How to Get the Most Out of Your Kong!

Tank's favorite past time

Kong toys are my favorite! They are the only toy that my lovely 5-year-old Pit, Tank, hasn't destroyed and can provide dogs with tons of mental stimulation. They can be stuffed in a thousand different ways and have an almost magical ability to keep my dog busy for hours! They can be given to dogs in a crate in a multiple dog home and offer the added benefit of making the crate a HAPPY! place. They can be given right next to your work desk to keep your furry child from saying "Mom! Mom! Mom!" all day long while you try to write a blog post (...or binge watch that TV show).

First, let's find the right toy for your dog. Kong makes a number of different stuffable food toys. I personally have had the most success with snow-man shaped Kong Extreme. These toys are designed for epic chewers and have stood the test of time in my house. The company recommends a size from small to XXL based on a dog's weight. I suggest going up at least one size for extra, anti-chew security. We actually have gone up 2 sizes (to the XXL Kong Extreme) in my house with great success. 

Kong Extreme XXL with freezer safe cup

Next, how can we stuff it? Let me count the ways!

Easy mode:
Ok, some days you're lazy. It's part of being human. On lazy days, I swipe a bit of peanut butter, wet dog food, pumpkin, sweet potato, or plain yogurt around the opening. Bonus points if you freeze overnight. (Freezing makes it more challenging for our dogs to get out the good stuff!)

Basic mode:
I tip my Kong upside down and place in a freezer-safe cup. This holds the Kong "open" so I can stuff easily and catch any drippings in the freezer. I layer dry food and some type of "glue". You can use pumpkin, wet dog food, sweet potato mashed, or yogurt (or a mix) to glue the layers of dry food together. I layer to the top, pack tightly, and freeze over night. I don't recommend peanut butter for this because it would be too many calories and may result in an upset tummy. Tip: If you use this method, give this Kong in lieu of a meal.

Extreme mode:
I'm a big fan of extreme fillings for our Extreme Kongs. It takes a bit of prep work but because I use multiple Kongs, I can fill them all at the same time. I pack tightly and then freeze. I always have one ready to go at a moment's notice. Here's how to do it.

I prepped all my ingredients before I even started filling.

1) Get your ingredients. 

Here are some suggestions:

• Dry food (a must have as we want this to be the bulk of your stuffing)
• Peanut butter
• Plain yogurt
• Sweet potato (mashed or unmashed)
• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Pumpkin
• Wet dog food
• Unseasoned scrambled eggs
• Treats
• Cheese (use in moderation)
• Boiled boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Cooked ground beef, fat drained
• Cooked beef liver (use moderation)

2) Layer, pack down, layer, pack down. Rinse and repeat.

3) Freeze overnight or until needed.

P.S. There are some foods I always avoid! Things I always skip:

1. Berries - These squish on my carpet and stain.
2. Foods that are not safe for dogs including the following list from the Humane Society of the United States:

Alcohol Apple seeds  Apricot pits  Avocados Cherry pits Candy (particularly chocolate and products containing Xylitol) Coffee in any form Garlic Grapes  Gum (Xylitol) Hops (used in home beer brewing)  Macadamia nuts  Moldy foods

Mushroom plants  Mustard seeds  Onions and onion powder  Peach pits  Potato leaves and stems (green parts)  Raisins  Rhubarb leaves  Salt  Tea (contains caffeine)  Tomato leaves and stems (green parts)  Walnuts  Xylitol Yeast dough

Kong Extreme toys are available from your local pet speciality retailer as well as online at sites like Amazon.com, Chewy.com, or Drfosterandsmith.com!

If you purchase from Amazon, know they tend to have the best price plus be sure to use this link to sign up for Ebates to earn up to an additional 7% cash back! If you've never used Ebates and want to learn more, just ask!

What have you stuffed in your Kong? Have any tips I missed? Please share in the comments below!

Andrea Kutzko, CPDT-KA

andreakutzko.blogspot.com

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