A handful of treats disappears in about eight seconds. The same handful loaded into a paddle-operated dispenser can occupy an animal for twenty minutes, and that gap is the whole point of a toy like this. Working for food is closer to what dogs and cats are built to do than eating from a bowl, and a pet who has had to think for their dinner is noticeably calmer afterwards.

The mechanism is deliberately simple: a paddle on the front that releases a treat when it is pressed or pawed. Simple matters, because complicated puzzle feeders tend to be abandoned by the pet and then by the owner. At roughly 22cm long and 14cm tall, it is substantial enough for a dog to nudge around a floor without pushing it straight under the sofa, and stable enough for a cat to bat at.

• Paddle action dispenses a treat when pressed
• Measures around 22cm long by 14cm tall
• Slows down pets who bolt their food
• Provides mental enrichment for cats and dogs alike
• Choice of duck or whale dispenser shape
• Refillable for repeated sessions

On which shape you get. Also worth saying plainly: treats dispensed this way still count towards daily food, so take the equivalent out of meals rather than adding it on top.

Who it's for: bored pets, fast eaters, and owners who want treat time to last longer than the walk to the treat cupboard.