West Paw Toppl
Let's talk about the West Paw Toppl - what it actually is and whether it's worth the hype.
What is a Toppl Dog Toy?
The West Paw Toppl is an interactive dog toy and slow feeder built for moderate chewers. It comes in three different sizes: small, large and now also in XL. It has been designed by West Paw to be filled with kibble or treats but is also often used as a slow feeder for wet or raw food. It looks like a pot with a wide opening on the top and a smaller whole on the side. On the bottom it has obstacles to make it even harder for the dog to get the food out. The Toppl can be used on it's own as a slow feeder or two different sizes (small and large or large and XL) can be interlocked to create a puzzle game where the dog has to push it around in order to get the treats out.
What the 3 different sizes of Toppl look like 'in real life'
In the video below you can see what the three sizes of the Toppl look like in real life and the size differences.
For which dog is the Toppl a good toy?
The Toppl does come in three different sizes (for more details and measures, see below) and I honestly think it's an amazing toy for any dog! No matter the size or the dog's age or breed.
Due to the Toppl's flexible nature it's a toy that can grow with your dog. What I mean by this is that you can use it as an alternative to a Kong (with a bigger opening, which my dogs find really nice and easier to 'lick food out of it' then a Kong) and/or as a slow feeder. With the obstacles on the bottom you can make it easier or more challenging when you add in food that can 'get stuck' (more difficult) like bigger pieces of meat or kibble or easier by filling it with food that falls out easily (Kibble or treats) or that the dog can easily access like wet food or raw. This in itself can provide a challenge for your dog and help to build problem solving skills.
Once your dog nails this and has developed their problem-solving skills or to mix things up a bit and keep it interesting, you can interlock two different sized Toppl toys and create a puzzle game where your dog has to push the toy around in order for the treats or Kibble to fall out. This way, they have to use different skills and can entertain themselves. Make sure to make it easy at first and help your dog if needed to avoid frustration.
You can also use a single Toppl toy and fill it with different toppings to create variety and even freeze it (great for hot summer days and to also increase the challenge).
While the Toppl isn't the cheapest product on the market (starts at $19.99), you can use it in various ways and keep your dog entertained.
Sustainability
The Toppl is made of non toxic, Join the Loop® recycling program. West Paw is a certified B-Corp (you can access their Impact Score and Benefit Report here) who produce their toys in a responsible way.
The Join the Loop® recycling program is an initiative to recycle old, loved toys and basically give them new life. They will be sanitised and made into new Zogoflex toys - a loop of 'make new from old'. Zogoflex is West Paw original and means that it's 100% recyclable. So, the more toys they get back, the more sustainable they can work and get closer to zero-waste. If you have West Paw Zogoflex toys who your dog no longer needs or wants, then please send them back and Join the Loop.
Toppl Dog Toy Large
The large Toppl is our 'go to' toy and measures 3.5" x 4" x 3.5" / 9cm x 10cm x9cm. I often simply feed some of my dogs daily food allowance out of it - topped with some homemade toppers and some natural chews or healthy add ons. You can check out this blog post '3 Easy Ways to Fill a Toppl' and find videos on how I fill them.
Toppl Dog Toy Small
The small Toppl measures 2.5" x 3" x 3" / 6cm x 8cm x 8cm and we really like it for a small snack (see further down for receips). You can also freeze the toys and we love it as a little snack after walks or as a puzzle game - in combination with the large Toppl. Especially Chalkie loves this combo! You can find a video of him playing with it here.
Toppl Dog Toy XL
The Toppl XL measures 3.75" x 4.75" x 4.75" / 10cm x 12cm x 12cm and if you have a large dog or a bully breed I think it's the perfect size! Might be way too big for a smaller dog but for a big nosed dog or one with a rather big daily food allowance, this is amazing! It interlocks with the large Toppl too, so you can create a pretty big doggy puzzle - which is also pretty nice for strong dogs.
Toppl Dog Toy Ideas
There are two main ways to use the Toppl dog toy: as a slow feeder or a puzzle dog toy (by interlocking two sizes and filling it with Kibble or Treats).
When you use the Toppl as a puzzle toy (interlocked) I recommend using dry food. This could be:
- Treats
- Kibble
- a mix of different sized kibble and treats
- anything that is safe, 'dry' and small enough to fall through the hole - this could also be dried chicken pieces or air dried meat.
When you use the Toppl on it's own as a Slow Feeder you can get really creative (just make sure it's safe for your dog and maybe if you don't feed a wide variety of different foods add new ingredients over time). A mix of different textures and some fun toppings can be a great way to add variety. Here are some examples for easy fillings. For more 'complex' receipts, see below.
- Your dog's 'normal' food - whatever you feed really whether it's Raw, home cooked, wet food or Kibble (for ideas to fill the hole on the side, see below)
- You can add in fresh foods like steamed and mashed or pureed sweet potato (big hit in our household)
- Carrots
- Broccoli 🥦 (also makes a great topping. If your dog isn't keen on veggies - mine are like this - then I mash them up and add in some sardines)
- Kibble that has been soaked in doggy friendly broth
- Pieces of cooked chicken - you can also shred it
- Fully cooked meats if your dog is not used to raw foods or raw food
- Any dog safe food really! Again, make sure to get your dog used to different foods and add them in slowly to not upset their tummy. Food testing can be fun for your dog and a great enrichment experience in itself.
You can create super cute designs and mix it up by adding different toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Home made doggy toppings (we make ourselves and freeze them, see blog post 3 Easy Ways to Fill a Toppl)
- Cucumber
- Broccoli
- a small natural chew like a goat ear ('small' in relation to your dog) or something like braided lamb sticks
- Meal Boosters
- Pure meat sticks
- Pure meat coins - we love the ones from JR Pet Products for some crunch
- you can get really creative and adjust to what your dog likes
How to fill a Toppl with different layers
Here's a rough guideline on how you can 'construct' your Toppl in a fun way to add variety and make it interesting.
Start by adding your dog's high-value food (this can vary depending on your dog's preferences but it's basically the food your dog likes best and wants the most). For mine this could be nature's menu raw or some cooked chicken pieces. Because the obstacles on the bottom of the Kong make it more challenging for your dog to access the food (compared to the top parts) you want to go with something your dog really fancies, so they stay with the challenge (for mine this could also even be their normal food as they all love the Toppl and we already have built a lot of value in the toy).
You can then add something on top of this with maybe a different texture - like something crunchy (Kibble, some dried chicken) or maybe another taste like a veggie mix with some sardines (big favourite in our household). If you want to add liquid like some salmon oil then you definitely want to fill the hole on the side, so it doesn't drip out (see Plug chapter below). You can then either add another layer if you want to and still have space - of wet food or some mash or anything. If you want to add 'toppers' or 'decoration', then something that makes it 'stick' would be helpful.
Final layer Toppings. You can finish it up by either adding a few dried fish or any other toppings from the list above or whatever your dog likes. If you want to get some inspiration for beautiful designs, check Instagram #TopplTuesday - there are some true masterpieces out there!
Below you can find a collection of Toppl Dog Receips from the West Paw webpage. I'd also love to learn more about your favourite combinations, please feel free to drop them in the comments. 😊
Toppl Dog Toy Receips
Here are some fun receips directly from the Westpaw page (they also have fab ones for their other toys too)
- West Paw Receipt collection - contains: Oatmeal Berry Treat, Chicken Lick'n Good, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pawesome Awesome Breeze, Banana Mutt Crisp, Crispy Chicken Chiller and more
- Winter Toppl: Santa Claws' Milk & Cookies
- Spring Toppl: Kiss me I'm Arf-ish
- Summer Toppl: Canadian Bacon Campfire Cup
- Autumn Toppl: Haunted Hall-Oat-Ween
How creative are these names please too? You can find also great ideas on Pinterest and Instagram.
Toppl Dog Toy Plug (to seal the hole on the side)
If you'd like to fill the side hole of your Toppl to avoid dripping or a mess, then there are different options. You can make get creative by filling it up with something edible like the actual filling (wet food, mash etc) or a piece of pate (you can use the No-fuss-fill plunger toy to cut off a piece that fits) or anything else that works.
You can also buy a stopper (make sure to remove before feeding). If you are in the UK, you can get one from Enriching Paws. If you are in the US you can get really, really cool ones from Sniffingtons. It's a small business and she has such amazing, super cute designs! You can even get one with a custom name of your pooch! You can find her Etsy shop here.
Toppl Dog Toy Stand (to make it less wobbly when filling it)
If you want a way to secure your Toppl when filling it or to keep it nice and upright in the freezer, then this Toppl stopper might be an option for you (video should start right there, otherwise jump to 03:14). We got ours from Enriching Paws (UK).
Where to buy a West Paw Toppl?
You can find them on Amazon (small, large, XL).
Toppl Dog Toy US
You can order directly from Westpaw.com
Toppl Dog Toy UK
You can order them from No Fuss Fill or Paws in Earnest.