A fun dog activity: Newmans Own brand treats + Hol-ee ball!

When Leopold was a puppy, he was full of energy and curiosity. If he wasn’t busy with an activity I gave him, he’d find one of his own, usually chewing on things he shouldn't. I tried to find things for him to do that would keep him occupied (and out of trouble!), but also keep him mentally stimulated. Now that Leopold is older, he’s learned not to get into my stuff, which is great, but it means he gets bored and just sleeps all day if I don’t give him something fun to do. And while I'd love to spend the day playing with my dogs, I only have so much time that I can give them. It’s nice to have activities I can offer my dog that are fun and also keep them mentally engaged for a while.

Here’s one activity that I came up with. It involves a green stretchy, molecule-like ball, called a Hol-ee Roller, 3.5" (the balls come in other colors; it’s just known as “the green ball” around our house). The ball is great for stuffing treats into so that the dog has to figure out how to get the treats out.

I find this particular ball design appealing because it’s so squishy and is not likely to do much damage if the dog whips it around or drops it down the stairs. It’s also very bouncy, which my dogs love. I’ve experimented with stuffing different types of treats inside; most are too easy to get out because they’re long and thin or too pliable. I’ve discovered, however, that the Newman’s Own Organic treats fit perfectly into the ball! The ball has enough stretch to get the treat through one of the holes to the center, and the hart-shape of the treat makes it impossible for it to fall out on its own.  I also like the Newman's Own brand treats (I get the turkey and sweet potato flavor) because they're healthy and made with good ingredients while still being appealing to my dogs.

Think your dog would like this activity?
The Hol-ee Roller ball is sold at most pet stores, or you can buy it from amazon.com: Hol-ee Roller, Size 3.5
And here's the perfect-shape and sized treats: Newman's Own Organic Premium Dog Treats Turkey and Sweet Potato -- 10 oz 

Leopold is a pretty smart guy and it didn’t take him long to figure out that he had to squash his green ball with his foot or mouth to get to the treat inside; though it takes him a while to work the treat out. He loves playing with his green ball, and it makes me happy to see him being active instead of just sleeping all day. Halo has yet
to figure out how to get the treat out (she just throws it around and chews on the ball, completely missing the treat), but she spends a lot of time playing with it. And that’s what I want! If Halo is playing with her green ball, she’s not getting into trouble.

Both Leopold and Halo love playing with their green ball! They get to have fun, and I get to feel good about keeping my dogs’ minds active.

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