The Kong is King
Staff Report
Many dog owners lament that their dogs destroy most conventional dog toys. If you have an enthusiastic chewer in your household, maybe it's time you choose a Kong.
What is a Kong?
It's...well, a Kong. They come in a variety of sizes and styles, from the original red Kong (pictured) to the King Kong (for heavy-duty chewers) and a Water Kong that floats and comes with a handle for throwing.
What makes the Kong so unique isn't that it's a hunk of solid rubber. It's the clever hollow design perfect for stuffing with goodies like kibble mixed with peanut butter, dog cookies - anything you can think of that you dog can and will eat. Don't ask me how dogs can get the stuffing out, but they do, and it keeps most of them busy for quite a while. The best part is that dogs are natural scavengers and this helps satisfy their need to forage while keeping them busy and destracted, helping reduce problems like boredom chewing of inappropriate items.
Like any other toy, carefully observe your dog with it for a while to make sure they won't demolish it and swallow the pieces. Also, select a size larger than your dog will need to help prevent a possible choking hazard. They are available in most commercial pet stores and online outlets.
Kong stuffing suggestions:
- peanut butter mixed with kibble
- large cookies
- hard-boiled eggs
- veggies mixed with peanut butter
- any of the above combined and frozen for a few hours to increase their difficulty in getting it out
