Make-Your-Own KONG Stuffing Recipe (In 3 Simple Steps)

Do you have a classic KONG dog toy? If not, you may want to consider getting one for your pooch! 

What Is a KONG Toy?

The classic KONG is a durable rubber toy with a hollow center that you stuff with Fido-friendly foods and treats. It’s a cross between a food bowl and a boredom-buster enrichment puzzle that provides dogs with a healthy outlet to chew and lick! It’s great for bored dogs, barkers, chewers, pups who are teething, and dogs suffering from separation anxiety.

Depending on your dog’s size, the KONG comes in XS all the way to XXL! Here is KONG’s sizing chart:

• XS – Up to 5 lbs
• S – Up to 20 lbs
• M – 15-35 lbs
• L 30-65 lbs
• XL – 60-90 lbs
• XXL – 85+ lbs

While I generally don’t like giving my dogs rubber toys, this popular and versatile plaything is super thick and durable. Plus, they also offer various rubber intensities based on your dog’s chewing style. The KONG comes in:

• Puppy – Baby blue or baby pink
• Classic – Red
• Extreme – Black
• Senior – Purple

How to Stuff Your KONG Toy

Beginners

If your dog has never played with a classic KONG toy before, I recommend starting with something super easy. Fill the center of your KONG with a few small, loose treats. Use your dog’s favorite biscuit recipe or another treat he goes wild for! Then, give it to your pooch to roll around and work out the tasty reward. Chances are, the loose treats will fall out pretty quickly. But, it will teach your dog that something yummy goes inside! 

Intermediate

Next, bump it up a notch with a more robust mixture. When crafting your KONG stuffing recipe, pick one ingredient from each of the following categories and then mix the ingredients together. Tightly pack them into the center of your classic KONG and let your pooch work it out!

1. Choose A Base
   • Pumpkin puree
   • Sweet potato
   • Applesauce
   • Plain Greek yogurt
   • Cottage cheese
   • Cooked oatmeal
   • Cooked quinoa
   • Mashed banana

2. Choose a Yummy Booster
   1. Boiled and shredded chicken
   2. Boiled and pureed steak (a cheap cut is great)
   3. Ground beef, cooked
   4. Ground turkey, cooked
   5. Mashed canned salmon (plain, in water, drained)
   6. Sardine (plain, in water, drained)
   7. Peanut butter
   8. Almond butter

3. Choose a Healthy Add-In
   1. Shredded carrots
   2. Shredded zucchini
   3. Finely chopped broccoli
   4. Finely chopped kale
   5. Chopped spinach
   6. Diced red bell pepper
   7. Blueberries (either whole or smashed … depending on your dog) 
   8. Finely diced strawberries

Some great combinations: 

• Applesauce + chicken + carrots
• Pumpkin puree + steak or ground beef + broccoli
• Sweet potato + salmon + spinach
• Cottage cheese + one mashed sardine + red bell pepper
• Applesauce + ground turkey + finely chopped spinach
• Plain Greek yogurt + ground turkey + finely chopped kale
• Mashed banana + peanut butter + strawberries 

Advanced

Follow the same recipe building formula as outlined above, but pop the KONG in the freezer for about 4 hours (or overnight) before giving it to your pooch. It will take your dog a lot longer to lick and work out the delicious reward.

How to Wash Your Classic KONG Toy

• If washing by hand: Soak your classic KONG in warm water with dish soap to loosen leftovers. Then, use a bottle brush or toothbrush to remove stubborn bits inside and rinse.
• Or, you can easily wash your classic KONG in the dishwasher on the top rack. Check out THIS article to find out how to properly wash your dog’s rubber and plush toys!