They say necessity is the mother of all invention and when Sandy the labrador ate his wedding album, James McIlvenna was as determined as ever to find a solution to the doggy destruction in his house.
James, from Dublin, is an industrial designer, he came up with an interactive puppy friendly toy called K9 Connectables and it is proving such a success, it is being showcased at the Crufts dog show this week.
“The idea with the K9 Connectables series of toys is that you stuff the dog’s favourite food and treats inside and connect them together. The dog can smell the food but has to break the connections apart to get at it. And the connections are designed with a three-ring system which can gradually make the task even harder for your pet – for example, it takes Sandy 45 minutes of constant play to get her reward of peanut butter inside the toys.”
He hopes his invention can also help with the common problem of separation anxiety which often causes the dog to get bored and channel their energy somewhere (usually on the poor side of the couch)
“Established dog toys are quite rudimentary – they have a hole in it and you put treats in it. To develop the toys I worked with dog behavioural experts, veterinary professionals and a dedicated team of dog owners. Unlike other food filling toys, you can increase the difficulty level as your dog gets better at the game by connecting more together.”
The toys are now available in a range of independent stores around Ireland and 13 Petmania outlets.
