As dogs continue to become a more integral part of families, dog products continue to evolve to address the full range of needs for our four legged family members and the desires of their owners. For example, medical insurance for your pet is becoming more and more accepted for mainstream dog owners while in years past the idea of spending thousands of dollars on medical procedures for pets was not common. Another area where there has been some really interesting development is in the area of dog toys. Once dog toys were more focused on simple entertainment for you and your dog, now they are becoming more advanced addressing not only the physical needs of our pets but also go deeper in addressing the mental needs as well.

While certain dog toys will remain timeless, the ball, the rope toy and various chew toys, new dog toys are constantly being developed for our four legged children. The Treatstik is a perfect example of an innovative and evolutionary toy in this current wave of products for dogs that seeks to address deeper needs.

It is a tough nylon treat dispensing toy that gives your dog hours of mentally stimulating fun as your dog rolls the toy and it randomly dispenses hidden treats. It stimulates your dog's mind, while relieving boredom and separation anxiety. Plus they get a chance to work for their food instead of it just being handed to them in a bowl. Treatstiks are perfect for those days that you leave your dog at home and can not afford to pay for a dog walker or bring your dog to daycare. They will spend a few hours eating their breakfast instead of gnawing on your furniture or shoes or...

It can be used to feed your dog as well. Instead of having your dog rapidly eat their food in a matter of seconds. My Kona would eat so fast we would often see her food seconds after she had gulped it down. The Treatstik forces your dog to eat slowly throughout a longer period of time. So if you have a dog that eats too fast, Treatstiks might be a good way to control your dog's eating habits.

Since your dog has to eat slowly the Treatstik may help controlling your dog's weight. They are made from a heavy nylon material and can stand up to strong chewers. It has a large screw cap opening for easy filling and is dishwasher safe. It is made in America by a small family-owned company in Vermont

It comes in two sizes, small which is 6" long and is best for dogs 10 - 40 lbs. The small holds about a cup of food and the large which is 9" long and is best for dogs over 40 lbs. The large holds about a cup and half of dog food.

I have two dogs, Lucy a Great Dane and Kona a Chocolate Lab. They both love their Treatstiks and play with them whenever I give it to them. Kona likes her Treatstik a little more than Lucy, but Kona has a tremendous food drive like most labs. I am pretty sure I could feed her a whole bag of dog food and she would watch me very closely as I ate my dinner. She would weigh more than I do if I did not watch the food that she eats.

As dogs become more family members and less viewed as pets we will continue to see changes in the pet industry to address these issues.