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I was looking for an interactive toy for my two 7 month old puppies when I discovered the Woof Pupsicle at a local pet supply store. I purchased one along with the refillable “pops”. The pups were immediately intrigued, although puzzled, when I gave them the toy. However, they quickly caught on to the method of licking the treat out. Since then, they become instantly excited as soon as they see their Pupsicle toys come out!
What is it the Woof Pupsicle?
The Woof Pupsicle is a natural rubber interactive dog toy meant to be filled with premade or homemade dog treats. They come in three sizes – small, large, and X-Large. Their website includes a detailed size guide to help you select the most appropriate size for your dog. They come in a variety of colors, although some of the colors are limited edition. They do include a power chewer option for more aggressive chewers. My dogs are moderate chewers and haven’t had any issues with the regular option, although I only give these when supervised and take them away as soon as they get through the treat so they aren’t tempted to chew the toy itself too much. It is surprisingly not a messy toy despite involving food. I have avoided other toys in the past due to mess, but I will say this is relatively mess-free due to the design of it. The toy is very easy to clean. I hand wash these with soap and water, although the website states these are dishwasher safe. They are typically easy to unscrew, although occasionally can get stuck. I will simply run the toy under some water and then it easily opens again. I have read some reviews stating people couldn’t get them open at all after several uses, but I haven’t experienced this even after using them for several months. They are supposed to last roughly 20-30 minutes to provide the dog with mental stimulation during playtime and acts as a good distraction when you need your dog to be entertained for a while. The toy unscrews and has an area to place either a refillable pop or homemade treats. I personally use these for my dogs to keep them occupied while I’m working out at home, watching a TV show, or even during holiday dinners so they don’t disrupt guests.
Can any dog use this?
I have four dogs ranging from 20lbs to 45lbs and varying lengths of snouts and have not had issues with any of them using the toy. I do think some dogs are more skilled at licking the treat out than others, as the one always finishes his treat sooner than the others, but none of them are unable to use it. One of my dogs is a Boston Terrier with a smooshed face and he is still able to use the toy, it just takes him longer than my longer-snouted hound mix. The most important part is picking out the appropriate size for your dog for the most enjoyable and safe play. Please see the sizing details on their website to help you pick the correct size for your dog.
How long do they really last?
I was skeptical at the claim that the Woof Pupsicle provides 20-30 minutes of uninterrupted play. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how long the refillable pops last. The first time my dogs tried these, they lasted well over 30 minutes. I will say as they have had these multiple times, the pops do not last quite as long as they did initially as the dogs have become more skilled at licking the treat out. The refillable pops last longer than any homemade pops I have made so far.
What kind of homemade pops can you make?
You can use any dog-safe food you would normally give your dog. The easiest way I have found to do this is to purchase the mold that you can fill with ingredients and then freeze. It will then come out in the correct shape to fill the toy. Freezing the pop helps prolong the playtime. You can fill the toy without using the mold, but I find it less messy to use the mold. You can make 4 pops at a time with the mold and then I will store the frozen pops in a ziplock bag in the freezer if I want to make a bunch for later use. The homemade pops typically will last only 10-15 minutes depending on the ingredients, although one way I found to extend the time is to cut one of the refillable pops in half and use that as a base in each mold. I then fill the rest of the mold with things like plain yogurt, peanut butter, applesauce, or broth (always look up to see what foods are safe to use if unsure). I can usually get at least 15-20 minutes of play doing it this way with half of the refillable pop. You can search online for other recipes to make homemade pops as well. My dogs are not very picky about what they eat, so I am able to use a variety of ingredients. For picky dogs, you may need to test out what they will eat first.
Refillable pops
These cost about $15 per bag and include 5-10 pops per bag depending on which size you select. They have a variety of options including chicken flavor, beef flavor, All-In-1 Wellness, Hip & Joint, Calming Support, and Allergy & Immunity. Admittedly, I have only tried the chicken and beef flavored pops so far. The full ingredient lists and nutritional information can be found on their website.
Do I really recommend the Woof Pupsicle?
Yes, I have already recommended Woof Pupsicles to multiple friends and family! I find this to be a stimulating, enjoyable toy for my dogs and will continue to use this! I have purchased three of the toys so my dogs can have them at the same time. I have also purchased several of the refillable pop packs and find these very helpful to have on hand, although the toy itself can be used without the additional purchase of the pops. You can purchase Woof Pupsicle products in stores, online through their website, or even through Amazon and Chewy. I have purchased these through a variety of places and have not found any discrepancies between the products.
