Utilizing Kibble For Mental Stimulation..What?!

Yeah, why should they get food for free if you can make their brains work for it?? Also, free food in a bowl is also boring for your dog and makes them a bit lazy. Make them work for it so that they can be better behaved and understand that food does not come free and that they actually have to be good dogs in order to receive any food rewards.

For dogs in training, I generally like to use their kibble instead of treats because they are going to have kibble anyways, why not put it to work? Also, training requires ALOT of food, and giving a lot of treats is not healthy since they are high in calories, and low in nutrition. Yes, even the "healthy holistic" treats can be fattening and not cost effective.

Dogs who free feed (ie. there's always food in the bowl) usually do not like to receive kibble as a reward. This can be corrected by taking away food from the bowl, and when they are hungry enough, they'll come begging for kibble. Don't starve them, but it usually takes 1-2 days until the dog figures out that their kibble only comes one by one from your hand instead of the usual food bowl. Note: you should following your veterinarian's instructions on how much to feed for growing puppies and pregnant dogs. But if you want to train puppies, you can take away the bowl while training them, and then put back the bowl when you are done with training.

Even if you do not have the time to train your dog with kibble, your dog should understand that kibble comes to those who earn it. That way, their brain is always working and thinking so that they aren't just sitting there waiting for food to be served. Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise! Here are some products that I use for my dog when I don't have time to train him and don't want him to eat from a bowl:

The Bob-a-lot Interactive Toy ($16 on Amazon) allows kibble to be put into the toy, and has two compartments where you control how much kibble falls out; one at the cap and one at the side of the toy. The dog tilts the toy and kibble falls out, but the toy rights itself in the upright position due to the nature of the heavy bottom. The dog has to figure out that food only comes out if he moves and tilts the toy.

Premier's Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble ($16 on Amazon) is another food dispensing toy in which you put food in the middle of the toy, the dog rolls it around, and food dispenses. It is similar to the Bob-a-lot but dispense a lot of food at once and does not give good control of how much food is dispensed.

The Kong toy ($8 on Amazon) is very popular as well. The Kong usually keeps a dog distracted or bored, but you can also you it to dispense their kibble. It's a rubber toy in which you put kibble and a little bit of peanut butter or wet food to maintain the kibble inside. Some people like to buy the Kong Stuff'n, which is liver, cheese, or peanut butter spread in a compressed canister that dispenses like whipped cream. One way to make kibble last in the kong is to plug the smaller end of the Kong with peanut butter, put the kibble inside, fill the Kong with water, and freeze it.

One other amazing toy design is by Nina Ottoson, who makes puzzle toys for dogs that need to get through certain milestones within the toy to get the food. In the video, the toy is called the Dog Worker ($50 on Amazon), which the dog needs to figure out that he needs to pick up the wood pegs or push them to the center of the piece to get to the treat. Very stimulating!

All these toys will teach the dog that not only is it fun to get food from a toy, but it also give them a challenge.

Fat Weighing Your Dog Down?

Let's face it. Most dogs living in a first world country is a bit overweight, even if the dog's belly is not drastically dragging on the floor. First of all, if you free feed your dog (filling the bowl whenever the bowl is empty), your dog will be overweight. So why does it matter that your dog is overweight?  Just think of all the health problems you would encounter if you were obese, then apply it to your dog. It creates a series of health problems such as diabetes, joint problems, heart problems, cholesterol levels, etc.

Here is a summary breakdown of how to determine your dog's body fat:

Body Score of 1: 

• Ribs, pelvis, vertebra are all visible from a distance

Body Score of 3:

• Obvious waste line is tucked (between last rib and hip bone)
• Prominent hip bones
• Top of spine is visible

Body Score of 5 (IDEAL BODY SHAPE):

• Ribs, spine, and hip bones are easily felt without pressing through fat covering
• Waist is tucked in when viewing the dog from top
• Abdominal is tucked in

Body Score of 7 (most dogs are in this category):

• Ribs, spine, and hip bones are not easily felt, ie. you have to press into the body to feel those bones
• One or two ripples of fat behind the neck region

Body Score of 9: 

• Massive fat deposits on spine and ribs
• Numerous ripples of fat in neck region and limbs
• Abdominal tuck absent

Body Conditioning System made by Dr. Sophia Yin, modified from the Scoring System developed by Nestle Purina. 

Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or a certified trainer (yet). All these reviews on products and training only reflects on what's worked for dogs I've trained and their lifestyles. Adjust to how you see fit for your dog.

After reading this, if you feel that your dog has more than a body condition score of 5, consider cutting your dog's food back a bit (start by feeding 75% of original diet), or stop free feeding. If you feel that your dog has a body score of 9, do not drastically change his diet because it can have devastating changes to the digestive system. Instead, consult with your veterinarian about a diet plan. Not only a balanced diet is important, but a developing a different exercising routine should be incorporated into the plan.