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Buster Food Cube

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

  
joey

I'm working on- three toys!		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 10:57am PST 
Has anyone used this? You place kibble in the hard plastic cube and the dog rolls it around the floor to get pieces to fall out.

I have had intermittent but very scary experiences with Joey chewing and swallowing cloth, so I'm looking at things to do to stop this. I don't know if it's behavioral or if something else(for example, a toothache) is causing it, but I'm kind of at wit's end. He also licks his paws a lot. I know I should walk him more to keep him entertained, but I'm finding that it's hard for me to find the time and energy to do so. (I'm almost 62, and while I'm retired, I have a long "To Do" list and time is a bit precious to me.)

Joey is not a young dog - he's about 8. Generally, the chewing will be on the quilt that I placed on his pet bed, but he has also attacked a couch, too. He seems to love cloth - won't chew on a Kong. I'm a little afraid to give him bones, and giving him bully sticks and things like that gets expensive, as they're done in minutes.

The vet has not been too helpful with this problem, so I keep limping along.....
comments/suggestions welcome, particularly on the "Buster Food Cube." At least PetMeds will let me return it if it's useless - but since Joey is very food motivated, I might give it a try.
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ARCHMX Asher RL1X RL2X RL3X RL

we will dance in- the ring without- words		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 12:30pm PST 
What did you put in your kong?

It sounds like you think the chewing is from being unstimulated? Have you considered Nosework? It is not all that time intensive and can help tire a dog and bring down anxiety and energy levels.
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Hucky and- Ringo

1184791		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 1:11pm PST 
My Huck has chewed everything you can think of but he has yet to destroy an arizona plastic ice tea bottle. I put kibble in that to keep him busy. He has to shake it, flip it, knock it around to get the food out. I don't know what a buster cube is but it sounds like the same idea as my ice tea bottle. Before spending money on the cube, try putting some dry food in something else, maybe a smaller plastic bottle and see how he reacts to it. If it's something that interests him, then go for the cube.

Edited by author Wed Dec 5, '12 1:14pm PST

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Bosley

Will Work For- Food		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 1:26pm PST 
The buster cubes are very popular at my house. I usually save them for a nasty weather day when we can't get out for a run. Or sometimes I just let the dogs have them for my own amusement - it is entertaining to watch smile
You can also try hiding food around the house. Make it easy at first until your dog gets the game - you might have to help out at first. Then you can hide the food in harder places - like under couch cushions, under shoes, behind doors, etc. This is a fun way for your dog to "hunt" for his meal as well as using brain work to tire him out.
My dogs love the game "find me". I leave them in a stay and then go hide somewhere in the house. I then call them to find me. If yiur dog doesnt have a good out of sight stay, someone can hold them. Super fun for both of us.
Any scent work is very tiring for dogs. Teaching tricks is also fun and uses lots of brain power.
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Tiller- (Skansen's- Ira in the M

I DO Exist...To- Drive You Batty		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 1:55pm PST 
Have you explored getting a canvas training bumper? It seems to be hitting a lot of the aspects you need. They are cloth, can carry scent, have a foam core. You can scent these, which makes them more arousing...yummy scent like rabbit, quail, etc. And it's a fun toy for retrieve work, so you can just make a daily habit of pulling it out for fun time and getting hard exercise in at the same time. You can even work a little obedience into the play time.
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Zephyr

1213425		 
 
Barked: Wed Dec 5, '12 4:56pm PST 
I've got two and managed to break both (One was me, one was the dog) but I really have bad luck with toys and I think it would take some work in a normal household. Make sure you get one that's too large for him to pickup with his mouth.

I've got a bunch of puzzle toys. My favorite is the tug-a-jug since even when they "figure it out" most really haven't by the time they get most of the kibble out and they have to try new things.

Edited by author Wed Dec 5, '12 4:56pm PST

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Jackson Tan

Lad about town		 
 
Barked: Thu Dec 6, '12 1:12am PST 
Soda bottles filled with kibble are a big fave in this house. I also have a big rubber treat ball that's pretty great. And frozen raw meaty bones.
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Noah

Herpaderp-apotam- us		 
 
Barked: Thu Dec 6, '12 8:46am PST 
I tried the Buster Cube with Noah, but he just didn't get it. I think the problem was that he was so used to this egg shaped food dispenser (kind of like a weeble wobble) that we have that he didn't understand that the cube had to be turned over to release the food and not just pushed around on the floor.
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joey

I'm working on- three toys!		 
 
Barked: Fri Dec 21, '12 7:48pm PST 
Great suggestions. I think I'll try a small plastic bottle filled with a little bit of kibble. He's a real chewer, though - hope he doesn't shred and eat it!
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Jackson Tan

Lad about town		 
 
Barked: Fri Dec 21, '12 8:19pm PST 
Just supervise him with it, it should be fine. If he is shredding it and you are afraid he will swallow some, just take it away.

I've yet to see a dog who can shred a coke bottle, though.
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