I love feeding my own dog Poncho out of these, and other "interactive" food toys. He enjoys eating his meals out of them as well - I can tell because he goes into his "whirling dervish" mode every time I get one out of the freezer...yes, the freezer - hes at what I call "University Level". Pre-school would be dry kibble topped off with a little wet food.
The Kong Company is nice enough to supply you with lots of tips and advice on great ways to use your dogs Kong toys. For me, I like coming up with my own "recipes" (okay, I think of them more of concoctions) with anything and everything that is either leftover from me and my hubby, or whatever I find in the fridge that needs to be eaten.
Because the Kongs are relatively small on the inside, you arent able to put an entire meal in just one. So, like we humans have sets of dishes, I have purchased a few Kongs of the same size and consider them Ponchos "dishes". I might just give him one, along with his other favorite food toy the Tricky Treat Ball. And of course he gets his veggies in his bowl - there are some veggies in his Kong mixture, but most of them end up in his bowl...I think the veggies are the only thing Ill feed him from his bowl.
Okay, so what all do I put in it? And how do I do it? Simple...for the easiest "recipe" I combine the following ingredients*:
- Kibble (high quality like Solid Gold or Wellness)
- Canned wet food (high quality like Solid Gold or Wellness)
- Leftover veggies: canned pumpkin, zucchini, asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, summer squash etc...and anything else that might be around that he likes.
- Fruit: apples, pears, berries (or whatever is around that he likes)
- Grains: leftover brown rice, whole wheat pasta, couscous, quinoa, sweet and regular potatoes...and anything else leftover that he likes.
- Meat: scraps of whatever we have leftover
- Dairy: plain non-fat yoghurt
I mix it all together, making sure there is enough kibble (which has many of Ponchos doggy specific required nutrients) and wet stuff to make it the consistency of a human type chicken salad. I add a little chicken broth or water to thin it out a bit. Then, I cover and refrigerate it overnight. This way, the kibble soaks up the water from the veggies etc...makes it a little stiffer, for easier stuffing.
Now Im ready to prepare Ponchos meals. I take one of his Kong toys, and using a small fork or spoon, I fill it tightly with his "casserole". I then wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer. This way, I can make a whole bunch of them, and keep them for when I need them. When theyre frozen, it takes him longer to go through one...instead of gulping down a meal in 10 seconds!
If youre just starting out, youll want to have your dog go through all the "stages" - beginners level (pre-school) to "University". If you start with a more difficult level, your dog might get frustrated and not want anything to do with it. Making it easy gets him or her conditioned to loving their Kong. They begin to associate the toy with more excitement than just the food itself. Its a fun game for them - plus again, this action taps into their predatory drive, and gives them something to do!
Here are some "level of difficulty" suggestions, which are based upon how quickly your dog can get the food out:
- Beginner: dry kibble (can add in some dry treats to make it extra tasty and enticing), top off hole with wet food.
- Intermediate I: mix kibble with a little wet food, add any leftovers you want, loosely pack it - you still want to make it easy for food to come out.
- Intermediate II: kibble, wet food, any leftovers you want to add, pack it tight.
- Advanced: Freeze it! Initially you can thaw it partially before giving it to your dog, so as not to make it too difficult.
Remember: there are some foods that are not healthy or safe for your dog - check with your vet if you are unsure. If youre dog has never had a Kong, its best to supervise until you know he or she know how to "use it".
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