KONG Wobbler Dog Toy Review (+ How To Use It)

Pups love KONG Wobblers, and yours will too! This interactive puzzle toy is great for providing mental stimulation and confidence.

Every pup loves meal time, and some will even start asking for it when they think it’s time. Their internal clocks sure are something! A KONG Wobbler is a great way to switch things up at mealtime. These are cone-shaped toys that require your dog to put in a bit of work before enjoying their kibble! They’re also great for filling with a couple of treats or any other dog-friendly snack that can fit through the hole.

What is a KONG Wobbler?

If you’re familiar with regular KONG dog toys, a KONG Wobbler is probably not what you’d expect! They’re not meant for gnawing (they’re made of FDA-approved hard plastic), and were created as a more interactive dog toy.

These toys maintain the same three-tiered shape of the traditional KONG, but a bottom-weighted design helps them sit straight up. When tapped or pushed by a paw or nose, the weight helps the toy fall side to side. Kibble falls out of a small hole in the side when the toy reaches the correct position! It can be played with as a wobbler, or it can be rolled or pushed around.

The benefits of puzzles toys for dogs

Puzzle toys are a great way to enrich your pup’s meal time. They’re interactive and require the dog to perform a specific action before they can eat! This benefits pups in multiple ways.

Great for digestion: Puzzle toys slow down the eating process, which is incredibly beneficial if your pup is prone to quickly chowing down on food. Slower eating helps their digestive system work more efficiently and can help them feel better post-meal.

Engage the mind: Puzzle toys engage dogs for longer periods of time than other toys, which provides mental stimulation. In turn, this can help prevent destructive behaviors like chewing furniture or household items.

Sparks curiosity: Dogs are naturally curious creatures and this toy helps them put that characteristic to work!

Build confidence: Dogs gain confidence as they tackle tasks and puzzles. The KONG Wobbler teaches your dog the process of action and reward, and this can help build their confidence as they learn!

How does the KONG Wobbler work?

KONG Wobblers are easy to use for you and your pup. Unlike the regular KONG, this version comes apart by twisting the top and bottom halves apart. The bottom can then easily be filled with food and then reassembled by screwing on the top.

The toy can be used for meal time by filling it with kibble, or it can be filled with treats or dog-friendly foods as a fun and engaging snack!

The Wobbler is great for pups small and large, as the design comes in two sizes. The small size holds around 1 cup of food, and the larger version around 2 cups.

How to train your dog to use a KONG Wobbler

KONG Wobblers take a bit of practice, but many dogs are able to get the hang of it after toying around with it for a couple of minutes. Allow them to smell the food or treats inside to indicate that there’s a reward hiding in there! You can push the toy around yourself at first to show them that treats fall out, but only demonstrate a time or two. Confidence is built when they’re able to figure it out on their own!

How to clean a Wobbler

Great news: Wobblers can be placed in the dishwasher! Simply unscrew and place on the top rack.

In the event of tricker and more stuck-on residue, washing by hand may be the best option. I like to use a designated dog toy and dish scrub brush to get things really clean and scrub off tougher residue. Simply unscrew the pieces, run under hot water, and scrub with a soapy brush or sponge. You can also let the pieces soak in hot water for a bit if needed.

More puzzle toys for your pup

Puzzle toys are incredibly enriching for dogs, and there are many great options to choose from! In addition to the Wobbler, here are some more puzzles that I recommend.

• KONG: Of course, we couldn’t share the benefits of the KONG Wobbler without recommending it’s equally awesome older brother, the regular KONG! I love to use these to give peanut butter and other treats to my pup, Rhubarb.
• Brick Puzzle Game: This toy allows you to hide treats in small compartments. It’s perfect for making dogs sharpen their motor skills as they hunt out their kibble.
• Treat Tumble Puzzle: This toy is similar to the Wobbler in that treats fall out of the holes in the side. However, this has multiple holes and is great for puzzle toy beginners!
• Snuffle Mats: Let your dog forage with their nose by feeding their meal in a snuffle mat!

Which is better: The KONG Wobbler or The Bob-A-Lot?

While we love both of these wobblers in our house, we prefer the Bob-A-Lot! The adjustable hole size means we can make it more difficult once a pup learns how to use the toy. Get the complete guide to the Bob-A-Lot here.