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What do most people stuff inside their dog’s KONG toy?…
Peanut butter is probably the most popular. But it’s not the ONLY thing.
Here are some Kong stuffing ideas to get you started…
Peanut Butter ROCKS!
Peanut butter is one of the most popular treats that’s stuffed inside Kong toys for dogs.
It’s a food staple that most people have on hand, and it’s inexpensive (especially if you buy the store-brand kind as opposed to the name brands — just for this purpose).
You can use the “creamy” or “chunky” variety. We use “extra-chunky” and all of our dogs love it.
We alternate with “reduced fat creamy” to keep the calories down.
While peanut butter itself probably won’t harm your dog, it is fattening. And there are lots of other products available in pet stores that are made just for filling Kongs.
Keep in mind: Whatever you choose to stuff inside your dog’s Kong will add extra calories, above and beyond their normal dog food. Therefore, to avoid obesity, you should adjust their regular amount of dog food accordingly.
Soft Stuffings
Softer food items provide immediate gratification — especially if they are spread on the outside of the Kong (like in the outer ridges found on some Kong toys).
Soft stuffings also last the least amount of time, whether placed inside or outside of the Kong.
Some soft stuffings to consider:
- Kong Stuff’N Liver Paste
- Kong Stuff’N Peanut Butter Paste
- Kong Mint Paste
- Kong Puppy Paste
- Hounds 27 Sauce (…get it?)
- Canned dog food
Hard Stuffings
Harder food items give your dog more of a challenge.
Depending on the size of the food pellets or dogs treat used, they can be crammed inside the hollow center OR placed between the ridges on the outside of some Kong toys.
Hard stuffings last the longest. (The best part about the “official” Kong treats is their shape… they’re bigger on one end and smaller on the other, so they’re likely to stick out of the Kong toy at times, yet not come all the way out.)
Some hard stuffings to consider:
- Kong Stuff’N Liver Snaps
- Kong Stuff’N Beef and Liver Treats
- Kong Stuff’N Tail Mix (…the canine alternative to Trail Mix)
- Kong Tots
A Combination Of Hard & Soft Fillings
Many people choose to stuff their dog’s Kong toy with some combination of hard and soft stuffings. (I do.)
In fact, the number of things you can combine and stuff inside a Kong dog toy is virtually limitless!
Most use a “layering” technique by inserting first some soft stuffings, then a little bit of hard stuffings, followed by some more soft stuffings, and so on until the Kong toy is full of dog goodies. This layering effect increases your dog’s desire to keep working at it to see what’s further inside.
See exactly how to stuff a Kong.
Freezing Kong Chew Toys
One of the best ideas I’ve seen when it comes to Kong dog toys is to make them up ahead of time, and then freeze them until needed.
A frozen stuffed Kong will provide even longer entertainment for your dog. Just remember, the longer it takes your dog to eat up whatever’s inside, the more it will thaw and “leak” onto your carpet, in the dog’s crate, etc.
Most dogs lick at the frozen treat repeatedly, so it doesn’t even have a chance to leak, but you should try a new frozen ingredient for the first time while you are there to supervise.
Freezing Kong dog toys saves time in the long run, since you can make them up before you actually need them. Such is why having more than one Kong toy makes perfect sense.
(My friend Abby has 7 Kongs for her dog, Mego — one for every day of the week. Mego instinctively runs to his crate whenever she brings one out of the freezer!)
Did you know they even make a timed, automatic Kong dispenser now called KongTime that releases up to 4 pre-filled Kong chew toys at set times?
The inventor’s personal story is kind of interesting, as is this video of the KongTime in action:
Change Is Good
When it comes to dog toys, it’s always a good idea to “mix it up a bit”… so your dog doesn’t get bored always playing with the same toy.
With Kongs, changing up the ingredients stuffed inside works well, as does alternating between freezing/not freezing the Kong.
As an alternative to the Kong toy, you may want to stuff a hollowed out marrow bone (available in the meat section at grocery stores) — for a change of pace. The key is to make sure the length of the bone is twice the length of your dog’s tongue.
To fill it, simply stand the bone on end on top of a sheet of plastic wrap, then spoon in the goodies.
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 600 articles for dog owners on this site! Many of them have upwards of 200K shares.
