Every now and then I see folks asking for ideas for stuffing Kongs. I first started thinking about this when I noticed that stuffed Kongs offered by a local boarding facility were large Kongs filled completely with peanut butter or spray cheese. Nicki's fairly small - and that's a lot of sugar, salt, & fat! So I started thinking about what else I could use. Frozen Kongs not only provide fun and entertainment for our pups, they can actually be used as meals to slow down pups that wolf their food! Over the years I came up with a number of variations, all of which are much healthier. Admittedly, these require more effort than pumping spray cheese, but Nicki thinks it's worth it!
A few suggestions: a small piece of waxed paper, folded in half to strengthen it, then curled into a funnel can make filling Kongs easier. Consider using 2 small sized Kongs instead of one large one. That way your pup can stretch out the enjoyment. (Of course, that means you don't hand 'em all over at once.) Puppy sized Kongs hold about 1/4 cup of small-sized kibble, plus a few tablespoons of "base". Medium sized Kongs hold more than 1/2 cup of kibble + stuff. Large? Don't know! Never had a large enough dog! Keep those measurements in mind to help you avoid over-feeding.
The Bases (use these to bind other ingredients together for freezing):
Any yogurt that doesn't use artificial sweeteners
pumpkin purée
unsweetened apple sauce
mashed or puréed bananas
wet food (use the amount you'd ordinarily feed)
Yes, soft cheese and peanut butter work - just don't use them for the entire thing. Maybe a bit at the base of the Kong as a big reward. Like the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie pop! Flavored yogurt, even though it contains sugar, is ok, because you're only using a few tablespoons.
The Mix-Ins (all should be plain, unflavored, no sauces, etc):
peas
diced butternut squash
diced sweet potatoes
diced carrots
chopped green and yellow beans
chopped pineapple (just a bit as an accent)
chopped peaches (just a bit as an accent)
raspberries (less than a cup per day)
strawberries
blueberries
kibble
The basic formula: if you're using actual dog food for a meal, measure out your pup's usual serving, and proceed from there. If you're feeding wet food, add in low-cal but rewarding taste treats like peas, squash, berries, then fill the Kong and freeze. If you're feeding kibble, pick one of the bases to hold it all together. Feel free to add in other goodies from the fruit and veggie list. Just making a treat? Combine a base with a mix-in or two (or three!) and fill 'er up!
I use frozen fruits and veggies for this because they're high-quality, cheaper, and easier to handle and keep on hand. There are other fruits and veggies that are safe for dogs, but they're not listed here simply because they don't freeze as well. According to an online calculator I found (I can't math) there are 8008 possible combinations here to keep your pups happy & fed!
