Delight my dog
June 12, 2014 6:03 AM   Subscribe

With summer here, we need some new recipes for treats that I can stuff into a Kong and freeze. What are some of your (and your dog's) favorites? The best options will be relatively easy to make, totally delicious, and not terribly terribly messy as they melt.
posted by .kobayashi. to Pets & Animals (11 answers total) 22 users marked this as a favorite
 
Overripe banana, canned pumpkin, and peanut butter (just a little) are our go-tos (separately, not combined).
posted by The Michael The at 6:31 AM on June 12, 2014


Definitely peanut butter. We used to soak her kibble in a bit of water until soft, then mix with a touch peanut butter, shovel it all into the kong with a banana plug at the large end. Frozen solid, it would take her most of the day to get through.

Disclaimer: Bananas are a bit messy when they melt.
posted by sarahmelah at 6:49 AM on June 12, 2014


We just use high quality canned dog food. We rotate flavors, but I don't think she cares. I can't imagine anything our dog would love more than pure chicken/rabbit/lamb/turkey. If I tried to give her a kong full of banana I'm pretty sure I would get a glare that said "where's my real snack?"
posted by juliapangolin at 6:58 AM on June 12, 2014


We just use peanut butter. Either mixed with some food or just smeared around the inside. The great part is that even after the thing is totally cleaned out, she still tries to tease out every last bit of it days and days later.
posted by VTX at 7:59 AM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


I get lemon, vanilla, banana, and maple yogurt and put it in the freezer. Much cheaper than those Frosty Paws things. I got those Frosty Paws things once and not only were they tiny (compared to a basic single serve yogurt, anyway), but both dogs looked at them and then looked at me and obviously thought there was a huge mistake.

To put in a Kong, maybe mix some vanilla yogurt with peanut butter or peanut butter powder (lower in fat) and freeze. My dogs also like it when I share my smoothie - banana, milk, and peanut butter (usually powdered). I imagine this would also freeze well.

I know you said not messy as they melt, but nothing melts faster than my dogs can lick it out of the containers. :) If you find something your dog really likes, this will probably not be a problem.

Be careful to use yogurt with real sugar. Sugar substitutes are poisonous to dogs.
posted by AllieTessKipp at 8:08 AM on June 12, 2014


Half a piece of American cheese, 10 seconds in microwave, swirl it around to make sure it coats the inside of the kong, pop in freezer for a while. Cheesicle!
posted by ImproviseOrDie at 8:25 AM on June 12, 2014


Our dog has a tremendous sweet tooth (weirdest dog ever), so we freeze strawberries and blueberries for her.

A friend of ours got her The Cocotherapy Dog Treats which she is addicted to, which could easily be frozen in water.
posted by Suffocating Kitty at 8:29 AM on June 12, 2014 [1 favorite]


I stuff my dog's Kong exclusively with canned food (often cat food right now because I'm having a picky-eater situation with old man cat and the dog is ever so willing to assist in cleanup). I put some kibble at the bottom because her tongue isn't long enough to reach the entire space and then offer it to her frozen as a meal replacement occasionally.

I've never had a mess from anything melting because she is focused on it the entire 45-60 mins it takes to lick it all out and then bobble it until the kibble falls out.
posted by rawralphadawg at 12:01 PM on June 12, 2014


I freeze stock I make without onions into ice cubes my dogs love those that could work in kongs or to soak dry dog food in before smushing it in.

My dogs also love baby carrots so I'll shove some of those in there with something squishy around them like canned food and freeze.

Cheese is a big winner too.
posted by wwax at 2:24 PM on June 12, 2014


I mix (dry) dog food and peanut butter together, then plug the big end with peanut butter. Works great.
posted by zug at 2:49 PM on June 12, 2014


Not for Kongs, but my wife waters down yogurt and freezes them in ice cube trays.
posted by notsnot at 3:15 PM on June 12, 2014


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