Best Treat Dispenser for Dogs: Keep Your Pup Entertained!
Okay, so I've been wanting to build one of those treat-dispensing toys for my dog, Max, for a while. He gets bored easily, and I figured this would keep him entertained. I finally got around to doing it, and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how it went:
Gathering Supplies
First, I scrounged around for some stuff. I needed:
- A sturdy plastic bottle (I used an old peanut butter jar, washed it out really well, of course)
- Some scrap wood
- A few screws
- A dowel rod (I think I grabbed one from an old broom handle?)
- My trusty drill
- Sandpaper (to smooth rough spots)
Building the Base
I started by building a simple wooden base. Basically, I just cut two pieces of wood into squares and screwed them together to make a sort of platform. This is what the bottle will spin on.
Prepping the Bottle
Next, I took the plastic jar and drilled a hole clean through it, near the bottom. The hole needed to be big enough for the dowel rod to fit through snugly but still spin freely. I also drilled a few smaller holes around the sides of the jar – these are where the treats will fall out. I made sure to sand down any sharp edges around the holes so Max wouldn't get hurt.
Putting It All Together
Then, I slid the dowel rod through the hole in the bottle. I centered the bottle on the wooden base and marked where the dowel rod hit the sides of the base. I then drilled holes in the base at those marks, just big enough for the dowel rod to fit through.
I slid the bottle and dowel assembly through the holes in the base. I made sure it could spin freely. It was a bit wobbly, so I added some small pieces of wood as supports on either side of the bottle, screwing them into the base. These kept the bottle from sliding around too much.
Testing and Enjoying
Finally, I filled the bottle with some of Max's favorite treats, put the lid on, and let him at it! He was confused for a second, then he figured out that if he nudged the bottle, treats would fall out. He was occupied for a good hour, happily batting at the bottle and gobbling up the rewards. Success!
It's not the prettiest thing, but it works! And honestly, seeing Max so happy and engaged was totally worth the little bit of effort. If you've got a bored pup, I definitely recommend giving this a try. It's a super cheap and easy way to keep them entertained.
