The Challenge for 2017 may be over, but you can (and SHOULD) still Ditch the Bowl with your pet. Take a look around and see why to ditch the bowl, as well as some tips to get you started!

Why Ditch the Bowl?

Did you know that animals of many species, not just dogs, can benefit from using toys and games at mealtime? Puzzle toys and enrichment games can provide mental stimulation (which can be just as tiring, if not more so, than physical exercise), decrease picky eating, help animals lose weight, prevent or solve behavior problems, increase the bond between you and your pet, and they are just plain fun.

When our girls were young (puppies, not children), they presented us with a lot of challenges. As a result, I consulted with several trainers about how to best handle their quirks. There was one constant piece of advice I heard over and over: Ditch the Bowl! I was resistant at first. I thought it wouldn't really make a difference and it would be too much work to sustain long term.

Then I heard from several people that they stopped bowl feeding and their dogs were calmer, happier, and easier to manage. I Finally decided to give it a shot. Just a few days in and already they were seeming calmer and more content.

This July, join our
Ditch the Bowl Challenge

Discover how easy and rewarding it is to feed using puzzle toys, and other methods of enrichment. Participants will be entered in drawings for prizes such as food, treats, and toys, not to mention the personal benefits of having a happier, healthier pet. The rules are simple:

• Join the challenge using the form here
• Ditch the Bowl!
• Post pictures or notes about your experience on Facebook and Instagram (don't forget to tag @For Other Living Things (Facebook), @forotherinc (Instagram), and #DitchtheBowlChallenge)
• That's it!
  

Signing up here gets you 1 entry into the drawings for prizes. Each social media post you make about #DitchtheBowl will give you 1 additional entry into drawings for prizes (don't forget to tag them and make them public so we can find them!). The drawings for winners will be done the first week of August. There will be prizes for dogs, cats, birds, and small animals.

You can make this as challenging, or as easy, as you want. Ditching the bowl can be as simple as scattering dry food or pellets on the floor for your critter to search out and eat, or it can be as intricate as using a No Bowl Feeding System and hiding food throughout your house. I've got lots of tips and ideas here.

Special thanks to the following companies for their support!