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

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.

So much fun for 3 month old Westie puppy and great for 15-20 minutes of “quiet” time. He loves rolling the ball around, playing with the chipmunks and finding the treats and kibbles as he goes. Truly stimulating and very well made.

I recently bought this for my playful German Shepard, who loves stimulating toys and treats, lol! We use this occasionally for a few rewarded treats, or for a fun dinner. He really enjoys playing with it, and sometimes he scratches it and it rips off. It's durable, but I would like it even more if it didn't fly off when he used it, haha. And sometimes he has a bit of a hard time using it to get the treats, but you just have to help him out a little and then he gets it. It's pretty noisy when he scratches at it, but that's super understandable. It really helps with his activity level, I feel like I paid the right price for this. The only problem I have is parts of it coming off and losing it. Overall, a win for your active pup! Not too easy, but not too challenging.

Great and perfect for level 2 dogs. My dog didn't take super long to finish this on her first try, but it was very engaging and she knocked out afterwards. I like how you can remove parts to make it easier and the hinges can hook back onto each other after coming off. It feels very durable that way. Really great if you have easily bored pets that need mental stimulation while you're busy!

Bigger than i expected but not complaining works great seems durable, but not sure how long the squirrels will late after first use already has a tear. Kept my dog busy for awhile. I will say my dog wasn’t rolling the ball to get the treats out and kept sticking her bottom jaw in the hole I thought she was going to get stuck so just watch out for that.

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.