct in a pleasant way.
In addition, you can set up 4 extra feeding games with a cute interactive logo in the center, 3 bells in the middle, and 4 pieces of ringing paper randomly placed in the petal. Your puppy will snuffle and be happy for hours.
Pros
- Very simple to play
- Low maintennce
- Ease of release bukle design
- Washable
- Made of comfortable high quality cloths
Cons
- Fun hidden materials may come off later (potential choking hazard?)
- Hard wash may damage
- Tear and ripped by some dogs
The Best Interactive Pet Toys for Dogs FAQ’s
Here are some commonly asked questions about interactive pet toys.
FAQ 1
Will these interactive pet toys hold up an extremely aggressive chewer?
Most of the interactive pet toys are not made for chewing or fetching toys. As a matter of fact, many users claim they are not durable as they thought they were. You want to find the most suitable interactive pet toys for your puppy based on the habits, behaviors, and current learning skills.
FAQ 2
Will my little puppy be able to maneuver the interactive pet toys like puzzles?
Yes. Most puppies who enjoy these types of interactive pet toys are little puppies. No to mention, every pet is different and everyone has different learning curves. It also depends upon how they get trained and instructed. Observe how they see and react, then you can work together while enjoying the process.
FAQ 3
Was anyone’s dog afraid of the new interactive pet toys at first?
Most interactive pet toys move or stimulate with sounds, but may not be enough to scare anyone. However, it’s all depending on your dogs. Some dogs may have been in trauma for a while and are still not ready for normal interactions. The best thing you can do is to show the toy in a peaceful manner without turning it on, use your hands and stay close to your pets as possible. Let them observe the toys from your hands. Then you can slowly play together with normal pleasant communication. You can turn on the switch when you see your puppies are comfortable enough with the toys.
Conclusion
So this concludes our list and reviews of the best interactive pet toys in the market today. The interactive pet toys are for your pets interacting with toys with or without your presence. As a matter of fact, many of them are easy to use. You shouldn’t have trouble figuring out how to use them.
On the other hand, it’s important to train and give proper guidance to your pets. Furthermore, since most of them are not created for super durable. It is important to make sure the toys are in good condition and not harm your pets at any time. Please spend enough time with your pets as much as they need until they feel comfortable playing safely.
Have a smart day with your puppies!