Dog Recipes That Work Great In KONG Toys!

Truth be told... the list of things you can stuff inside of your dog's Kong toy is virtually endless!

You can either make up your own Kong recipes (based on your dog's personal tastes) using a combination of two or more pet-friendly foods, or you can rely on pre-tested fillings that have worked well for others.

Following are some great Kong recipes that have worked well for other dog owners.

That said, use your own judgment in deciding whether or not to fill your dog's Kong toy with human foods.

Keep in mind, depending on how much food your dog obtains from "working" a Kong toy, you may need to adjust the dog's diet appropriately.

Kong Fillings: My Personal Favorites

• Smear some peanut butter on a slice of bread. Fold up the bread and cram it into the Kong. Freeze & serve.
• Use your finger to line the inside of the Kong with something sticky (like peanut butter or honey) then toss medium-sized dog treats inside -- the kind that barely fit inside the hole and are hard to get out.
• Try microwaving the peanut butter or cheese first -- this makes it runny and easy to pour into the KONG and leaves very little to waste. Then layer with another food item. Then freeze. The microwaved peanut butter & cheese fills every crack and crevice inside the Kong acting as a glue around the other ingredients making it much more challenging for your dog.
• For the simplest Kong treat of all, just smear a little peanut butter or honey around the inside of the Kong. You'd be surprised how long your dog will work at this simple little treat.

Dog-Friendly Kong Recipes

Put some Kong Stuff 'n product (or Cheese Whiz) in the small hole first. Then toss in some dry dog food and/or small dog treats -- broken in pieces -- next. (We use Bil-Jac for this.) Top with some canned dog food mixed with dry dogfood and/or peanut butter smeared around the entire inside of the larger hole. Place a dog biscuit into the large opening, and leave about 1/3 of it sticking out. Freeze. (Or not.)

Moisten your dog's own food, then spoon it into the Kong toy. Freeze.

Cram a small piece of dog biscuit (or freeze-dried liver) into the small hole of the Kong. Smear a little honey (or Kong Stuff 'n product) around the inside. Fill it up with dry dog food. Then block the big hole with dog biscuits placed sideways inside.

Combine your dog's favorite treat with some moistened dry dogfood.

Other Tasty Kong Recipes To Try

CHEESY ELVIS: Combine a ripe banana, 3 spoonfuls of peanut butter, and a slice of cheese. Mix until blended well. Fill the Kong and freeze.

MONSTER MASH: Instant mashed potatoes (without the salt) -- or leftover mashed potatoes from dinner -- mixed with crushed dog biscuits.

DOGGIE OMLET: Combine a scrambled egg, some beef, yogurt, cheese and mashed potatoes all together

FIBER CRUNCH: Combine bran cereal with some peanut butter.

KONGSICLE JERKY POPS: The equivalent of a popsicle... Seal the small hole of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Fill to the rim with water and a pinch of bouillon (or just use chicken broth instead). Place a stick or two of beef jerky inside. Freeze. (This one gets messy in a hurry, so it's recommended only for outdoor use.)

GOOEY CHEERIOS: Combine cheerios and peanut butter. Freeze.

FRUIT KITTY NOODLES: Mix together some dried fruit, cooked pasta, banana and dry cat food.

BANANA YOGURT: Plain yogurt and mashed bananas. (You can also add a little peanut butter or other fruits.) Then freeze it.

PEANUT BUTTER GLUE: Fill Kong 1/3rd full of dog food. Pour in melted peanut butter (after it has cooled from microwaving). Add more dog food, followed by more melted peanut butter until the Kong toy is full. Freeze until solid.

ROCK-HARD KIBBLE: Combine some of your dog's regular food with cream cheese, which acts as a cement, keeping everything inside.

STICKY BREAD: Smear peanut butter on a piece of bread. Fold it over and stuff inside the Kong. Mix together plain yogurt with some fruits or vegetables (carrots, celery) and pour inside. Freeze. The yogurt sticks to the bread holding everything together.

APPLE PIE: Squeeze a small piece of apple into the tiny hole. Fill the Kong with a small amount of plain yogurt. Add a few slices of mashed banana, more apple, yogurt, banana. End with a slice of banana and chunk of peanut butter on the top.

CRUNCH 'N MUNCH: Combine crumbled rice cakes and dried fruit with some cream cheese and plain croutons.

PUMPKIN PIECES: Combine some plain yogurt, canned pumpkin, and cooked rice in a small baggie. Mix well inside the bag, then snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the Kong toy. Freeze.

KIBBLE-SICLE: Put a glob of peanut butter into the Kong first. Then add some dry dog food. Pour in some chicken broth. Add some more peanut butter, followed by more dry dogfood. End with another glob of peanut butter at the very top. Freeze until solid.

OLD STANDBY: Soak some of your dog's regular food in water (or chicken broth) for a brief time before placing it inside a Kong, then freeze.

MUTT & CHEESE: Melt a cube of Velveeta cheese in the microwave, until it's gooey -- not runny. Fill the Kong toy with cooked noodles. Pour cheese over noodles.

FROZEN BONZ: Mix up some bananas, unsweetened applesauce, oatmeal, peanut butter, and plain yogurt. Freeze.

CHEEZY DELIGHT: Combine small chunks of cheese (or cheese spread) with some dry dogfood and microwave until the cheese melts. Let it cool completely, then pour into the Kong toy. Freeze thoroughly.

CARB DELIGHT: Combine some canned dogfood with pasta noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, and some of your dog's dry dog food. Freeze.

NUT CRUNCH: Take 2-3 dog biscuits and crunch them a bit into very tiny bite-sized pieces. Add a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. Then add a couple spoonfuls of plain yogurt. Mix in bowl until soft, but not runny. Stuff inside Kong.

BABYLICIOUS: Mix together some fat-free cream cheese, peanut butter, and either sugarfree applesauce or a jar of baby food (like bananas, carrots). Cram a solid food item into the small hole at the end of the Kong, then fill with the mixture. Seal the large hole with either more cream cheese or peanut butter.

FRUITOPIA: Combine applesauce with chunks of fruit. Freeze.

PUPPY TRAIL: Fill the Kong with some cashews (unsalted) and freeze-dried liver bits. Add some dry dog food and/or dog crushed dog biscuits and some Cheerios. Drop in a spoonful of peanut butter, followed by some dried fruit. Finally, top it off by using a piece of ravioli or tortellini to close the large opening.

RED ROVER: Smear the inside of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Put a tiny piece of apple into the small hole, then drop some more apple pieces in next. Drop in a scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then drop in some dogfood or broken dog treats. Add another scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then more apples. Plug the large opening with a final scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese) and freeze.

FROZEN TUNA SALAD: Mix together well: 1 6oz can of light tuna, 2 T. plain yogurt, and 1/4 C. grated carrot. Spoon into KONG toy. Freeze. According to Linda G. of Mendham, NJ (as printed in the Aug '07 Kong Newsletter), "This treat is healthy and high in Omega-3 fatty acids which contribute to healthy skin and a glistening coat."

ICEBERG KONG: Kolchak's mommy says: "Mix some dry and wet food together and stuff into enough Kongs to hold your dog's supper (use different sizes & strengths to make it fun). Put them into an ice cream bucket. Mix a few squirts of dog gravy (from the pet store) with enough water to cover the Kongs. (If you really want to spoil your dog, toss in a small handful of dog treats!) Freeze the whole thing -- usually takes overnight. Great for dogs who don't each much, especially during those hot summer months. When it is frozen, run it under hot water to loosen it from the bucket and serve -- outside, because it's messy."

IMPORTANT: While it's perfectly fine to give your dog a Kong toy that just came out of the freezer, it's NOT okay to give your dog any food item that just came out of the microwave! Make sure any heated items have completely cooled to room temperature before serving to your dog.

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