Healthy Dogs

How to Stuff a Kong Toy

KONG Stuffing Recipes

Here are some of our favorite recipes. Give them a try—or make up special recipes of your own! Just be sure to avoid foods that can be dangerous to your dog, like onions, garlic, avocados, macadamia nuts, bread dough, grapes and raisins, moldy foods, artificial sweeteners, fatty cuts of meat and chocolate. If you’re unsure about what’s safe to feed your dog, contact his veterinarian for advice.

Main Courses

The Basic KONG

You’ll need:

• A special treat for “dessert,” like a cube of freeze-dried liver or jerky
• Your dog’s kibble
• Canned dog food
• Sticky sealer (a blob of peanut butter, processed cheese or cream cheese)

Drop the special treat into the bottom of the KONG. Then mix together your dog’s kibble and a few spoonfuls of canned dog food. Spoon the mixture into the KONG. When the KONG is filled, seal all the food inside using a dab of peanut butter, a smear of processed cheese or a little cream cheese. If you find that your dog can lick the KONG clean within just a few minutes, try freezing it overnight before giving it to him to satisfy him longer.

Meat and Potatoes

You’ll need:

• Ground turkey, chicken, lean hamburger or cubed chuck steak or roast
• Potatoes, brown rice, cooked oatmeal or crumbled whole wheat bread
• Kidney beans and grated raw or lightly steamed veggies

Combine equal parts meat and potatoes or grain. Stir in a spoonful of beans and a sprinkle of raw grated or steamed and mashed veggies. Freeze the KONG overnight or serve it warm.

Chicken Stew

• 1 whole chicken or fryer parts (breast and thighs)
• Potatoes or cooked brown rice, oatmeal or millet
• Vegetables: Some that dogs like raw (grated or finely chopped) are parsley, carrots, zucchini, lettuce, bell peppers (green, red, orange and yellow), fresh corn, celery, tomatoes and beets. Some veggies that dogs enjoy steamed are green beans, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, potatoes and hard winter squash.

In a soup kettle, cover the chicken with water, lightly salt and spice to taste, and add chopped veggies—celery, carrots, diced tomato, bell pepper, etc. If you’re using potato, add that to the stew as well. If you’re using grains, cook them separately. When the stew is done, you’re ready to combine everything. Put equal parts of meat and grain or potato in a large bowl, along with a tablespoon or two of the vegetables. (The vegetables should amount to about five percent of your dog’s meal.) Then spoon the mixture into a KONG. If you’re going to freeze the KONG, you can add some broth as well.

Itchy Dog KONG (for dogs with allergies on restricted prescription diets)