Busy Buddy Twist N Treat

I'm always looking for treat dispensing toys that will occupy my dog. I want to provide her a challenge and keep her out of trouble. I bought her a Busy Buddy Twist N Treat which looked like it would be a challenge.

It's a solid toy. The plastic is thick and it can take being thrown around. I've opened and closed it three times a day for over a year and it still closes as tightly as when I first got it.

You can adjust the difficulty on it, which is nice. At first, you can leave the hole all the way open so the dog gets the idea. Then, you can twist it so it becomes more challenging.

The first month, Misha could not figure it out. She rolled it around until the treats fell out. Then, would sit in frustration when they didn't come out. She would get so mad! I thought this was great because it was taking her 15-20 minutes to empty it. Her other treat ball last about 5 minutes.

I should have known that she would not give up. After the first month, she figured out where they treats fell from. She started to pick it up and tilt it on it's side so that the hole was on the bottom. Then, she would shake the treats out.

But, she wasn't finished. About two months after I bought it, I noticed that the top was twisted part way open. I must not have tightened it. But, I noticed it again and again. One day, I decided to watch Misha play with it. I couldn't believe my eyes when she picked it up in her mouth and untwisted it! She had figured out how to open it! This is not an easy feat considering that it is bigger than her mouth and almost larger than her head.

I'm a little disappointed because now she can empty it in about three minutes. I don't think the design is at fault. I think my dog is smarter than the average dog at puzzles. If you have a clever dog, they may figure out how to open it just like Misha did. However, if your dog is content batting treat toys around and waiting for the treat to fall out, this is a great toy!

This video shows what it is, how it works, and how the dog plays with it.

 

This is great, I was looking for something like this because my Homer needs something entertaining. He is already bored with all of his toys. I wonder if he'll manage to open it