AT MOO MOO & BEAR WE DELIGHT IN CHALLENGING OUR DOGS WITH ACTIVITIES THAT MENTALLY STIMULATE THEM. WE LOVE TO SEE THEM 'WORKING' FOR FOOD AND THEY TOO LOVE THE CHALLENGE OF A WEST PAW TOPPL PUZZLE TOY.  

They say "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach", well this is also true for many a dog.  A puzzle feeder that engages your dog mentally during mealtimes is a big win in my book. It's a brilliant way to funnel your dog’s energy into an activity that stimulates and challenges his brain, all while he has his supper!

 

The award winning Toppl by West Paw is a boredom buster which is creating quite a stir. The girls are big fans, and we think your dog will be too. So let’s talk Toppl. 

 

WHAT IS A TOPPL?

 

A Toppl is a wobbly, topply enrichment toy made by West Paw. You can fill it with treats, food, or spreadable yummys, and you can even put chews in, which will make your dog very happy! 

 

 Image showing the inside of the Toppl with ridges and soft teeth

 

The Toppl has ridges around the top and soft little teeth on the inside, and of course, it wobbles like a weeble but doesn’t fall down! 

It’s incredibly versatile and can be used with a huge array of food, treats, and delicious recipes, more on that later! 

The Toppl is made out of a material called Zogoflex, which is very durable, robust, and, you’ve guessed it, ideal for wobbling!

 

If you’ve read our post exploring what canine enrichment is and why it matters, then you’ll be pleased to know that a Toppl ticks off your cognitive and food enrichment tasks for the day! 

 

AN ECO-FRIENDLY PUZZLE FEEDER FOR DOGS

 

The toppl is made from a material called Zogoflex, manufactured by West Paw themselves, in a bid to produce robust dog toys that are kind to the planet as well as paws. 

 

West Paws are passionate about making things dogs will love that are good for them without negatively impacting people or the planet. This ethos makes the West Paw enrichment range very special; the combination of high-quality dog products that use both eco-friendly processes and materials makes our hearts sing.

 

They’re the first pet product manufacturer to be a certified b-corp, which means they’re committed to taking care of their impact on people and the planet, as well as their bottom line. 

 

Zogoflex is an amazingly tough material, buoyant, pliable, and free from BPA, phthalate, and toxic chemicals.

 

The packaging is made from corn and printed on 100% recycled paper with soy based inks. 

 

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT TOPPL?

 

The demand for the West Paw Toppl has grown to proportions that even the manufacturers are struggling to keep up with! This award-winning puzzle feeder has created quite the buzz and a lot of wagging tails worldwide. 

 

So what’s so special about a Toppl? With so many interactive dog toys and puzzle feeders on the market, why are people (and dogs) going crazy for Toppls?  

 

As people find alternative and imaginative ways to stimulate and mentally challenge their dogs throughout the pandemic, the Toppl has become a firm favourite. 

 

 

HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY THE TOPPL IS SUCH A HIT:

 

• Longevity

The Toppl is perfect for every stage of your dog’s life. Its soft but durable material is suitable for the tender mouths of puppies and senior dogs, meaning your dog can enjoy their Toppl at any age. 

 

It also comes with a Love It Guarantee. That’s right; we are so sure that you’ll love it and that it’ll last that we offer a free refund or replacement if for any reason a Toppl doesn’t float your boat. 

 

• Adaptability

The Toppl is so adaptable, from what you can put inside it to how you can decrease and increase the difficulty level for your dog. 

 

The small and large Toppls (sold separately) interlock to enhance the challenge and up the ante when your dog is ready. You can also use them on their own for mealtimes and snacks. 

 

You can safely pop your dog’s Toppl in the freezer for a cooling enrichment game in the summer or simply to make the fun last a little longer. 

 

The Toppls unique combination of ridges, holes, and soft teeth on the inside means that you can literally put every kind of dog food and treats inside. 

 

 

 

• Eco friendly

The Zogoflex material that both Toppls and Rumbls are made of is infinitely recyclable!  Isn’t that bonkers? A boredom buster for your dog that busts the plastic out of seas too.

 

West Paw recycle every used toy and puzzle feeder, no matter what condition, back into shiny, new dog toys! Now that is blooming amazing. 

 

You can ‘join the loop’ and send back your done and dusted Toppls or Rumbls here…. Bookmark this for a decades time I’d say!  

https://www.westpaw.com/our-story/our-vision/recycle-your-used-toys 

In other words, this puzzle toy is going to keep your dog busy.  Really busy. And it’s going to make your soul feel good too….. Did I mention they are dishwasher friendly?!

 

HOW TO USE YOUR TOPPL

 

The Toppl is such a versatile puzzle feeder, you can use it in so many ways. The dog geek in me gets excited even thinking of them, there is just soooooo much you can do with a Toppl!

 

The endless options of how you can make the most of a Toppl means the investment (yes they are not cheap) is most certainly worth it, as it can be utilised in many ways to keep your dog entertained.

 

Some dogs, such as elderly dogs or young puppies, or those that lose interest easily may need their enrichment activities to be simplified.  Others may need more of a challenge to occupy them because it’s too easy, to allow them to stay engaged for longer.

 

From puppies to those more mature dogs, we can easily customise the Toppl to challenge our dogs throughout the stages of their lifetime.

 

Level 1 - Beginner Toppl Tinkerer 

Suitable for:

• Puppies
• First timers and in the early days of introducing the activity
• Dogs that are pessimistic or those who lack determination
• Nervous dogs
• Older dogs and poorly dogs soon after illness or surgery
• Fussy eaters

The easiest way to use a Toppl, is to simply slot treats between the inner prongs, and let your dog tease them out.  This for sure isn't made easy by the shape of the toy itself…just as they manage to get a lick of a delicious treat in the bottom, it topples over and they have to start again!

 

Start with softer foods at room temperature to encourage your dog to give it a try. If you can choose smelly treats then all the better, your pup will definitely give the wobbly Toppl a whirl!

 

Level 2 - Intermediate Toppl Dabbler

 Suitable for:

• Dogs who are accustomed to using a Kong, Toppl, or Tux
• Fast eaters
• Confident dogs that have grit and determination
• Situations when you need the activity to last longer
• Times when keeping your dog occupied for longer periods is beneficial for your dog
• Days when exercise is limited
• Dogs who need greater mental stimulation

 

To make the challenge a smidge harder you can mix textures of food, use firmer food, add small pieces of more chewable food, or put your recipe in the freezer before feeding.  

 

Level 3 - Expert Toppl Extraordinaire

 

An excellent design feature of the Toppl which allows you to really intensify the challenge and level up your enrichment, is that the small Toppl is made to fit inside the large Toppl. By combining the two sizes, you create a challenging puzzle for your dog which is like no other.  

 

 The ideal puzzle toy for kibble

 

If you are feeding kibble then it’s ideal to use the small and large Toppl together, which allows the loose treats to tumble inside.  Simply connecting them and the small hole on the side allows treats to escape whilst your dog is playing.

 

Imagine a Saturday afternoon BBQ with guests, the hustle and bustle of people chatting and enjoying an afternoon together….finally! The neighbours are mowing the lawn and the dogs need some help to calm their excitement….. We can offer a double whammy of a frozen treat. Yes, two Toppls filled with delicious goodies and frozen together.....blimey that will really keep them focussed, perhaps they’ll even cease barking at the neighbours lawn mowing for a bit!

 

Please do remember, that your dog should be challenged but it should not be too difficult for them to fail. We don’t want to ruin their experience and enjoyment of enrichment, it’s just too precious!

 

WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR TOPPL - FILLERS AND IRRESISTIBLE COMBOS

 

 Photo courtesy of West Paw

 

• Use anything spreadable; simply spread some peanut butter(xylitol-free), cream cheese, or pate around the edges and between the prongs and let the licking commence! It will keep them occupied for some time, ensuring every nook and cranny has been licked clean of every morsel of deliciousness.  

• Fill your Toppl to bursting with yummy ingredients to occupy your dog for longer.  You can mix an infinite number of spreadable and solid foods together.  Moo Moo and Bear love cream cheese with a dollop of peanut butter and grated veg, or pate with a mixture of berries and fruits.  Healthy, long-lasting, and delicious. 

• Fill your Toppl to the brim for a full meal. This ensures your dog’s usual 3-second dinner in a bowl lasts just a bit longer! Kibble works just as well in either size used on its own, but to make sure it doesn’t just topple out, use a paste to block holes and the top, or mix into the kibble first to make it more of a sticky consistency. Goats yoghurt or peanut butter works well here, or mix the kibble with a bit of water.

 

If you take the plunge and buy a Toppl from Moo Moo and Bear then you’ll receive a free download with 20 tasty ideas to fill your Toppl. 

 

WHAT SIZE TOPPL SHOULD I BUY?

 

A lot of our customers ask which size Toppl to buy.  There is no right or wrong, it's entirely dependent on how you plan to use it. 

 

We’re such big Toppl fans that the answer is simple...both!  There is no right or wrong, and the enormous variety and possibilities for each size once you get started are endless.

 

The small Toppl is ideal for snacks, mealtimes for small dogs, and to be used inside the large Toppl as an epic boredom buster for your dog! 

 

The large Toppl is great for a phenomenal banquet of enrichment, mealtimes for medium and larger breeds, and as the most challenging enrichment toy for dogs when paired with the small Toppl and frozen. 

 

 90g plus a few goodies in both as a comparison

 

Both Moo Moo & Bear are raw fed, and being 7.5Kg, their daily allowance split into 2 meals are 80g-90g each.  We tend to use the large Toppl for feeding at meal times, it means we can add extra goodies, such as blueberries or sprats without overfilling the Toppl.  We find the small Toppl perfectly sized as a treat offering, filled with goodies.  

 

Having both sizes enables me to be as creative as I want to be, increasing difficulty, creating different combinations, and I cannot wait until the warm weather when I can really challenge them!  

 

Wow, the demand for Toppls has gone through the roof, join our 'back in stock' list to make sure your pup gets his paws on one as soon as they’re back in stock:  https://www.moomooandbear.co.uk/products/west-paw-zogoflex-toppl-large

 

We’d love to hear what you think once your dog’s given it the once over.