Puzzles for Dogs
Puzzles
Do you have any puzzles for your dog?
At Zali & Co one of our main focuses is to continually source different enrichment products for dogs.
We’re delighted to be stocking the Nina Ottosson (Sweden) puzzles. Nina created these puzzles to exercise our dog’s mind and body.
NINA OTTOSSON STORY
THE ORIGINAL DESIGNER AND DEVELOPER OF DOG ACTIVITY GAMES & TOYS SINCE 1990
Nina Ottosson´s philosophy is that the dog has four legs and one head, and all five need activity in different ways – both physical and mental.
1. Nina Ottosson games and toys will exercise your dog’s mind and body.
2. Can help prevent and reduce behavior problems!
3. Help prevent and reduce weight problems.
4. The games will help strengthen your bond with your dog.
5. Prevent boredom.
Nina Ottosson’s range of durable interactive games have been designed to stimulate a dog’s brain whilst reinforcing his relationship with people. Each design has a unique mechanism that requires mental as well as physical dexterity to work through the challenges and reveal hidden food rewards. They can be set to differing levels of complexity, to satisfy all ages and breeds of dog. So whether you have a ‘Forrest Gump’ or an ‘Albert Einstein’, there is a Nina Ottosson game design to suit every dog!
MENTAL ACTIVITY - WHY
Dogs as well as humans need a certain amount of activity. But it’s important to find a balance of activity and inactivity, so that the dog does not get stressed by under - or overactivity. Walking is a great activity, but dogs also need mental stimulation. All dogs need to use their head sometimes in order to feel good, and some dogs have a greater need than others. If they don’t get to channel their energy into an organized activity, they can sometimes create their own “fun”, which is not always appreciated by the owners, such as chewing on things, or just get hyperactive. At the same time it’s important to just be still and wait while we stand and talk to someone, or just lie next to us on a bench and watch dogs and people walk by without reacting. Activation of your dog can be anything from tracking in the woods to obedience training, learning different tricks, or hiding treats or a toy to find in a room.
In the summer when the weather is good and it is not raining, the dogs normally get more stimulation, it is easier and more fun to be outside and play and come up with activities for your dog. In the winter it can be boring when it is raining, or cold and windy. At the same time it is often hard to vary the activities indoors and think of fun activities that are entertaining, simple and stimulating. Mental activation is something many dog owners may not have time for, or have difficulty coming up with things to do, and may not realize how important it is for the dog’s overall health. It would significantly reduce the number of “problem dogs” if everyone understood how important it is for the dog to use both its head as well as its legs. Nina’s philosophy is that the dog has four legs and one head, and all five need activity in different ways – dogs need a mix of physical and mental activity.
WHY NINA BEGAN TO DEVELOP DOG ACTIVITY TOYS & GAMES
She had worked in health care for 17 years and when her two kids were born a year and a half apart, 1989 & 1990, she did not have time to activate her dogs the way they and her were used to. She had two Bouvier des Flandres that she used to train and compete with. Her bad conscience made her start thinking about how to activate her dogs in a simple, fun and varied way indoors, together with the kids, and since 1990 she has worked with the development and design of dog-activating toys/games that will mentally stimulate the dog, i.e. “brain exercises” in a fun and creative way. The toys are also easy to get out and use indoors and are specially developed to match the dog’s natural movements and instincts.
Zali is loving her Dog Brick puzzle by Nina!
