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You already found some interesting things to stuff inside your dog’s Kong chew toy.
Now, you’re wondering exactly how other people stuff Kongs for their dogs.
Okay…
Start by gathering all of your dog’s Kong toys.
Next, find some soft dog treats, some hard dog treats, and any smooth & creamy dog-friendly foods that you happen to have on hand.
And let’s get started!
Following are my best tips showing you how to stuff a Kong toy for dogs. Plus, Kong stuffing tips for newbies…
How To Stuff A Kong Toy
If your dog likes stuffed Kongs as much as our dogs do, then you’ll find yourself filling Kong toys on a fairly regular basis.
To make it easier, here are a few time-saving tips:
#1 – To keep the Kong upright and in one place while you fill it, place the Kong inside a small glass or cup with the large opening at the top.
#2 – The easiest way to get larger food items inside is to squeeze the Kong so the opening becomes oval-shaped (rather than a perfect circle), then spoon or drop ingredients inside, now that the edges are wider.
#3 – When combining liquid & runny ingredients, mix them together first inside of a plastic bag. Then just snip off the corner and squeeze it into the Kong toy. (This is similar to “piping” frosting on a cake.)
#4 – To add to the challenge for your dog and to keep runny ingredients from leaking out of the bottom, you’ll want to cram a solid piece of food into the bottom hole on the Kong toy. You might use a piece of your dog’s food or part of a dog treat, a glob of peanut butter, a piece of an apple or cheese.
#5 – You don’t always have to stuff a Kong full to the brim. Instead, you could just line the insides with a sticky substance (like peanut butter or honey) and then add a small amount of other solid food items inside. Then freeze. This way, the foods won’t harden into one big solid chunk. Instead, some will freeze to the sides, and some will freeze to itself. This method also makes it easier for your dog to get at the treats. (Great for dogs just learning how to get treats out of a Kong toy!)
#6 – When you fill a Kong to the brim, and then freeze it, the food items form into one big solid chunk that’s hard for your dog to get at. To ensure that your dog gets immediately rewarded the moment he starts to play with the Kong, make the last item you stuff inside the Kong be a dog biscuit or a solid food (like a carrot) and place it such a way that it sticks part-way out of the Kong.
To find delicious combinations of treats to stuff inside your dog’s Kong toy, check out all of these Kong recipes that I’ve saved through the years!
My Kong Stuffing Tips
Start by combining your dog’s dry food, soft dog treats and hard dog treats with at least one creamy smooth filler that will hold everything together — and keep the treats from falling out of the Kong rather quickly.
The 2 most popular fillers are:
- Peanut butter – any kind, but organic low-sugar brands are best
- Kong Stuff’n – there are many flavors to choose from; my dogs like the Liver flavor best
Here are the pros & cons of each:
- Peanut butter is much more affordable and readily available in most homes.
- Kong Stuff’n is super convenient — because the nozzle makes it easy to squirt the filling directly into the Kong toy.
- Peanut butter can be messy to scoop out of the jar and then smear it on the interior sides of the Kong toy using a small butter knife (or the handle of a spoon or fork).
- Kong Stuff’n doesn’t last long if you make stuffed Kong toys a lot.
- Peanut butter has a lot of calories that dogs don’t need.
- Kong Stuff’n is easy to use with other dog toys that have narrow holes and small crevices — like the Bristly dog brush that my dogs LOVE.
This video shows you how to stuff a Kong toy with peanut butter:
The bottom line: whichever Kong stuffing you choose, they both work great!
After you get a little more used to stuffing Kongs yourself and your dog gets used to licking the treats out of the Kong toy, you will probably want to try some other smooth & creamy fillers — such as honey, pumpkin, and yogurt.
Eventually, you’ll want to start experimenting to see what foods your dog likes best. But almost all dogs love peanut butter and Kong Stuff’n as a filler… so that’s a great place to start!
RELATED: How To Make Kong Toys More Challenging For Your Dog
This video shows several unique ways to stuff a Kong toy, plus tips for introducing your dog to Kong toys for the first time:
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I like to help Dog Parents find unique ways to do things that will save time & money — so I write about "outside the box" Dog Tips and Dog Hacks that most wouldn't think of. I’m a lifelong dog owner — currently have 2 mixed breed Golden Aussies that we found abandoned on the side of the road as puppies. I've always trained my own dogs and help friends train theirs, as well. Professionally, I worked at a vet and have several friends who are veterinarians — whom I consult with regularly. (And just because I love animals so much, I also worked at a Zoo for awhile!) I've been sharing my best ideas with others by blogging full-time since 1998 (the same year that Google started… and before the days of Facebook and YouTube). My daily motivation is to help first-time dog owners be better prepared from the first day your new puppy enters your home. I like to help dog owners understand what's 'normal' and what you can expect in terms of living with and training your dog — how to get through the ups & downs of potty training, chewing, teaching commands, getting your dog to listen, and everything else that takes place during that hectic first year! When I'm not training, walking, grooming, or making homemade treats for my dogs, you will find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites). To date, I've written over 500 articles for dog owners on this site!
