My Dog Needed Something Tough
Alright, so let me tell you about trying out some Starmark stuff for my dog, Buster. Buster’s a good boy, mostly, but he gets bored easy. And when he gets bored, he chews. Furniture, shoes, you name it. I needed something to keep his brain busy and his jaws occupied on something that wasn’t my coffee table.
Finding the Gear
I was just wandering through the pet store, kinda desperate, looking at the same old boring toys. Then I saw this section with Starmark packaging. Looked a bit more serious, less fluffy? Picked up a box, felt solid. Read the back, talked about being durable and good for chewers. Sounded like what I needed. Didn’t really know the brand before, but figured it was worth a shot.
Picking One Out and Bringing It Home
They had a few different things. Some puzzle balls, some weird-shaped things. I grabbed one called an Everlasting Treat Ball, I think. It came with this hard, dome-shaped treat already stuck in it. Seemed like a good start – toy and treat in one. Paid for it, took it home. Felt pretty heavy-duty plastic or rubber, not flimsy. Didn’t smell weird or anything, which is good.
The Big Moment: Buster vs. The Ball
Got home, showed the ball to Buster. He gave it a good sniff. His tail gave a little wag. I put it down on the floor. At first, he just kinda poked it with his nose. Then he figured out there was food involved. That got his attention. He started licking at the treat, then tried to bite it. Then he started batting the ball around, trying to get a better angle on the treat. It was actually pretty funny watching him figure it out.
Watching How It Went Down
So, I let him have at it for a while. Here’s what I noticed:
- It kept him busy: Seriously, he spent a good 45 minutes straight focused on that ball. That’s a win right there. Way better than the 5 minutes he spends shredding a plush toy.
- The ‘Everlasting’ Treat: Okay, ‘everlasting’ is maybe pushing it. Buster’s a determined chewer. He definitely made progress on it, got maybe half of it chewed down in that first session. But it lasted way longer than a regular biscuit.
- Durability: The ball itself? Tough stuff. He dropped it, pawed at it, chewed on the sides trying to get the treat out. Barely a scratch on the ball itself. That impressed me.
- Refilling: Later on, I bought some refill treats. They slot in pretty easily once you figure out the knack. Cleaning the ball wasn’t too bad either, just rinsed it out.
So, What’s the Verdict?
Honestly, I was pretty happy with it. It did what I wanted – kept Buster occupied and saved my furniture for a bit. It’s not magic, the treats don’t actually last forever, especially with a power chewer. And you gotta keep buying the refills, which adds up. But the ball itself is solid. It survived the Buster-test, which is saying something.
I reckon I’d grab more Starmark gear. Maybe try one of their puzzle toys next time to switch things up. If your dog needs something tougher than the average toy and you want to keep them thinking, it’s worth checking out based on my go with it.
