Kongs! My favorite Puppy Pacifiers. The possibilities are endless with these guys, you can pretty much stuff them with anything (dog friendly, of course). Some days when I’m feeling fancy, I pretend I’m a gourmet dog food chef and come up with fun ways to stuff them. Here are some of my favorite Kong recipes (PS- you don’t have to use Kongs, any stuffable toy will do!)
These recipes are purely for entertainment and supplemental feeding as treats, they are not nutritionally balanced or meant to be meal replacements. All non-kibble ingredients listed are safe for dogs in moderation or as an occasional treat, but feel free to leave out anything you’re uncomfortable with.
Ingredients: Bacon Treats, Eggs, Cheese, Kibble
Eggs are packed full of protein and nutrients and are great for dogs. Real bacon is extremely high in sodium so I prefer to use bacon-flavored treats for this recipe. Crumble up your treats into a bowl. Add an egg and some shredded cheese and scramble. Add some kibble to soak up some of the egg liquid. For some extra calcium, you can even crunch up the eggshell and mix it in too. You can serve this Kong two ways: Raw or Cooked. If you are comfortable feeding your pup raw eggs, you can freeze it and serve it as-is. If you would prefer to have the eggs cooked, pop the filled Kong into the microwave for about 20 seconds or until the eggs are cooked to your preference. Be sure to let it cool before giving it to your pup. Tip: Use a bit of masking tape to cover the bottom hole, and use a coffee mug to hold the Kong upright while in the microwave.
Ingredients: Peanut butter, Fresh Fruit
This one is pretty straightforward. Get some peanut butter (be sure to check the label for xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is toxic to dogs), and your favorite jelly fruit (just no grapes! They are toxic). I look for peanut butter with as few ingredients and added sugars as possible. While you can use real jelly, it has a lot of added sugar and you have to be super careful about checking the labels for snuck-in toxic ingredients. For these reasons, we are going to make our own substitute. Pixel likes mashed strawberry “jelly” and Kashmir prefers mashed bananas (I know bananas aren’t a jelly fruit but PB&B isn’t different enough for its own recipe haha). Now take the two and layer ’em, swirl ’em, and just get creative with it! You can also mix in crumbled treats or kibble for some crunch.
Ingredients: Shredded Chicken or Chicken Treats (can leave out or sub for a different protein), Mixed Vegetables (canned, frozen, or fresh), Chicken Stock (can sub for beef stock or water), Kibble
This is a great one if your pup loves veggies! Grab some mixed vegetables and mix in some shredded chicken or chicken treats (or whichever protein you fancy!). You can use fresh, frozen, or canned vegetables for this. If you do canned, try to find a low or no-sodium variety. Add some kibble and just enough stock to moisten everything then stuff and freeze.
Ingredients: Plain Pureed Pumpkin (NOT Pie Filling!), Kibble, Probiotic
Does puppy have an upset stomach? This favorite Kong recipe will sort them right out! Pumpkin is a doggy superfood, packed full of nutrients and it’s a natural stomach soother. You can use any plain pureed pumpkin (watch out, don’t accidentally grab pre-sweetened pie filling!) but I am a fan of the Fruitables Pumpkin Superblend because it’s fortified with extra goodies. My probiotic of choice is Pro Plan’s Canine FortiFlora; it’s a powder that comes in packets so it’s easy to portion and mix into things. Mix your pumpkin and probiotic, then layer with the kibble inside the kong. Seal the top with whipped cream or yogurt for added flair.
Ingredients: Kibble, Low Sodium Broth, Stick Shaped Treats
A fun trick to make any Kong last longer is to turn it into a popsicle! For my pupcicles I usually keep it simple, just some kibble moistened with low sodium chicken or beef stock and mashed into the Kong. Then I’ll take a long-lasting stick-shaped treat and shove it into the Kong opening and freeze it in place. My favorite things to use are bully sticks, chicken feet, and celery stalks. A trick for keeping your Kongs upright while they freeze is to put them in a cup!
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