Stuffed Kongs are a great pacifier. We love to use them for the shelter dogs at Gigi's. Batch filling and freezing Kongs is a great way to have them on hand for use as needed. It is much more challenging to fill a Kong each time you need it. Choose a Kong that looks big in your dog's mouth. Black Kongs are best for power chewers. Supervise when offering any long lasting chew or toy to be sure your dog uses it safely before considering leaving it with them unsupervised.
A parfait strategy is great for Kongs. Enrichment should be fun, not frustrating. Put something loose in the bottom third of the Kong so that the last bit doesn't get stuck. Some treats, popcorn, cheerios, veggies or kibbles are good. Mix kibble and a binder like a little wet food, plain yogurt, canned pumpkin or baby food to just coat the outside of the kibbles. Loosely spoon the mixture into the Kong. To make it fancy you can add a little topping like canned food, peanut butter, pumpkin, cheese whiz or yogurt - with or without a cookie tucked into the top. Freeze it! If your dog finds a fully frozen Kong too challenging, take it out to defrost some before offering it.
Interested in working with a professional dog behavior consultant? Remote and in person dog behavior sessions are available. We work with all behavior concerns, from new puppies to dog and human directed aggression using positive reinforcement (no shock, pain or intimidation). Learn more about our services at www.GigisBehavior.org
