INTERVIEW WITH NINA OTTOSSON
Two weeks ago we introduced you Nina Ottosson in PomPomDog, the Swedish educational games designer for dogs and we discovered the reason why she began to develop them and why they are so beneficial for our dogs (you can read the post again by clicking here).
And as we had already announced you, this week you can read the interview that Nina Ottosson kindly granted us, and at the end of it, you will discover a surprise for your dogs 😉
- From all the toys and puzzles that we can find in nina-ottosson.com, which toys are best suited for Pomeranians, given their size and intelligence?
The best products for small smart dogs as Pomeranian are the Dog Treat Fighter and the Dog Worker in wood, and the Dog Casino and the MixMax Puzzle in version B & C, made in plastic.
In my opinion, and for the rest of dog breeds, if you have never tried this kind of toys with your dogs, you should start with easy ones and then go harder and harder. And that is the reason why I have a wide assortment of different products in different sizes and different difficulty levels, with small parts and without any part, to try to suit all kinds of dogs. And in any case, it will be always the owners’ responsibility to make sure that the toys and games are suitable for their dogs.
The best it to have several different games to switch between. I never use a food bowl for feeding my dogs; I use different games to put their food in instead.
Game Dog Worker in wood
- Can dogs play with these toys with no supervision? Which is the most suitable toy for dogs to play alone?
I always recommend supervision when dogs play with my products. It is especially important since they contain food or treats. However, the Dog Pyramid may be a good choice to use when dog is alone, as long as you know that your dog can handle it and stop when there is no more food inside. Anyway, and as things can always happen, that’s why I always recommend supervision.
Although in my opinion, it is better to activate the dog when you are with him, so he gets happy and tired and will sleep when he is alone.
- Going on with the safety topic, and given the small size of our Pomeranians, is there a risk of suffocation because of small parts in any toy? Could the toys damage their mouth or their teeth, because many of these toys involve the use of the dog’s mouth?
To my knowledge, there has never been an issue with suffocation or damage to mouth or teeth. Dogs solve the puzzles in different ways, some use their mouth, some use their paws and some use a combination of both. Most dogs are focused on the treats inside, but some dogs may be more interested in the toy itself. So there will be always a risk if the dogs are allowed to chew and play with the pieces.
- In your website, you recommend the use of these toys for puppies from ten weeks old and for up to 10 minutes. Do you think there is a maximum playing time for the young, adult and senior dogs?
The maximum playing time is very individual. Some dogs need more stimulation than others. The dog owner should be observant of signs that mean that the dog is getting tired, such as chewing.
- What is the lifetime of a toy? Is it the same if it is in wood or in plastic?
The lifetime of the products depend on how the dogs and the owners handle them. They can last from five minutes up to the dog’s lifetime and more. If used correctly, they will last for a very long time. The plastic is easier to keep clean than the wooden.
- Can you anticipate us “in exclusive” in which new products and projetcs are you working for the future?
I am always working on new ideas. The latest is the Dog Pyramid Soft in medium and large size.
Game Dog Pyramid
And to bring this interview to an end, one of the surprises that we announced: Nina Ottosson has been so kind to offer to PomPomDog’s readers a discount on the purchase of toys at her webshop www.nina-ottosson.com . You only have to use the code “Vipdog” when valid your purchase and you will obtain a 10 % discount.
And we will have a new surprise very soon…
