Pet Product Review: Buster Dog Maze
Dr Jo says “A new favourite toy for my dog… and me”
What is the Buster Dog Maze?
The Buster Dog Maze is a useful toy which “provides a challenge for dogs that love food and fun. It stimulates all the senses of the dog as well as helping to slow down their eating. Drop treats into the curved tracks. The dog can easily see, smell and even touch the food, but has to push the food to the exit holes to be able to eat.” Purina Play Systems This product is part of Purina’s new Play Systems range of toys.
Dogs need to be kept occupied, otherwise they make their own occupations – digging your garden, barking, raiding your garbage bins! Dogs also love food. Combining these two drives – to eat and to work – toys that give dogs a job are amazingly useful for most owners. Being left alone becomes a positive event when the dog has a toy like this to occupy them. This helps owners fell less guilty!
Or you could just use it as a dog bowl. This would be extremely effective at slowing down those dogs who wolf their food down.
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Buster Dog Maze details
Easy to use, you simply put food or treats in the maze and let your dog go for it. They have to work their tongues to move the food to the exit holes or to pick it up.
The product can be used indoors or outside and can be put in the dishwasher to clean.
“The idea is to stimulate as many of the dog’s senses as possible, preferably at the same time,” Frederik Lindskov, the inventor, says, adding: “This makes the dog happier and healthier The dog’s preferred sensory organs are its nose, tongue, and paws which is why BUSTER DogMaze is designed to stimulate and challenge the dog’s smell, taste, and sense of touch.”
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Dr Jo’s thoughts
Love it! But I’m not the main product tester. Chilli dog is. Chilli loved it too. She couldn’t wait to get it. And immediately knew what to do. There is no training required with this product, which there is with other dog occupying toys. Within a couple of uses, she would see me get her biscuits out and go and sit next to the Dog Maze. When she licks hard and the kibble or treats fly out, she ignore those pieces and keep working at the others. This toy is really, really stimulating.
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Dr Jo’s pets’ thoughts
Chilli: “Love it! Please let it be eternally refillable – I will just keep checking it in case it has magically refilled itself.”
Cats: “What is that dog doing?” Why is that toy so fascinating? What a long tongue that dog has!”
| Pros | Cons |
| Dogs love it. It is a useful, occupying product and slows down eating. | May cause fighting in multi-dog households unless dogs are separated to use |
| Easy for owners to use No messy funnelling biscuits and treats into tiny spaces | You should remember ithat t will need to be washed |
| Easy to find, does not roll under beds, houses etc | Chewers should be supervised (athough this product is tough) |
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Conclusion The Buster Dog Maze is a very useful, relatively inexpensive product that will last your dog a very long time and keep them amused while they play and eat.
N.B. Dr Joanne Righetti is a consultant to Purina. Purina has not asked Dr Jo to write reviews and have not influenced her opinions in any ways.
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Dr Jo will review more Purina Play System toys soon, including toys for both cats and dogs. Watch a video about the Purina Play Systems and see some in action with the animals at Animal Welfare League
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WIN A BUSTER DOG MAZE Purina have given me a Play Systems Buster Dog Maze to give to one lucky Australian reader of my blog. In your own words (practical, humerous or any other way you like) tell me why you think dogs eat so fast. Please leave your answer in the comments box below. Competition closes at 5pm on Mon 14th Oct.
THIS COMPETITION HAS NOW CLOSED
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Read about the importance of play
Russell, our Jack Russell x just eats. He doesn’t stop to chew, he just scoffs. We have to break up things into little pieces just so he doesn’t swallow a big chunk of anything. I don’t know why he eats so fast. If I knew he didn’t have any taste buds, I would say that would explain it but I know he does have because he’s more partial to some foods than others. He loves marshmallows but refuses to eat tomato and lettuce, but will eat carrots. He is still a chewer when it comes to non food items so something like this would be a great thing to keep him occupied and concentrating on something other than my furniture.
I know that my OCD Maxie would love to win the toy as it would keep him quiet & occupied for quite a while.
My poodle Maxie would love this toy as he has an obsessive compulsive disorder with water and toys and would just love a new toy to keep his mind active. Maxie often tries to get the rainwater out of the plant bases as he is just so obsessed with water. I’m sure that he would fall in love with this toy.
Dogs give love so rapidly, they feel they have to eat fast to keep up! 🙂
My chihuahua eats so fast so that she can then try and steal her sister’s dinner! We have to separate them at dinner time cos she is a little guts! Ha ha
They eat so fast because they know you’ve got something extra to give them. If they’re too slow they’ll miss out…or at least they think they might. I throw Oscar de la bosca’s food all through the garden to slow down his eating. Maybe this product will help.
Dogs eat fast because they want their dessert!
Why do dogs eat fast? Because dogs have the philosophy that everything worth doing should be done with gusto and enthusiasm, including eating. They also believe that stomachs are there to be filled, unless the dog in question is a Labrador, then they believe that stomachs are there to be OVERfilled.
Piper my youngest eats very quickly, gone in 30 seconds lol, but Rose the older dog eats slowly while Piper sits on licking her lips just in case any food in Roses’ bowl is left 🙂
He who finishes first wins! It’s that simple! And to keep it away from competitors – either real or imaginary!
Why do ‘we’ dogs eat quickly? Quite simply if i eat quickly the kibble ends up in my tummy and not that of a competitor. Eating consumes me, I am very vulnerable when I eat….if I eat quickly I can get back to the important stuff of my domesticated life, guarding the house, supervising my humans, playing and sleeping…..hope this helps, love Ole.
Our Chi just swollows her food without taste”ing then tries going for the other dogs ,so we have to watch her very closely .
I think it’s their competitive spirit! We have just fostered Flynn, a Mini Foxy/Cattle Dog cross from Monika’s Doggie Rescue in Sydney. Flynn’s approach to eating is “the quick & the dead”…. But we can’t blame him, we just need to work on relaxing him & letting him know there’s no hurry… & there’s now no chance one of his 100 roomies might get to his food first!
My Whippet Tiger eats fast because if he doesn’t, my other Whippet Sherbet will pinch his tucker. Sherbet eats fast because my ACD Cinnabar is watching for him to stop for breath, when he can strike. Cinnabar is the fastest eater of the lot because my Australian Working Kelpie Guinness is twice his size and will cheerfully share what’s in Cinnabar’s bowl, even if he’s not invited. It’s a sort of doggie domino theory in our house 🙂
Thank you everyone for your insightful entries. I loved reading them.
The winner of this competition is Cherie. I love the idea of enthusiastic dogs and yes, you have the Labrador behaviour spot on!! Your dog will have a Buster Dog Maze very soon. Enjoy! Jo
Well done, Cherie! I loved your answer too!
Dr Jo, where are these available for purchase?
Since they are new, they are still getting into stores. They should be available in large pet specialty stores.