Thursday, May 26, 2011

Problem Solving

Each dog has their unique way of approaching and solving a problem. Food toys are a great way to observe a dogs reaction and problem solving skills. Tug A Jug is a food toy my friend Tamara gave to my dogs. It has proved hours of enjoyment for the dogs and for me as well watching their ability to figure out how to earn the reward/food.


Tug A Jug

The bottom screws off, kibble or small treats are placed inside and the bottom is reattached. The food comes out the top. The dogs can carry the toy around by the rope but it blocks the food from coming out the top. So the best way to get the food is tip the bottle over without holding the rope.

Whisper quickly learned to step on the rope and spin the toy around her foot. The food would come out but in the process she would step off the toy to eat the food. Then she would have to restart the process again and again.







Echo on the other hand simply pushes the toy all around the yard, jumping on it, standing on it and pushing it with her nose. All of these efforts make noise which she likes and makes the toy spin away from her. She and the toy will go all around the yard during the process. It takes quite a while to get all the treats out of the toy.





Lyric has the most efficient style of all. She simply lays on the lawn, picks the jug up in her mouth and shakes the treats out. Quick efficient minimal energy exerted and she is ready for more.



9 comments:

jet said...

hahah oh I need to get one of those for my dogs - I suspect Bender will just try to chew the jug open. I reckon Barbie would figure it out though!

Tasha said...

That's so fascinating how they each have their own style!

Thanks for posting. :)

Never Say Never Greyhounds said...

Love it! I have fun watching mine too. Reagan is efficient like Lyric. In fact, she does it lying down. Riley does a lot of picking up and dropping. Then Seven is quite violent and hikes it all over the place like a football.

houndstooth said...

I love watching them problem solve! It's funny how they develop their own style. We had a similar toy, but they had to roll it around to get the food out. Treat's style was my favorite -- she waited for Hawk to roll it across the floor and just ate the food behind him!

Greyhounds CAN Sit said...

I must try and get one of them! We've got a Kong Wobbler and Frankie soon got that sussed and Beryl would follow him around picking up the kibble he left. Then she started using her feet and then she got the idea of using her nose as well, so she's an expert now too:) It was fun watching her work it out!

Michelle said...

Great photos! It was very interesting reading about each of their styles. :)

Muttsandaklutz said...

I have the tug-a-jug too! My hound Lucy had no problem figuring it out, but my gsd Walter to this day remains clueless about it. Sure is fun seeing how different dogs interact with these things.

Lisa Foxworthy Stine said...

That's my Red Dog, whittling it down to the simplest solution. Her son, Darby, rolls the jug around making all the food fall out; which Q and Andretti quickly hoover up as they follow him closely like little remora on a sharks belly. Darby see's the food come out, but Q is so quick it's gone before Darb can get it. Dretti cleans up what Q misses. Poor Darby, he's such a tool.

Anonymous said...

Leave it to Lyric to exert the least amount of energy. LOL!!

Donna