My girls are very destructive with their toys. There are few things that survive long enough to provide enough playtime to make them worth their cost. I am always looking for durable and fun toys. But last week I also learned to really think through what a toy teaches as well how long it may last. We have a jolly puzzle ball (for those who have not seen one, it is a large ball with holes in it and a smaller ball inside which is impossible to get out). Sade plays with it occasionally but tires of it pretty quickly. Ina, on the other hand, became obsessed with trying to get the smaller one out. She never gave up, spending hours working on it. At first, I enjoyed watching her mind work and marveled at her different strategies to get it out. She even tried bouncing it hard enough on the floor or against the wall to pop the ball out. When all her attempts failed, she became extremely frustrated and whined and screamed as she worked at it but she would not give up. She was determined to beat this ball. While watching this it suddenly hit me, this was not constructive play. I was being cruel allowing this to continue. While outwardly it seemed entertaining from a human viewpoint, it was overly stressful for her to allow her to continue to work so hard without any success. I had given her an impossible job without any chance of a positive outcome. We are always teaching our pups and if we are observant they are also always teaching us.
Thanks for this post Irene. I don’t have that ball, just the regular jolly ball. This is a great reminder for us.
Never thought of it that way – I only have the ones that the treats will fall out of if they work at it, but how frustrating that must have been for her. Thanks for the insight!
Irene, I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way when I let Batty play with the Jolly Egg too long (what is it about Jolly Pet and their torturously engaging dog toys?!). He becomes VERY agitated that he can’t “catch” it or bite it, so then I take it away.
Like you, I thought it was all fun and games at first, then saw how much it stressed him out. It now lives in the closet.
Koda plays with the Jolly egg as if it’s a football, he uses his paws to push it around then chases it.
Thank you for your insight – I will never buy one for Dutch! Or, for that matter, any toy with an impossible challenge that would frustrate his patience and undermine his confidence.
Wow, this is thought provoking. I have bought Oso some smart toys but I will not get this one.