Outward Hound by Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Treat Puzzle Enrichment Toy, Level 2 Intermediate Game, Blue

Always looking for ways for my pup to be entertained as she will not play by herself. She loves this thing—very food motivated! I started without the “bones.” Took me showing her twice how to open boxes. She learned the slide on her own. Added bones on third use and she’s been plowing through it ever since! I use very low calorie treats since she’s not crazy about her kibble. It’s been a couple of months and no indication she’ll chew it up! Great purchase!

This is one of our very favorite and most useful toys. The ball is very well made of durable rubber (or whatever it is that feels like good rubber these days and the rubber extends a little bit over the edge of the treat wells so that the dog can't chew the plastic wells out. The squirrels are, of course, fabric and we know what happens with that. That said, they too are well made. with "painted" on faces, no bulging eyes to chew out of them. I ordered 6 additional squirrels shortly after getting the toy for two reasons: 1) I'm lazy (and old) and didn't want to have to go squirrel searching all the time and 2) I wanted to be sure I had extras in case they became unavailable in the future. I have something similar to a toy hammock or net bag hanging on a wall where I deposit the squirrels as I come upon them. She only gets to play with them in conjunction with the ball (or if she finds a missing one before I do).Initially it did not look to me as though this toy would hold enough food to actually feed her from. It does. It holds about a cup and a half, maybe a little more, if you only put the squirrel head half way in each well. My Archie is about 40 pounds and is not what is considered an aggressive chewer though she has chewed a number of toys to their death. This one still looks like new as do all the squirrels (which I toss in the wash, not sure if that is recommended.) This would work as a slow feeder but that's not why I got it. My girl isn't always hungry when we feed the little dogs and cats. She's more of a grazer. I would free-feed her if I didn't have the others. This toy gives me a way to have food out for her when she wants it, the little dogs know it's not theirs and the cats aren't interested in working at it. (One cat figured out the gum ball machine toy before any of the dogs did and by the time they did the cat was puking. That toy went into storage)First Use: Archie did not intuitively know how to get the squirrels out at first and lost interest before she succeeded. Maybe she would have been smarter if I waited until she was starving but I don't like doing that. What I did was fill the wells about half way and stuck the squirrel heads in just far enough that they wouldn't fall out as I put it down. When I put it down and gave it a little roll, with her paying attention, a squirrel did come out and let the kibble out too which she ate up immediately and started to catch on. I put the squirrels barely in for a few days until she really got the hang of it, which she did. Interesting note: my girl does know the command for tug or pull but she could not relate it to this ball and squirrel thing so we had to go the other route.This is a toy I don't think you'll regret buying. I'm tempted to order a back-up one and keep it in our RV.

This is my favorite puzzle to set up for my dog.The puzzle was very easy to teach, and though it is not challenging for him anymore, he still loves it enough to fight his brother over it (with low stakes meal kibble).Its very easy to set up as well. There's no stuffing kibble through too-tiny holes, or accidentally resetting the puzzle for easy kibble.The only downside is the pieces are inevitably lost. I tried to be diligent about keeping track, but I'm missing a tile door. It's still totally useable though.They do sell replacement part for this puzzle, so that a +1

We have a very active large dog. He loves the rain and snow but we do not. This has become a great solution for keeping him active on poor weather days. He works at it until he has found all the treats (then usually takes a nap). Easy to set up and relatively quiet (minus the clatter of plastic) as he works at the puzzle.

My dog loves this. It's more challenging but it didn't take her too long to figure it out. It rewards her with treats. She actually asks for it. It stimulates her brain.

I’ve been using this puzzle since my dog was a puppy (she's 3 now), and while it has a lot of positive aspects, there are a few things that could be improved.Pros:Slows Down Mealtime: This puzzle is perfect for slowing down my dog while she eats. Instead of inhaling her food in seconds, it makes her work for her treats, which is great for digestion and mental stimulation.Keeps My Dog Entertained: My dog really enjoys solving this puzzle. It keeps her engaged for a good while, and I love that it provides a healthy outlet for her energy and curiosity. She has to figure out how to lift flaps and slide pieces to get to the food.Cons:The White "Bone" Pieces Are a Mess: I didn’t like how the little white bone-shaped pieces keep falling out of the puzzle. They just go everywhere, and after a few uses, I decided to throw them out entirely. It was more hassle than it was worth to keep them.Flaps Are Easy for My Dog to Pull Off: My dog quickly figured out how to pull off the top flaps that cover the treat compartments. While I can still use the puzzle without the flaps, it was frustrating at times when she would easily rip them off, especially during the early stages of using it.Durability Issues with Chewing: When my dog was a puppy, she chewed one of the puzzle pieces, which caused a little bit of damage. While you can still use everything, I wasn’t thrilled about the chewing. So, if you have a dog prone to chewing, be cautious about leaving them unattended with this puzzle.Takes a While to Dry: It’s great that this puzzle is dishwasher-safe, but it does take quite a while to dry completely, especially in the compartments where the treats go. You’ll need to let it sit for a bit before using it again, which is a little inconvenient when you’re in a hurry.Overall Thoughts: The Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Puzzle has definitely earned its place in my dog’s enrichment rotation. It’s fantastic for slowing down mealtime and providing her with some mental stimulation, which is especially important for high-energy dogs. However, the white bone pieces were a hassle, and the flaps didn’t hold up well for my dog. Still, it’s a fun and useful puzzle overall, and I’ll continue to use it in the mix with her other toys.