Stella enjoying a stuffed Kong at Rover Oaks
My dogs love a delicious fully stuffed Kong Toy. In fact, I’ve not met many dogs who don’t. They’re especially nice this time of year with so many seasonal flavors available in both dog food and dog snacks.
The best way to stuff a Kong is “all the way.” Smearing a little peanut butter on the inside with a dry treat really isn’t enough. Let’s pack that Kong tightly and all the way to the brim. Think of the Kong Toy as a substitute for your dog’s food bowl. It’s a great way to feed an entire holiday meal (or every day meal). It engages your dog’s natural inclination to forage and work for food. Your dog actually has to put in some effort to unpack the Kong. It helps burn off some chewing energy too. For added fun, hide the stuffed Kong for your dog for a good game of nose-work (hunting).
Here’s one of my favorite stuffed Kong holiday recipes.
Ingredients
2 parts Fromm’s Grain-Free Beef Frittata Veg (dry)
1 part Nature’s Variety Homestyle turkey and duck stew (canned).
1-3 pieces of Fruitables pumpkin and cranberry treat.
Mix the dry and canned dog food to form a tasty chunky paste.
Place 1-3 pumpkin and cranberry dog treats at the botttom of the Kong. Fill remainder of the Kong with the wet/dry dog food mash. Feed at room temperature or freeze (wrapped in cellophane).
Substitute your own ingredients for creativity and variety.
Always supervise your dog while he is eating from his Kong toy. Members of multi-dog households should be fed stuffed Kongs separately.
Houston Dog Trainer Michael Baugh CPDT-KA, CDBC is the director of training and behavior at Rover Oaks Pet Resorts.
