I usually feed Elly her breakfast in a mushroom shaped food dispensing toy. I put it on the easiest setting to start but within a few days she was emptying it in a few minutes and I had to make it harder. That slowed her down to about 10 minutes per meal but again she mastered it and was emptying it in record time. So now I have it set at the hardest level, she still usually empties it in less than 10 minutes. She rolls it around the living room, sometimes picking it up, running with it and then letting it go. She burns a little energy and works on her balance too!
This past Sunday though she took a different tact. Usually after I give her the toy she will run off with it and I can hear her rolling it around the living room. On Sunday she took off with it but then it was quiet. Quiet generally means that it is stuck under a chair or stool and she waits for me to come get it for her. I went in to see where it was stuck on Sunday morning and found her sitting in her bed with her toy.
She spent almost 15 minutes eating her breakfast without leaving the bed. It took so long that a the beginning of the video (I recorded her whole breakfast) the entire bed was in the sunshine coming though the window, by the end of the video the left part of the bed was shaded.
Sometimes a girl just needs breakfast in bed on a lazy Sunday!
(be sure to turn up the volume so you can hear her crunching)
I can’t get over how gentle and calm she is. She clearly finds the mushroom toy utterly absorbing. You’re doing so brilliantly with her.
I might have to try these with Elsie and Meg. They used to have weebles, which they loved, but I stopped them after Meg’s amp as she kept rearing up and trying to use her remaining front leg, which worried me. This seems like she would mostly use her nose.
I’ve had to adjust toys for Elly and Obie. The mushroom toy is really a winner for Elly but she has figured out how to roll it up on end since the food comes out easier. She has also started picking it up (like in the video)and holding it upside down until she hears the kibble fall! I need to get another toy to add to the breakfast routine.
I agree Clare, Elly seems so gentle and is definitely focused!
I did cut the volume up and loved hearing her crunching sounds and a bit of “slurping” sounds came through too!
She really is a very smart doggy. Quite masterfully gets each tasty morsel out…And has fun doing it!
I ALWAYS love reading about ALL your pack (past and present). Getting pictures of Elly always makes me smile all day!
Sunday morning at your house is the best!!! Then again, being your dog at your house…everyday is the best!!
Love!
Sally and Alumni Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle and Frankie too!
That is just too cute! Had to lol when she picked it up to get more. Life sure looks “fun” at your house!
This is so awesome. She just needed to soak up some Vitamin D with her breakfast. Way to go Elly. Love how you feed her breakfast this way.
xoxoxo
Michelle & Angel Sassy
LOVE it. This is perfect for recovering Tripawds and ones who just want breakfast in bed some days. Thanks for the head’s up on it.
I hadn’t thought of recovering pups. The bed is so big because it was for two pugs at my old house, now Elly is the only one who uses it. I added a memory foam base and lowered the front edge when Tani was aging. I’ve not seen Elly ever use the bed to contain the toy until that one day. I’ll have to video how she usually rolls it all over the living room.