Puzzle Toy Review: Starmark Treat Dispensing Jack

The Starmark Treat Dispensing Jack is a flexible rubber toy with four hollow arms and a rope running through the middle. There is an opening in the end of each arm to dispense small treats and kibble. It comes in Small, Medium and Large sizes, our Treat Dispensing Jack is a medium.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is a recent addition to the Starmark product line, and I am very pleased with it so far. We have quite a few Starmark toys, and not all of them are quite so appealing. For some reason, Brisbane is unwilling to fully empty the large Treat Dispensing Chew Ball or the Everlasting Treat Ball. He gets almost everything out immediately, and then sort of loses interest. The Treat Dispensing Jack, on the other hand, dispenses treats slowly enough to keep him busy for a good long time, but fast enough to hold his interest.

Puzzle Toy Rating

Capacity: 3/5
I can fit Brisbane's entire 1/4 cup ration of kibble in there, but that's all. This is a toy for keeping dogs busy, but won't fit a normal dog's dinner.

Loading Speed: 4/5
Using a soda bottle funnel helps a little, but the holes on the Jack are a little too small for truly easy loading. It doesn't really hold that much kibble, though.

Unloading Speed (standard dog): 5/5
Ulysses has to take breaks while emptying this thing.

Unloading Speed (superdog): 5/5
Easily half an hour or more for Brisbane to get 1/4 cup of kibble out of it, and he's willing to keep working at it the entire time with great gusto.

Size: 5/5
Comes in three sizes to fit any dog. Ru would be able to use the small without being squashed or intimidated. The Medium is perfect for Briz and Uly, and the large would work even for giant dogs.

Durability: 5/5
No complaints here, and Brisbane demolished Starmark's Everlasting Fire Plug so I have limited faith in their toys. I wouldn't give this to a power chewer, but it holds up fine with normal dogs.

Photo by Erin Koski

Noise: 5/5
Soft rubber and cotton rope make for quiet play, even when Brisbane is bashing it against the side of a wire crate.

Locatability: 5/5
It doesn't roll or fit under the furniture, so we've never lost it. Meanwhile, our blue Kong is currently at large somewhere in the house.

Washability: 2/5
Not quite as annoying as the Kong Quest toys, but still pretty annoying to wash. The rope makes drying take forever, too. It's pretty tempting not to just give up and not wash it at all, but then it just ends up covered in hair and dried slobber.

Hoardability: 5/5
Brisbane prefers to empty this one out from the comfort of his crate.

Total: 44/50
This is currently what Brisbane eats most of his meals out of. With increased time spent crated, it's helping all of us keep our sanity.