What is a Kong Wobbler?
The Kong Wobbler looks very much like the Kong Classic. Wobblers are larger and made out of a harder plastic. It has the capacity to handle most dogs' entire meal. This makes the Kong Wobbler more of a variation on a slow feeder for your dog. While slowing down their eating it also keeps them active. This is different than the Kong Classic, which is smaller and made of rubber. The classic is generally used for treat time or to keep your pup busy in their crate.
Wobbler Review Cliffs Notes
Overall the Kong Wobbler is a great toy for almost every dog! It is an interactive toy that helps keep dogs busy and it provides a ton of mental stimulation. The mental stimulation portion is key to keeping your dog out of trouble. Providing a positive behavior of playing with the toy. The AKC recommends all sorts of Brain Games for Mental Stimulation. These games keep your dog out of trouble on a daily basis.
Check out others' reviews of the Kong Wobbler on Amazon. Both the small and the large version are available for your pup! We will go over what size is right for your dog and how much food you can fit inside of it!
Putting the Wobbler to Work!
The way the Kong Wobbler works is overall pretty simple. You put your dog's food into it and then they knock it around trying to get the food out. There is a small hole in the side of the Wobbler. Unlike the Kong Classic that has the hole in the bottom. There is also weight in the bottom of the Wobbler. Weight being located in the bottom causes the Wobbler to pop back up after your dog knocks it over.
The combination of the weight keeping the Wobbler upright and the small holes on the side of the toy keeps the food coming out slowly. This allows the Kong Wobbler to work similar to a slow feeder puzzle bowl. If you are looking for a puzzle bowl instead, I recommend that you check out this article on the 12 Best Slow Feeder Bowls.
Here are our favorite Wobbler alternatives from the slow feeder article:
A reasonably priced plastic slow feeder bowl. Available in three sizes. Slows down your dogs feeding and keeps the food in a bowl. Unlike the Kong wobbler which leaves food all over the floor!
The Bandit Bowl Slow Feeder is the most expensive on the list and there is good reason for it. This is a ceramic bowl made by a professional potter and not some commercially mass produced product.
Neater Pets has come up with a combination of puzzle bowl and an elevated feeder. This is great for reducing the chances of bloat in your dog.
Wobbler vs Slow Feeder Bowls
When comparing the Wobbler to slow feeder bowls, results vary. For many dogs the Wobbler will keep the dog busier longer and slow their feeding down more than a typical puzzle bowl. This is because they have less access to the food and only a small hole for it to come out of. The disadvantage is that the dog will be moving around a lot more and eating their food all over your room as opposed to in a single location. This also leads to them licking the floor where the food came out. While this is fine for some dog owners, others are not a fan of the potential mess it causes and would prefer the dog to eat in a single location and straight out of a bowl instead of off the floor.
Wobbler vs Snuffle Mats
A Snuffle Mat is another interactive feeding option that is popular with our clients. It is basically a mat generally made out of different pieces of cloth material. You hide food and other treats for your dog to search for in the cloth. We reviewed the LiveKey Snuffle Mat in detail and discuss the advantages of this type of product. We find Snuffle Mats to be harder to clean than the Kong Wobbler. The amount of mental stimulation is about the same.
How Often Should I Use the Kong Wobbler
Many of our clients that buy the wobbler will use them with their puppy at both breakfast and dinner. This keeps the dog busy for a while so the owners can have a little free time! Many clients will even bring it into the bathroom and feed their pup while they are showering/getting ready in the morning. The Wobbler is a great toy for either a young dog or an older dog that needs a little more mental stimulation in their life.
Showing Your Dog How to Use the Kong Wobbler
It is important to note that the Kong Wobbler is not meant to be utilized as a chew toy. It is an interactive toy that keeps your dog busy but should be taken away after they have gotten all their food out of it. Some dogs take a little effort to understand how to use the Kong Wobbler Toy. The first couple of times your pup plays with the Wobbler, keep an eye on them. If they try and chew the wobbler open stop them by taking the toy away for a brief second. Then place it back in front of them. Then knock to Wobbler over with your hand to show them that food will fall out.
Similarly, if your dog just looks at Wobbler and doesn't know how to use it, just knock it over a few times. They will see that food falls out of the hole when they knock it over. They can use either their paws or their nose to knock the toy around.
How to Make the Kong Wobbler Harder
An easy way to make the Wobbler harder for your dog to use is to choose a food that has multiple sizes of kibble. The larger pieces will naturally be harder for your pup to get out of the hole, making the game take longer and getting them more tired out. Some other interesting ideas is to quickly dunk a few pieces of your dog's food in water. The goal is not to soak them to the point of being mushy, but just enough water so they can freeze together. Then place them in an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. These larger chunks will keep your dog interested in the toy longer and won't come out until they thaw.
How Much Food Fits in the Kong Wobbler
The small Wobbler will fit enough food for small and medium dogs. Many large dog's feeding requirements will also fit for the small wobbler, but giant breeds and those with a large diet will need to go with the Large Wobbler.
Which Kong Wobbler Should I Get
We recommend the small wobbler for any dog under 40 pounds. Dogs larger than 40 lbs should generally get the Large Wobbler so that it can hold their entire meal.
Final Verdict on the Kong Wobbler
The Wobbler is a great buy for anyone who wants to slow their dog down while eating and give them mental stimulation. The only downside we see is the potential mess the Wobbler can create with your dog eating all over the house! If you are looking to slow down your dog's eating, but want to keep them in one place, make sure to check out the Snuffle Mat or a Puzzle Bowl!
Find both the small and large Kong Wobbler on Amazon! If you do a House Call or Board and Train with one of our experienced trainers, they can sell you the product right there on your lesson!
Great for larger dogs like Great Danes and Akitas. Also a perfect option when you looking to feed an entire meal from the wobbler interactive feeder.
The small wobbler is great for dogs under 40 lbs. It also is perfect if you are just looking to use the wobbler for treat time with your dog.
