How to Stuff A Kong and Recipes For Every Day of The Week
Kongs are great toys for German shepherds. They are durable so that they can withstand even the most powerful chewers and they come in a large variety of shapes and sizes to keep them from getting bored.
To help keep your dog occupied with their Kongs or to use as a reward, you can stuff them with tasty treats, such as peanut butter, oatmeal, yogurt, chicken, vegetables, and more. Even the cleverest of pups can’t resist the variety of tastes and textures stuffed Kongs offer.
By switching up your Kongs every day, you’re also adding an enrichment activity to your dog’s life. By making it a different experience on the daily, you keep things interesting for them as well as help prevent boredom, which is important for smart working dogs.
You can even elevate their Kong experience higher by freezing their Kongs. Frozen Kongs add an element of challenge and also help them last much longer. Rather than your dog simply sucking out the treat inside, they will have to work for their reward.
How to stuff a Kong
Kongs are fairly easy to stuff with a little planning. To begin, plug or block the small hole so that your filling doesn’t fall out. To do this, you can add a little kibble to the big hole and turn it over to block the smaller hole (some suggestions for plugging are below).
Next, turn the Kong over so that you scoop your ingredients into the larger hole. You can use a spoon or your fingers, depending on the texture of your filling.
Once you stuff your Kong, you will plug the larger hole and then feed or freeze depending on your preference. Some of our favorite Kong recipes, which can be frozen or not, include:
1. Overnight Pumpkin Oats
Half cup of Greek yogurt (plain)
Half cup instant oats
1 tablespoon canned plain pumpkin (not pie filling)
Mix all ingredients and let sit overnight or for several hours. Once oats are soft and have absorbed the yogurt, plug the hole in your Kong, stuff in the Kong then feed or freeze. You can add variety to this recipe by adding your dog’s favorite fruits and vegetables.
2. Peanut Butter Dream
• One cup plain Greek yogurt
• Half cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter*
• Half teaspoon cinnamon
Mix all ingredients well then fill with the mixture and feed or freeze.
3. Oatmeal Cookie Dough
• One cup instant oats
• One cup applesauce
• Half chopped banana
• One tablespoon peanut butter*
Mix all the ingredients well. Allow applesauce to soften the oats then stuff into Kong then feed or freeze.
4. Chilly Chicken Salad
• One cup cooked ground chicken
• Half cup shredded raw carrots
• Half cup Greek yogurt or fat free cream cheese
Cool chicken. Mix all ingredients well, stuff into Kong then feed or freeze.
5. Nutty Veggie Salad
• Half cut shredded carrots
• Half cup shredded zucchini
• One tablespoon crunchy peanut butter*
• Half cup cooked sweet potato
Mix all the ingredients well, stuff into Kongs then feed or freeze.
6. Happy Pup Smoothie
• Half cup strawberries
• Half cup blueberries
• Half cup frozen Greek Yogurt
Mix all the ingredients well, stuff into Kongs then feed or freeze.
7. Turkey Dinner
• One cup cooked ground turkey
• Half cup frozen peas and carrots, thawed if feeding at room temperature
• Half cup cooked sweet potato
Cool turkey. Mix all ingredients well, stuff into Kongs then feed or freeze.
Kong Filling Tips
When it comes to Kong recipes, dogs are pretty forgiving of taste and simply enjoy their treat. Therefore, all of these recipes can be modified to reduce fat or incorporate additional ingredients.
Recipes can be divided into more than one Kong. All of them can also be mixed with dog food if you reduce the amounts of treats fed (just reduce your dog’s daily portion of food so they are not overfed). You can also block the holes with dry dog food.
Some picky eaters enjoy the challenge of a Kong and you can get more nutrients in by mixing the filling with their normal dry or wet food and then dividing the recipe into more than one Kong.
Depending on the size of your Kongs, most recipes can be divided into two Kongs, even more, when mixed with dog food. The recipes will easily stay fresh in your freezer for the week by wrapping them in plastic wrap to help protect them and keep your freezer clean otherwise they must be frozen or refrigerated.
If the Kong is rock hard from the freezer, allow it to thaw a bit before feeding, depending on the age of your pet and what kind of chewer they are. Never give a Kong that your pet can fit in their mouth or give unattended.
To keep the filling from falling out of your Kong, some ideas to help close the hole so that they don’t leak while you’re filling them include:
• Cheese
• Kibble
• Soft dog treat
• Spoonful of pate dog food
• Pill Pocket
• Banana
• Nut butter
*Important
Always ensure that the peanut butter you are using does not contain Xylitol, a sugar substitute that is deadly to dogs.
Some additional Kong filling ideas for your own recipe inspiration include:
Fruit
Watermelon
Apple, no seeds
Cantaloupe
Vegetables
Potato
Spinach
Kale
Broccoli
Green beans
Yellow squash
Zucchini
Butternut squash
Protein
Eggs
Cheese
Cottage cheese
Chicken feet
Other
Cheerios
Dehydrated or wet dog food
Left overs
Baby food
Steamed rice
Sodium free broth
We hope you enjoy these recipes and can’t wait to hear your favorites. Please share with your friends.
You may also like: 7 Licking Mat Recipes and 13 Quick Filling Ideas
