Kong recipes

If you’ve ever given your dog a Kong you know how fantastic these indestructible toys are at keeping your pup active and stimulated for long periods of time. Not only are they great for games of fetch, but they’re also great for stuffing yummy treats inside to encourage mental agility with reward! To better help your dog’s natural instinct of hunting food, here are some delicious recipes you can make to stuff inside your dog’s Kong.

Kong benefits

Before we dive into the treats, let’s first explore why Kong toys are so beneficial for dogs in the first place. The hard rubber chew toy was first invented over 40 years ago by Joe Markham as a way to stop his German Shepherd from chewing up all his socks. Since then, dogs all over the world have enjoyed the fun of a Kong toy. It not only encourages positive chewing habits, but also improves oral health. 

For dogs who are prone to separation anxiety and being left alone for too long, the Kong is also a great way to keep their brains distracted and engaged. Dogs are innately programmed to chew – it’s how they search out the world around them. So having a toy like the Kong that is virtually indestructible is a great way to keep your dog busy and happy.

The Kong was specifically designed with a hole in the middle to house treats and encourage a dog’s natural instinct to hunt for food. The act of hunting the food out of the Kong provides dogs with increased mental stimulation that is super beneficial to their overall growth and development. We know it’s important to maintain a well-balanced diet for your dog, so adding these small, healthy treats to the Kong will provide the benefits of good nutrition and activity.

Puppies and Kongs 

The Kong makes for the perfect puppy chew toy, which you can even purchase in puppy size. Not only will a Kong help prevent their piranha puppy teeth from chewing on what they shouldn’t be i.e. your favorite pair of shoes, but will keep them mentally stimulated, where they’re unable to get as much physical exercise from long walks at such a young age. Ultimately though, puppy chewing is unavoidable and they’ll often find themselves chomping on anything they can get hold of to help with teething – including their beds. 

But, at Omlet, we’re committed to putting an end to demolished beds and disturbed doggy sleep. So, we took matters into our own hands and designed the Topology puppy bed – perfect for withstanding razor-sharp teeth, puppy accidents, and everything else in between, whilst never compromising on comfort. And if your puppy somehow manages to chew through their Quilted topper? We’ll replace it for free*. With all being said, we still strongly encourage you to redirect your puppy’s chewing with dog toys such as the Kong to help them channel their exploration of the world around them.

Now, onto the recipes…

Recipe #1 – Savory Snacker

For the dog who craves the savory tastes and smells of meat, this recipe is sure to get the tails wagging. These ingredients are staples of most households and the recipe is simple to make.

1. Take one small sweet potato and microwave or bake it until it is soft in the center. Once cooked, let it cool for a few minutes. Then, scoop out the inside of the potato into a bowl and mash with a fork to get any lumps out.
2. Next, boil plain chicken until thoroughly cooked. You want to make certain this meat is not seasoned as some spices can be detrimental for a dog to ingest. Once the chicken is completely cooked, fork shred a small piece into smaller bite sized pieces and add it to the bowl of sweet potato.
3. Last, shred one small carrot into fine pieces and add it to the mixture.
4. Stir all ingredients together until they mix and marry completely.

You can add the mixture just as it is to the Kong from here or roll into small balls and place in the freezer for a frozen savory treat later. Either way, your dog will love hunting down the savory morsels of this yummy treat.

Recipe #2 – Sweet Treat

Did you know that dogs have a sweet tooth just like we do? While the taste buds of a dog are a fraction of that of humans, their smell is a million times stronger. And when dogs smell the delicious, sugary scents of sweet food they can’t help but indulge. So if you want to treat your sweet pup to a sweet treat, here is a recipe that is sure to have them begging for more.

1. Take one cup of plain greek yogurt and put it into a bowl.
2. Next, add two large tablespoons of any nut butter – peanut, almond or cashew are some great options. Whatever you have on hand in your pantry will work.
3. Finally, chop up fresh strawberries into small bits or mash up some fresh blueberries into a fine mixture. The sweetness of the fruit is what makes this treat so indulge-worthy.
4. Now mix all the ingredients together and then smooth out the mixture onto a parchment-lined pan. Place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours so it can completely harden. When you are ready to stuff the Kong, simply break off a piece and place it inside.

This sweet treat is sure to provide hours of engaging activity for your dog – with a delicious reward for their work.

Recipe #3 – Dinner Delight

Is your dog an “invite me to the dinner table, too” kind of dog? If your pup has a hard time keeping their nose (and their mouth.) away from the dinner table, this Kong stuffed recipe is sure to occupy their time so you can enjoy a peaceful meal.

1. About one hour before your dinner is ready, boil one cup of rice until tender and add to a bowl to let it cool.
2. Take one can of plain salmon canned in water and drain it into a strainer so only the salmon meat is left. Mash the salmon into small pieces with a fork and add it to the cooked rice.
3. Next, finely chop up some fresh spinach and mix it into the rice and salmon mixture.
4. Depending on the size of your Kong, take one spoonful of the combined ingredients and spoon it into the Kong. Then place the stuffed Kong into the freezer.

When you’re ready to eat, take the Kong out of the freezer and give it your pup. We guarantee they will be happily entertained and licking away for the entirety of your dinner, if not longer, with this frozen, delicious treat! And you will have enough of this recipe leftover to make more Kong dinner treats another time.

The Kong toy is a favorite of so many dogs and pet parents because they are easy to stuff with store bought treats, or allow you to create your own recipes. Making homemade treats to stuff in your dog’s Kong is as easy as combining a base, a protein and an add-in. Some other simple ingredients to consider are cottage cheese, yogurt, peanut butter, ground turkey, and apples. No matter what treat you make your dog, be sure to have a sturdy and easy-to-clean dog bowl on hand so they can eat any leftovers without much mess. Try out one of these recipes today and let us know how your dog liked them in their Kong!

This entry was posted in Dogs