Chew Test It’s Literally A-Maze-Balls
I was drawn to the Orbee Tuff Mazee toy by Planet Dog as it had an original design and combines a treat dispenser with a 3D puzzle maze. It was a stand out compared to generic dog treat dispensers in that the dog would really have to work at it to figure out how to get the treats out and as the label says “encourages slow eating”.
Fun Factor
There’s a lot to like about this toy. The maze is big enough to have multiple pathways for treats to go and has two halves that connect at the opposite end so there are a few ways to solve it. The maze itself keeps the ball round and gives it some structure as the exterior ball shell is a softer shell, almost gel like. My dog definitely likes playing with it trying to get the food out and pushing it around as a ball. It also floats should it ever find itself in a body of water.
Quality & Durability
As much as we enjoyed the toy the durability became an issue of concern over time even though it is a well-designed product. My dog would sometimes lose patience over trying to get the last few treats out that were deep in the maze that he started biting the maze to bend it to his will! Being a rottweiler, brute force is one of his favorite tools in his toolbox. The tactical chewing led to other damages such as puncturing the soft ball exterior but did not chip or crack that would cause extra holes for the treats to fall out of.
Safety
Given the level of chew abuse that Eli put this thing through it surprisingly held up well. While it isn’t designed to be chewed on I could see the durability issues mentioned with other large dogs or power chewers. That said I would keep an eye out for the integrity of the Orbee Tuff Mazee as it may shred over time. Cleaning the inside of it is also a bit tricky as you would imagine with all the pathways.
Indoor: It is lightweight and soft to the touch so overall not much to worry about indoors.
Outdoor: Ideally this dispenser toy should not be brought outside as it is meant to contain food but if it goes get outside it can easily be washed off.
Value
For what it is and what it is meant to do I think this can be a great toy for many dogs. For a mild-mannered dog such as mine who is a power chewer this toy will have a shelf life depending on how aggressive your dog is but should have a good time with it. Given the price tag however it might be a bit on the expensive side for something that isn’t indestructible.
Final Thoughts
This Planet Dog puzzle toy does the trick for stimulating your dog while also rewarding it with treats. Its fun design will have your dog pushing it around the house trying to figure out the best way to success. With its limited durability however, I would recommend this to medium dogs or smaller, or dogs that aren’t power chewers.
