Mealtime for pets should be positive experiences, a time to ensure your animal companions get the nutrients they need to stay healthy and active. If you have noticed lately that your dog or cat is leaving more food in their bowl than usual, and health issues are not a factor, it may be time to switch up how they eat, not necessarily what. This fall, consider upgrading the standard food bowl for a bento-type system that not only provides a safe environment for feeding but encourages nutritional enrichment.

About Nutritional Enrichment

Pet owners use nutritional enrichment, or feeding enrichment, as a way to improve a dog’s natural ability to successfully forage for food. Rather than simply present meals in an easily accessible manner, you utilize special feeders that challenge your dog and reward proper behaviors. Your dog will not only eat well, but also sharpen their mental acuity and enjoy more exercise.

Feeders suitable for nutritional enrichment include:

Treat Dispensers

Direct treat dispensers act like feeders with a twist, in that your dog or cat has to sniff, scratch, lick, or chew the toy as they figure out how to get to the savory or sweet surprise. All the while, your pets are stimulated and definitely not bored. The KONG is perhaps the best known in this category.

A favorite especially with dogs, the KONG dispenser is a toy that keeps on giving! Stuff a KONG with fresh or frozen treats and watch your dog figure out how to hold it steady for a nice snack. There’s no limit to the foods suitable for this dispenser. For raw-diet dogs, blend their meals into a sturdy paste. Dogs who eat kibble and wet-foods can enjoy a combination of the two for added protein, and even mix-ins of pureed veggies like spinach, kale, and canned pumpkin. You can also blend other “people foods” like cooked meats and cheeses provided they contain nothing toxic to your pet. If using peanut butter, make sure it does not contain Xylitol.

Shop Care-A-Lot Pet Supply’s selection of treat dispensers, like the KONG Treat Spinner or KONG Bamboo Feeder Ball for dogs, and the Catit PIXI White Mouse and Red Rooster for cats! KONG Easy Treats like Bacon and Cheese and Pepperoni are two popular choices for filling.

Puzzle Feeders

Aptly named, this type of feeder requires your pet to use their noggin in order to get to the treat. Puzzle feeders are beneficial for overactive dogs and cats who need time to calm down before eating. The puzzles work their minds but not necessarily their bodies, and they become less restless.

Outward Hound distributes Nina-Ottoson feeders from Sweden, regarded as one of the major brands of pet puzzle feeders. The Dog Tornado is a fun searching toy, while the Dog Worker Puzzle lets your dog move pieces to find treats. For cats, the Bugging Out Puzzle & Play and the Rainy Day Puzzle & Play games nurture their foraging instincts.

Slow Feeders

For pets that wolf down their food, slow feeders are useful in conditioning pacing at mealtime. They also help your pets utilize multiple senses when eating, so that they can better appreciate their food and develop good digestion and eating habits. The more your pets eat from a slow feeder, the less likely they will rush through meals and other activities.

For dogs, the Outward Hound Fun Feeder Slo-Bowl is set up like a maze for dry food, while the Outward Hound 3 in 1 Up Feeder Bowl has ridges designed to slow down food consumption and stimulate smell and taste. For cats, the Petstages Kitty Slow Feeder and  Messy Cats Silicone Interactive Cat Feeder promote slow eating for reduced bloat. 

Lick Mats

Licking is known to help reduce a dog’s anxiety during stressful moments like thunderstorms, and lick mats take this another step by connecting calm behaviors with eating. Lick mats are usually made of silicone and feature ridges or bumps to stimulate a dog’s tongue during feeding. Lick mats are suitable for holding wet food or raw food, or frozen treats in between mealtimes for a snack. 

Messy Mutts Silicone Therapeutic Feeding Mat and the Pet Zone Boredom Busters Indulge mat are great for soothing, stimulating feeds.

Snuffle Mats

What lick mats are for wet foods, snuffle mats work for dry kibble and other small treats. Some may look like rug swatches, others like baby hide-and-seek toys. Colorful and bright, snuffle mats hide food and allow for your dog to sniff through the folds and shag to find what they crave. It’s a great way to add a bit of fun and visual stimulation to mealtime.

The Injoya Pizza Snuffle Mat and the Injoya Shark Snuffle Mat are just two ways for your dog to search and find their favorite treats. Both are machine washable, too!

Experiment with different methods of feed enrichment to keep your pets well-fed. If your dog or cat plateaus with a specific type of feeder, switch it up again to stimulate their appetites and their minds. At Care-A-Lot Pet Supply, you will find a variety of feeders designed to meet your pets’ needs. Visit any of our locations in Hampton Roads and Moyock, or shop online.