Product Review: Busy Buddy Nobbly Nubbly

PetSafe's Busy Buddy Nobbly Nubbly is a durable chew toy designed to hold the company's various ring-shaped treats. The toy features durable nylon ends and a softer rubber center with grooves that can hold peanut butter, cream cheese, or any other gooey spreadable treat. One end unscrews to allow PetSafe's ground, pressed rawhide treats to be threaded onto the toy. The Nobbly Nubbly comes in four sizes for dogs up to 90 pounds.

Photo by Erin Koski

This is one of PetSafe's many variations on their screwbone design. The Build-a-Bone and Bouncy Bone work the same way, just unscrew one end and thread the treat rings on. The ends of the Nobbly are a bit more difficult to chew into oblivion, though.

Ours is a size large for dogs 50-90 lbs, and so far nobody has managed to unscrew it and gnaw the threaded bit, which is fairly impressive. Brisbane and Annie can spend a couple of hours working the treats out of it.

Photo by Erin Koski

I'm not a huge fan of smearing the center bit with peanut butter. This is partly because it presents so little challenge for them to lick it off, and partly because it ends up with peanut butter all over the floor.

Pros: Takes a long time for the dog to eat a very small treat. Easy to reload if you buy the right size rings.

Cons: Not quite durable enough for power chewers. Larger dogs can probably unscrew it fairly easily. Hard nylon ends become sharp when gnawed. Have to buy PetSafe's treat ring refills, and the ones for our medium-size toys don't fit this large one.

Bottom Line: This keeps Brisbane and Annie busy for longer than pretty much any toy in the house.