Is the hide a squirrel dog toy good for puppies? Discover why vets recommend this interactive puzzle toy.

Okay, so let me tell you about this squirrel dog toy situation. My dog, Buster, he got this fluffy squirrel toy with a squeaker inside, you know the type. And man, he loved that thing. Like, really loved it.

He carried it everywhere. It was his buddy. Wake up? Squirrel. Nap time? Squirrel. Trying to watch TV? Squeak, squeak, squeak... squirrel right in my face. It was cute at first, but after a while, that squeaker started haunting my dreams. I swear I could hear it even when he wasn't playing with it.

So, one afternoon, I thought, alright, let's make this interesting. And maybe get myself five minutes of quiet. I decided I was gonna hide the squirrel.

The Great Squirrel Heist Begins

My first brilliant idea? Stick it behind the couch cushions. Real original, I know. I waited till Buster was distracted by something outside, probably a leaf blowing across the yard. I grabbed the squirrel, shoved it deep between the cushions, and sat back down, trying to look totally innocent.

He came back inside, looked around, tail wagging, then instantly froze. Sniffed the air. Head tilted. He walked straight to the couch, jammed his nose into the exact spot, and pulled out the squirrel like it was nothing. Mission failed. Took him maybe ten seconds.

Alright, gotta step up my game. Next, I tried the laundry room. We keep the door closed usually. I waited for him to go drink some water, then I dashed into the laundry room, put the squirrel behind the detergent bottle on a low shelf, and quietly shut the door. Felt pretty smug about that one.

Didn't last long. He finished his water, trotted over to the laundry room door, sniffed the bottom edge like a detective, and started doing this little whimpering scratch thing he does. He knew. He absolutely knew it was in there. I couldn't handle the sad eyes, so I opened the door, and boom, he made a beeline for the shelf.

Okay, Third Time's the Charm?

My last attempt for the day involved more strategy. I thought, maybe height is the key.

• Grabbed the squirrel (again, when he wasn't looking).
• Went to the bedroom.
• Placed it on top of the wardrobe. Pretty high up, he definitely couldn't reach it.

This time, it actually worked for a bit! He searched the living room, sniffed the usual spots, looked genuinely confused. I almost felt bad. He wandered around, checking his toy basket, looking under chairs. But eventually... he came into the bedroom, sat down right below the wardrobe, looked up, and let out a single, knowing "woof." How did he even know to look up there?

So yeah, hiding the squirrel toy didn't really give me much quiet time. But watching him figure it out, using that doggy brain and nose of his, it was actually pretty fun. He seemed to enjoy the challenge too. Now, sometimes I hide it on purpose, just to watch him work. He always finds it, though. Always. That squirrel is just part of the family now, I guess. Squeaker and all.