Kong stuffing ideas
The art of kong stuffing is not difficult to learn, but there are requirements for them to work, both for the dog and the human to be satisfied. First you need to decide what the kong is for. Is it a meal in itself? A reward for being good? A treat to be left with when you go out between meals? Whatever it’s function there are some rules to follow.
1. The filling has to be at the correct consistency. If it is too hard to get out dog will become frustrated and bored with it. If it is too soft then it will go too fast and the dog will be left feeling unsatisfied and bored …these apply especially if given one to amuse while you are out and the object was to keep dog occupied to prevent destruction etc.
2. It has to be the correct kong, as in the correct size for the dog’s mouth and tongue and of the right hardness and density. You do not want the dog to eat the kong…you will end up with a huge vet bill.
3. Until the dog understands the concept of eating from a kong, never leave alone and unsupervised and if your dog has guarding tendencies then you need to work on the ‘mine’ ‘yours’ training with it...a kong, like a bone is a high resource.
4. A kong is not a toy: you wouldn’t allow your dog to play with his/her food dish…don’t allow the dog to play with a kong. It is yours not the dog’s and is given at your say so and as such a powerful training and bonding aid.
5. It has to taste good…be appealing to the dog and have healthy ingredients; the less commercial junk in the better. Below are tasty and delicious Dog Food Recipes dog food ideas to fill your dog's Kong.
Every dog needs a Kong. Super tough and durable.
Available on Amazon.
Kong Stuffing Consistency
The stuffing needs to be firm but not hard…about the consistency of pate of soft cheese to begin with. It is easier to make them up while the filling is still warm or at least at room temperature; you can then leave them in the fridge overnight to firm up to the consistency of firm chilled pate. As the dog works at the filling it will soften with the warmth of his/her paws and the action of the saliva. Frozen kongs (we call them doggy lollies in this house) are good as a treat on hot days and help add more fluids into the system. My dogs love frozen fruity kongs on a hot day…but you might want to give those outside.
Size and Type
Check the information on the packet…manufacturers give indications of ‘toughness’ but you know the power of your own dogs jaw…if your dog can destroy hard substances then you will need the heavy black kong. If you have a puppy you are kong training then the soft light blue one will be best. If it is in substitute of a meal then it will need to be large enough to take the equivalent of what would normally go in a dish.
Kong Filler Recipes
Banana and Honey Kong Filling
Equipment
- 1 Kong
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Fork
Ingredients
- 1 Banana Ripe
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- Cut off the end of a ripe banana (2 if using the large Kong) and block the small hole at the bottom of the Kong. Slice 3 or 4 thin pieces and put them to one side
- Mash the remaining banana in a bowl
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl
- Add a tablespoon of honey and mix with a fork
- Fill the Kong with banana mash
- Place the sliced pieces on the top, sealing the large end. Smear with a little oil and put in the fridge to set for an hour
Cream Cheese and Apple Kong Filling
Equipment
- 1 Kong
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 Apple
- 1 tun Cream cheese
Instructions
- Dice an apple into very small bits
- Mix with cream cheese until soft enough to pack into a Kong
- Fill the Kong and refrigerate until firm
- Flo with her apple and cream cheese Kong
Savoury Kong Filling
Equipment
- 1 Kong
Ingredients
- Peanut butter or cream cheese or butter, this is needed to fill the small hole in the Kong
- Rice or couscous, cooked lentils or barley
- Bone Broth
Instructions
- Fill with a little cooked rice, couscous, or cooked lentils or barley
- Fill with bone broth and freeze for 24 hours
Dairy Kong Filling
Equipment
- 1 Kong
- 1 Egg Carton
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- Peanut butter or cream cheese or butter used for closing the hole in the Kong
- Goats milk
- Yoghurt
Instructions
- After sealing the small end using peanut butter, cream cheese or butter, stand the Kong in an egg carton
- Fill the Kong 3/4 full with goats milk
- Fill the remainder of the Kong with plain yoghurt. You can also add some pureed fruit and/or honey to the yoghurt if you wish. Freeze for 24 hours
Quick Kong Recipe Ideas
Equipment
- 1 Kong
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 tin Sardines in oil
- Brussels Pâté
Instructions
- Mash a tin of sardines in oil into the Kong for an instant, delicious, ready-to-eat Kong. Freeze to make it last even longer
- Fill the Kong with Brussels Pâté and give it straight to the dog, or put it in the freezer to keep the dog busy for longer. Pâté is probably the best Kong filler there is!
Check out the other recipes I have including the internet's most popular dog treat recipe: Liver cake for dogs, the best dog treat recipe you can make at home.
great, thanks for sharing it
Hi Jamie,
Love your recipes and have tried numerous ones and they have all been very well received. Was just wondering if there are ‘printer friendly’ versions available. I’ve just printed the Kong one and it’s taken 19 pages with only 2 images and 2 lines of text on most of the pages. Would be great if this was consolidated more as it makes them more difficult to follow. Many Thanks
Yeah, try this page: https://www.printfriendly.com/
Just made the liver cake for our new puppy for a training aid Training should go very well based on how much he loves them! Now for the tuna cake!
not very technically literate.lease is there a book Of these recipes I could but so I could make them.
Afraid not. Best bet, is to print them out.
You refer to saving the melon seeds for natural worming… How does that work please?
I have tried the liver cake and sardine oatcakes recipes with great success, thank you! My family are a bit sceptical about them, but I love the idea of knowing exactly what the dogs are consuming, so will continue.