Give Fido some mental stimulation with this doggy brain teaser. This is the Dog Hide N’ Slide created by Nina Ottosson, for Outward Hound. If you are new to doggy puzzle toys, you should know that Nina hails from Sweden and is considered the architect of the doggy puzzle toy category. She has created many canine puzzle toys with varying degrees of difficulty. Most experts agree that exercising your dog’s mind with puzzle toys is a great way to quell the curious instincts that can result in destructive behavior. It also builds doggy self-esteem since it’s thought that dogs prefer to win their food and therefore don’t mind the challenge.
The Dog Hide N’ Slide has 7 built in chambers to hide treats in order to engage the natural foraging instinct that dogs have. Each chamber is covered by a flipper and a round sliding block. The idea is for your dog to move both the sliding block and the flipper to get at the treat. This is a level 2 puzzle which is considered an intermediate challenge. You can start off just placing the treats under the block and add the locking flippers later to increase the difficulty.
The puzzle is made from a composite material that is sort of heavy like wood but feels like plastic. Outward Hound says this material will not splinter or fracture like wood or plastic. It it also BPA and Phthalate free. This material is reminiscent of the wooden puzzle toys Nina started out with and is much better than some of the recent iterations of Nina's puzzles that featured regular plastic. There are 4 feet that have rubber pads with should keep the Hide N’ Slide from moving during play on hard smooth surfaces. There are no removable parts to worry about and the Hide N Slide can easily be cleaned with warm soapy water.
We think this is great for dogs that exhibit curious behavior and have excess energy to burn off. It’s also a fun way for dogs and their humans to interact.
Pawsitives:
BPA and Phthalate Free
Made from a heavier composite
Varying degrees of difficulty
Provides mental stimulation
Helps prevent destructive behavior caused by boredom
Things Pet Parents Should Know:
Nina Ottosson is considered the creator of the dog puzzle category
Hide N' Slide has 7 treat hiding crevices
No removable parts
Wash with warm soapy water
Remove after last treat is found