I've been intrigued with the idea of a dog puzzle since first setting eyes on a Nina Ottoson version online. However, I didn't know if my dogs (who are treat motivated but a bit "lazy") would find enjoyment with them, and it was a lot of money to spend on something untested. So when the link for this very affordable alternative popped up, I decided to give it a try.
As others may have pointed out, the concept is similar to Ottoson's Brick Puzzle. When it arrived, I was pleased to find it of substantial weight. My dogs have yet to slide it around during their explorations. The little space beneath each round is deep enough to hold all but the bulkiest of treats: liver snaps, Puporoni, Kona jerky.
There are, however, some "flaws." First, while the little rounds do slide rather easily, they sometimes catch a bit when they're bumped up to the edge of the slots. With only that tiny hole on top and a very smooth finish (as is common with compressed wood products), there's very little for my dogs to get traction with (using either their paws or noses) to move the circles. I believe Ottoson's Brick toy specifically has a shallow groove on top of each "brick" just for this purpose. I wish this toy did as well. Perhaps more determined dogs with a strong digging sense or just stronger noses and paws can work it loose, but mine struggle. If I push the round a little away from the edge...just enough to give it a couple mm of lip, they open it without any problems, but they'll often bump it close while exploring and leave it in frustration when they can't get the circle to move.
But the most distressing flaw this toy has are the incredibly sharp edges. I was trying to rub a bit of wax along the tracks to provide a smoother glide when I sliced open a knuckle on the edge. They're super sharp. With mine, it hasn't been an issue b/c my dogs' muzzles are so small that they don't touch the edge when grabbing their treats, but I can easily see a larger or more enthusiastic dog cutting themselves badly.
I'll probably stick on some fuzzy velcro tabs or hot glue a small button on top of each tab to give the girls something to grab at. It's still an affordable alternative. Just be careful. Because of those sharp edges, I wouldn't recommend for frenzied eaters due to the high probability of injury.
UPDATE: After a few more weeks, my dog got better at moving the pieces around, so I decided to upload a vid. As you can see, there are times when she does the right thing and would have moved the piece if she could get better traction with her nose. Still, she enjoys playing, though it now takes her less than 2 minutes to solve. I'll probably buy a few more games to keep her challenged.
