Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Nina Ottosson, Again.
Today my reviewers are exploring a variation on Nina Ottosson's (www.nina-ottosson.com) Dog Pyramid called the "Dog Dizzy." The Dog Dizzy ("It Rolls and Twists") is another interactive treat dispensing toy offered by the Swedish dog toy maker. We filled the Dizzy with a variety of treats and gave it a spin.
The original reservation about the the Dog Pyramid was that it righted itself rather too aggressively and tended to hit the unsuspecting dog in the head. The narrowed top also made it very easy for a bigger dog to pick up and carry away. There was one hole only in the top of the Pyramid which made it at once laborious to insert treats and challenging to extract them. On the plus side the wider weighted bottom of the Pyramid made it easy for the dog nose or foot to push over increasing the chances that with gravity and a great deal of luck a treat would manage to pop out.
I wish I could say that the Dog Dizzy is a vast improvement over the Dog Pyramid. It still has the one treat escape/insert hole, the toy is weighted at the bottom and is constructed of the same hard plastic. The shape, however, is radically different being sort of a ball with the top and bottom flattened. Not being completely round makes the toy reluctant to roll and less rolling means less treats escaping. My reviewers found it very frustrating. At first I loaded the Dizzy with regular kibble and interest was keen until no kibble was escaping. To renew interest I then added some high value training treats. The Dizzy was then poked, prodded and bitten before interest waned again when no treats were seen. Just a lazy day for my reviewers? No initiative to use the higher canine brain functions? I have to admit that for my reviewers (canine and feline) the Dog Dizzy was a bit of a dud.
To recap the Dog Dizzy rates a Poor as to Playability. It has to be said that MY reviewers found it lacking and the Dizzy might find a more enthusiastic audience in the insanely food motivated dog- the Labrador perhaps? The Durability seems to be Excellent if the item is not gnawed upon. This is an interactive toy and your dog should play with it under human supervision only. Safety is also Excellent if used properly, again under supervision.
The success of treat dispensing toys as a whole seems to be a balancing act between being too challenging and not challenging enough. An intermittent reward is the most potent reinforcer (think Vegas slot machines) for dog and human alike. You have to applaud Nina Ottosson's dedication to unlocking the potential of the canine mind. Dog toys are simple?- I think not.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Pinkie Doing Homework
Pinkie is using a new process to select the next toy to review. There's a fresh crop of catnip, some new toys by Kong and for the dogs, Nina Ottosson of course!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Cheese Chase
Cheese Chase is a new incarnation of the old favorite track and ball circuit. The cat is able to spin the ball around the track but is unable to actually get the ball out. In my experience the novelty wears off pretty fast with this type of toy once the cat figures out that the ball is going nowhere. Cheese Chase has added another level on top of the track loaded with another unobtainable ball. This time the ball is accessible through swiss cheese- like holes on the top. This is topped off with a batta- ball catnip filled mouse.
Lester rates this toy Good for playability. The two levels provide a little variety, as does the catnip mouse. The toy has rubber grips on the bottom which render it stationary on either a hard or carpeted surface. The toy seems durable and Lester rates it Good for this as well. We are not sure if the mouse on the stick could survive rough play so we'll have to see. Safety-wise the toy seems also Good- there are no loose parts to break off. All in all this seems like a great little time occupier for your kitten. My adult reviewers have not tested this toy so we will have to report back on its attractiveness to the more mature cat.
Petstages has a wide range of what they term "Developmental" toys for cats and dogs. The toys are grouped according to whether they are used for Soothing, Chewing, Interacting or Playing. They also have a selection of dog and cat bowls for feeding. The aim of the company is to educate owners about the importance of enriching the environment of their pets and then to provide objects that will do so. A worthy goal indeed. We will definitely revisit Petstages to try out more toys.
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