A dog with a job to do: kibble drops out a few pieces at a time as the toy rolls, so there is always one more to work for.
Dinner stops being a ten-second event: fill it with the usual food and the meal turns into something your dog has to solve.
Something firm to chew on: a ridged channel runs down the back between rows of soft rubber spikes, giving the teeth texture to push against.
Quiet you did not have to ask for: a dog working at a puzzle is a dog who is not following you around the kitchen.
Why the food comes out slowly
Turn it over and there is a round opening in the belly with soft rubber flaps across it. You push kibble through and the flaps close again behind it.
Nothing falls out while the toy is sitting still. Your dog has to nose it, paw it and roll it over before the next piece works its way loose.
A hedgehog does not roll straight
A ball goes where you expect. This one has a snout at one end, a tail at the other and four small feet underneath.
So it tips, wobbles and comes to rest in odd places. Your dog cannot predict it, and that is the reason the game holds up past the first few minutes.
The five minutes before you leave the house
Coat on, keys in hand, and your best friend has already worked out what happens next.
Load it up and put it down on the floor before you go. By the time the last piece is out, the front door closing is old news.
Questions
Will my dog work out how to use it?
Dogs tend to get the idea quickly, because they can smell the food long before they can reach it. Load it loosely the first few times so pieces fall out with very little effort. Once your dog knows what it is for, you can pack it tighter and make the game last.
What size dog is it for?
It is about 15cm from snout to tail and sits in the palm of your hand, which suits a French Bulldog, a Cocker Spaniel or a Labrador. A smaller dog pushes it around the floor rather than carrying it, and the food still comes out the same way.
What can I put inside it?
Dry kibble and small firm treats. They are the right shape to push through the flaps and drop back out again one at a time. Soft or sticky food smears instead of falling, so keep that for a lick mat.
How do I clean it out?
It is soft rubber the whole way through with no fabric and no electronics, so it goes under a hot tap and gets shaken out. Tip it snout down to empty any crumbs left in the nose.
Is it the same in all three colours?
Yes. Blue, green and pink are the same hedgehog, the same size and the same opening underneath. Pick whichever you prefer.
