Treat dispensing dog toys are a great way to revitalize your dog’s mealtimes and keep them entertained whether you are out, busy at work, or just fancy a fun way to play with your dog. They’re also great for giving you back a few moments of peace while you’re dog’s occupied trying to figure out their treat dispensing dog toy. And we all know how rowdy our rumbunctious little ruff-monsters can get!
Our wag-wise experts here at Barkforce have researched the best treat dispensing dog toys on the Amazon market today. Read on to find the best option for you and your dog.
Table of Contents
At a Glance: Our Top 3 Picks for the Best Treat Dispensing Dog Toys
Compare the Best Treat Dispensing Dog Toys
| PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
| PetZone IQ Treat Ball | 3 difficulty levels 2 sizes – small and large Non-toxic plastic casing Promotes active lifestyle and healthy eating habits Hard treats only | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
| KONG Wobbler Classic Dog Toy | Kong offer 4 difficulty level toys 6 sizes – XS to XXL Fun bouncing game Soft and hard treats | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
| Starmark ‘Bob-A-Lot’ Interactive Dog Toy | Adjustable to different difficulty levels 2 sizes – small and large Interactive ‘bobbing’ game Soft and hard treats | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
| PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist ‘n Treat | Adjustable – simply twist tight (hard) or loose (hard). 4 sizes – XS to L Interactive ‘twisting’ game Hard treats only | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
| Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble Interactive Puzzle Game Dog Toy | Non-adjustable Brand offers level-specific products – Easy, Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. Interactive puzzle ball Hard treats only | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
Review of the Best Treat Dispensing Dog Toys [2021]
1. PetZone IQ Treat Ball
PetZone IQ Treat Ball
- This food-dispensing dog toy keeps dogs mentally and physically active while they play
- Our interactive treat dispensing dog toys conveniently uses your dog’s favorite dry treats or kibble
- Slower active eating with this dog treat dispensing ball reduces bloating and helps digestion
Overview:
Are you on the hunt for the best treat dispenser that also keeps your dog entertained and mentally stimulated? Are you yearning to get those precious few minutes you wish you could get to yourself if only your dog could just stay occupied? The PetZone IQ Treat Ball can offer exactly that.
This treat-dispensing dog ball toy features an adjustable casing that allows you to alternate between three different difficulty settings or levels. This adjustable feature encourages brain development and training and prepares your dog for more advanced toys. To adjust the difficulty, simply take apart the Treat Ball and you will find 3 interior disks inside. The difficulty will be set at ‘Hard’ with three disks inserted. Remove one disk and the difficulty will be ‘Medium’. Remove two disks to make it ‘Easy’, for growing pups or dogs generally new to interactive, treat-dispensing toys.
The Treat Ball is currently available in two sizes: Small, (three-inch diameter), for pups or teacup dogs; and Medium, (four-inch diameter), for bigger or older dogs. This interactive, treat-dispensing dog toy currently has a 4-star rating on Amazon, with more than 1300 reviews. Furthermore, of those 1300 that left a review, 55% gave this treat toy for dogs a 5-star rating!
Most users felt that the PetZone IQ Treat Ball helped them to foster a stronger relationship with their dogs. This is because when your dog plays with the toy, they’ll be rewarded randomly with the occasional treat. The more this happens, the more your dog will associate the random reward treat with the activity of playing ‘ball’. As a result, this will engender in them a positive feeling towards both you and the ball. Ultimately, this means they’ll never want to put the PetZone treat-dispensing toy down!
On the other hand, some users indicated that they struggled with the noise that the PetZone IQ Treat Ball makes on hard surfaces. This is due to the durable plastic that the hard casing is made out of, which is good for longevity’s sake. However, it could be offputting if the one thing you’re really looking for is a treat-dispensing dog toy that’ll give you some peace and quiet while your rambunctious dog is kept occupied.
Nonetheless, many users were pleased with how well the Treat Ball promoted an active lifestyle. This dispensing toy does this by giving the dog something mobile to play with, whilst establishing healthy feeding habits through a slow-drip style treat-dispensing system.
Pros and Cons
2. KONG Wobbler Classic Dog Toy
KONG Wobbler Classic Dog Toy
- The KONG Classic red rubber toy helps satisfy dogs’ instinctual needs and provides mental stimulation
- The stuffable KONG Classic is even more enticing when stuffed with kibble, peanut butter, KONG Easy Treat, Snacks or Ziggies
- Veterinarians and trainers worldwide recommend the KONG Classic. Made in the USA. Globally Sourced Materials.
Overview:
We were particularly impressed with the Kong Classic Dog Toy, most importantly for their variety in sizes and their various options for dogs at different life stages.
Kongs are to dogs what Candy Crush is to humans. When you pull out the Kong Classic, your dog will get this crazed, hyper-focused look on their face and you just know all hell will break loose! Fill the Kong Classic with a mix of wet, dry, and smearable dog treats and they will paw at it for hours, aching to get every last lick of the delicious kibble mix inside.
Firstly, the Kong Classic comes in 6 sizes, from XS – for teacup dogs or puppies – to XXL for Huskies, or Malamutes. Secondly, Kong currently offers the Wobbler in four different forms increasing in rubber strength: the ‘Puppy Rubber‘ for beginning chewers; this kibble dispensing toy, the ‘Classic Rubber‘ for average chewers; the ‘Senior Rubber‘ for aging chewers; and last but definitely not least, the ‘Extreme Rubber‘ for power chewers. This diversity in strength means that no matter why breed of dogs you have, you will never be stuck for choice with the Kong Wobbler Dog Toy!
At the time of writing, the Kong Classic has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon, with over 16,000 reviews. That makes this one of the best, highest-rated kibble-dispensing toys on the list! Moreover, of those who left a review, a whopping 79% gave this treat-dispensing toy a 5-star rating. As a result, it’s clear that this is one of the most reputable, reliable dispensing toys around, and well worth a try.
However, some users have reported difficulty with smearable products being hard to clean out of the Kong Classic. For this, we recommend using a small toothbrush with warm, soapy water to clean the hard-to-reach crevices. Alternatively, you could submerge the full dispensing toys in hot, soapy water before leaving to air dry. This will enable you to clean off tough stains and grime.
On a more positive note, the Kong Classic is widely popular for its unique bounce and durable rubber material. The high-quality rubber exterior makes this treat dispensing toy almost impossible to damage or destroy, making for long-lasting fun and games. Along the same vein, the Kong Classic can be bounced high and wide, so that you and your dog can enjoy hours of interactive bouncing fun!
Furthermore, washing the Kong Classic toy for dogs is easy, and can even be done 100% hands-free! Simply load into the top shelf of your dishwasher, sit back and relax! Let the suds do the work for you.
The KONG Puppy Toy
- The KONG Puppy’s unpredictable bounce makes for exciting games of fetch and other interactive play with your pet.
- The KONG Puppy rubber formula is created for power chewing dogs.
- Veterinarians and trainers worldwide recommend the KONG Puppy. Made in the USA. Globally Sourced Materials.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a treat-dispensing toy for your growing dog, Kong also offers the Puppy Toy with Teething Rubber. The Kong Puppy toys are expertly-designed with a soft rubber formula that is customized to a growing puppy’s baby canine teeth and gums. This gentle, but long-lasting toy helps satisfy instinctual needs and provides mental stimulation. While it doesn’t feature more than one difficulty level, it does help to stimulate mental agility and foster an active mentality. By encouraging healthy play and satisfying instinctual needs, this toy helps solve chewing, separation anxiety, teething, boredom, weight management, crate training, digging, barking, and more!
So, to give your pup a kibble-filled delight, get them a few of the Kong Puppy dispensing toys.
Pros and Cons
3. Starmark “Bob A Lot” Interactive Dog Toy
Starmark “Bob A Lot” Interactive Dog Toy
- The Large bottom Chamber fits up to 3 cups of Food – enough for a full meal
- Adjustable openings at the top and bottom accommodate most types of dog Food and allow you to regulate the difficulty level
- Weighted anti-slip bottom makes the toy wobble erratically enticing your dog to play
Overview:
We were impressed with the specs on the Starmark Bob A Lot Interactive Dog Toy. In particular, we were most impressed with the fun, colorful design which we felt fostered a positive relationship between your dog and their toy. We were also pleased with the weighted, anti-slip bottom that encourages your dog to play with it. We also enjoyed the adjustability feature that allows your dogs to ‘level up’, in doggy development terms, that is. However, some users reported that the Bob A Lot arrived emitting an overwhelming rubber odor upon opening, which could be offputting to some.
The Bob A Lot Interactive Dog Toy comes from Starmark. Starmark is a “facilitator of world-class education and training programs for dogs”, and as a result, they are experts in understanding how dogs think, play, learn, and grow. This hands-on knowledge makes their products unique in their goal to keep your pets happy in their homes by improving their relationships with you, their owners. The Bob A Lot dispensing toys currently have a 4.3-star rating on Amazon, with over 7000 reviews. Of those who reviewed, 68% gave the Bob A Lot a 5-star rating.
Some users felt that the ‘Large’ option worked well as both a treat-dispensing toy and as a meal-dispensing toy. This is because the Bob A Lot large option features a hefty bottom chamber that can carry up to 3 cups of treats, which is more than enough for a full meal.
However, those with dogs that are prone to extreme levels of chewing will be disappointed. This is because the casing is made out of a hard plastic that isn’t resistant to chewing. As a result, your dog might damage the casing, allowing the treats to fall out too easily, thus defeating the object entirely. Therefore, this product is only really recommended for puppies, average chewers, or dogs that don’t chew at all.
Nonetheless, most users were pleasantly surprised by the ease of cleaning that the Bob A Lot provides. Unlike a lot of treat-dispensing toys, the Bob A Lot features a yellow top that can be removed to clean the hard plastic interior within. Simply submerge and soak the toy in warm, soapy water. Next, you will be best off scrubbing any crevices with a small, thin bottle brush.
As another added bonus, the removable yellow section allows you to rotate the inner pieces in order to adjust the opening where the kibble will fall out. As a result, you can adjust the difficulty level so that your dog will have to work harder in order to be rewarded. This will train their brain to work harder, whilst keeping them active as they push and knock around the ball.
Pros and Cons
4. PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist’n’Treat
PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist’n’Treat
- The two halves are adjustable to hold small treats and kibble; fill with hard, soft and smearable treats
- Twist the halves far apart to dispense a quick treat or twist closer together for a tougher challenge to keep your pet playing longer
- The two pieces twist together to hold your dog’s favorite food or treats
Overview:
Looking for a way to reward your dog for playing, whilst also giving them something fun and challenging to keep them occupied? Then, look no further than thePetSafe Busy Buddy Twist’n’Treat treat-dispensing toys for dogs.
The Twist’n’Treat treat-dispensing toys come from PetSafe. The PetSafe brand has been a trust global leader in pet behavior, containment, and lifestyle innovations for almost 30 years. They help pets and their owners live happily together, providing the best accessories for your dog-friendly home.
At the time of writing, the Twist’n’Treat has a 4-star rating on Amazon, with more than 1500 reviews. Of those who reviewed, 56% gave this kibble-dispensing dog toy 5-stars. The Twist’n’Treat dog toys can currently cost between $4.95 and $13.95 on PetSafe’s own site, which could be too pricey for some.
Most users found the Twist’n’Treat particularly effective because of the adjustable feature included. This adjustability allows you to twist the two halves either closer together for a tighter opening, and, therefore, bigger challenge; or further apart, for quick kibble-dispensing.
Other users felt that the Twist’n’Treat dog toys promote optimum dental and mental health. They do this by cleaning your dog’s teeth and reducing their anxiety drastically. This, as a result, gives you both the necessary peace and quiet to relax.
However, some users felt that the Twist’n’Treat toy isn’t entirely suitable for unsupervised play. This is because the holes used for inserting the kibble and treats can be too big for more fluid treats, like spreads and wet dog food. As a result, floors and surfaces can become messy quite easily. Therefore, we recommend only using this dispensing toy for dry kibble and treats only.
Nonetheless, the PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist’n’Treat is the first and ONLY two-piece adjustable rubber kibble-dispensing toy to grace the market. It’s definitely worth a look for that reason alone!
Pros and Cons
5. Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble Interactive Puzzle Game Dog Toy
Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble Interactive Puzzle Game Dog Toy
- The Nina Ottosson Small Treat Tumble is perfect for treating and training your pup.
- The Small Treat Tumble by Nina Ottosson is a dog game that is as fun indoors as it is out! Strong construction and wipeable surfaces make this Nina Ottosson dog game ideal for indoor and outdoor playtime.
- This Level 1 Small Treat Tumble works as a way to perk your pup’s interest in puzzles and prepare them for more the more challenging games to come.
Overview:
We were impressed with the Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble, most specifically with the specs. The Treat Tumble is made with 100% pet-safe, food-safe, and BPA-free plastic. Therefore, it’s perfectly non-toxic and safe for you, your family, and your dog.
The Treat Tumble interactive puzzle dog toys come from Outward Hound, a brand that’s relatively fresh to the market, but with all of the passion and care for your pets’ wellbeing as the leading pet accessory retailers. Outward Hound have built their brand around their shared dream for creating innovative products that solve real pet problems. Nina Ottosson is a pet-accessory brand within the Outward Hound team. Her award-winning products have improved the lives of pets and their owners since 1990, and she’s not about to stop anytime soon.
At the time of writing, the Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble currently has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon, with over 9900 reviews. Of those that left a review, 65% gave these toys a 5-star review.
Most users felt that the Treat Tumble provided an enjoyable, mess-free game that challenged their dog and kept them occupied while they got on with more important things. They also commented on the higher-level alternatives offered, noting that the diversity in difficulty encouraged their dogs to concentrate more. As a result, they became less focused on wolfing their food down because they were hungry, and more focused on trying to get each of the treats out. Users felt, therefore, that this helped encourage healthy eating habits, forcing their dogs to slow down to eat and process each bite.
However, other users reported issues with the Treat Tumble casing, indicating that they were unable to separate the two halves to clean inside. This will put some users off, as it’s hard to clean and therefore won’t last too long.
Nonetheless, the overall response to the Treat Tumble was overwhelmingly positive, with many users enjoying the maraca-esque rattle the kibble mix within the toy made as it rattled across the floor. If you’re a fan of maracas, this is definitely the kibble-dispensing toy for your lifestyle!
Pros and Cons
The All-Inclusive Guide to the Best Treat Dispensing Dog Toys:
What Can You Put in Dog Treat Toys?
You might be wondering which treats you can actually put into your snack dispensing dog toy, but worry not! Most treat balls are suitable for carrying a wide variety of dry treats, kibbles, and snacks. Since treat dispensing dog toys are so vastly popular, as a result, these treats are available across the US, in stores such as Walmart, Target, or even Marshall’s. For some high-quality dog treats that are suitable for most treat-dispensing dog toys, check out leading dog treat brand, Zuke’s‘ variety of natural dog treats.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all dog toys that dispense treats are suitable for holding all treats. For example, the Nina Ottosson Treat Tumble doesn’t disassemble, so for cleaning’s sake, it’s only suitable for holding dry food or treats. Whereas, the KONG Wobbler Classic Dog Toy, on the other hand, can be filled with a variety of wet AND dry dog food and treat mixes. Therefore, it’s vital to check the product specs carefully before buying, to avoid disappointment.
To really ensure you get some peace and quiet, check out our review of the King Kalm Crunch CBD Treats for Dogs. This will alleviate your pup’s anxieties and soothe them into a calming sleep, for ultimate relaxation.
Toys That Dogs Can Play With By Themselves
None of the treat-dispensing toys that we’ve covered require you to be involved while your dogs are using them. But there are plenty of more advanced treat-dispensing toys out there which require human involvement simply because they’re more advanced.
Nina Ottosson is a perfect example of a brand that offers exactly these types of treat-dispensing toys: the Hide-n-Slide is a level-two alternative for dogs at an intermediate level; while the Nina Ottosson Multipuzzle is reserved for the most advanced dogs. From the Hide-n-Slide to the Multipuzzle, each requires you to insert the treats, cover them up, and interact with your dog as they attempt to sniff out the snacks.
So, the decision is ultimately up to you: are you in need of a dog toy that both provides mental stimulation and keeps your dog occupied to give you the space that you crave? Or are you looking to get more involved with your darling dog, and want interactive toys for dogs that will give you both a greater bond?
Are Treat Balls Good for Dogs?
Most – if not all – of the treat-dispensing dog toys that we’ve covered so far have been made for the specific use of dispensing treats or promoting slower, healthier mealtimes. This means that they tend to be made with a durable, albeit it non-chew-resistant, plastic casing. As a result, they can be unsuitable for long periods of unsupervised chewing.
For the most part, treat balls can be really good for dogs, because they bring a variety of physical and mental benefits. Firstly, they promote an active lifestyle, forcing your dog to work for their treats instead of just sitting for them. Secondly, they require a high level of concentration in order to master, which improves your dog’s mental agility whenever the difficulty level is increased. Lastly, a treat ball can help to establish healthier and more appropriate feeding habits. This is because it will force your dog to wait until each treat is dispensed in order to be fed. As a result, by the time they eat their meals, they will have already become accustomed to waiting before eating.
However, if you’re a busy pet parent of a dog that is prone to extreme chewing, then you might want to think about investing in an interactive dog toy that doesn’t require a specific usage. These can be found in the hundreds – if not thousands – online. Check out the Wobble Wag Giggle Ball for a great example of a fun, non-toxic, owner-not-required, interactive dog toy.
Our Closing Thoughts
Every pet is different, and choosing the right treat-dispensing dog toy for your unique pup can be tricky. Check out our guide on the particularly relaxing CBD Treats for Dogs. These treats can be cut to size to fit any dispensing dog toy.
We hope our in-depth guide to the best treat dispensing dog toy can help you in your search.
I believe the Kong Wobbler and the Kong Classic toys are different but you refer to them interchangeably. I’m looking for reviews specific to the Wobbler and would love to see an update.