The Tricky Treat Ball is a great way to feed your dog. It’s also a very effective way to keep your dog from bolting his food and risking bloat. And unlike the Brake-Fast Bowl I wrote about previously, the Tricky Treat Ball stimulates your dog’s brain and keeps them entertained. (I also discuss the Twist ‘n Treat, which works in a similar way.)
You fill the Tricky Treat Ball with your dog’s kibble—I can get about 1.5 cups in the orange one—and then let them at it. There is one hole in the side with a tube that leads to the center of the ball, so as they roll it around and toss it, small amounts of kibble fall out for them to eat. If your dog is unsure what to do with it at first, try putting some really good treats in it. They’ll catch on quickly.
We’ve had the opposite problem of bolting food with our dog Saffron. We actually had a hard time getting her to finish her dinner, which made it difficult to predict when she’d need to be let out to go potty. The very urgent 3:00am bathroom breaks weren’t fun. When I started using the Tricky Treat Ball, she would work at it until her kibble was all gone because it was fun.
Here’s a good video to show you how it works.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urviyn9Gbug
