# How do I make a stuffed Kong last longer?



## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

Hello everyone! I recently adopted a rescue from a local organization (about 10 days ago). The rescue thought he was a Lab/Border Collie mix but he looks more Lab/Pit Bull to me. In any case, he's 55 lbs and likes to chew kongs in his crate. The problem is he tends to whine when in his crate, and so far he needs to stay in there when we aren't supervising him because he hasn't yet learned to curb his instinct to chase my 2 cats. So I've started training him by enticing him in there with treats a few times a day, feeding him in there, etc. At night I give him a couple of stuffed frozen kongs to chew on. 

My question is this: how can I make his kongs last longer? He completely empties both in about half an hour. I fill them by mixing his kibble with peanut butter and stuffing that in there, then freezing it for a few hours. Some people say that kongs can entertain dogs for hours on end, but Hobbes just goes right through them! And when he finishes he starts whining. 

Thanks for any suggestions! For reference, currently he's got 2 large kongs, one is a "dental" kong (kind of bulbous on both ends with a skinny middle and ridges all over for his teeth) and a regular kong shaped like a beehive. Any ideas?

Here are pics!


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## Deeken (Feb 14, 2011)

I add chicken broth or water mixed with yogurt to the kibble and let it soak for a few minutes before stuffing. This makes it freeze more solid that just peanut butter and kibble. I too have a lab mix and he takes about 45 minutes with these partially defrosted (he loses interest if they're fully frozen) but if you gave them totally frozen that should help them last longer as they would be more solid than with just peanut butter as the binder.


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## Maggie Girl (Feb 27, 2011)

Sounds like you need to stuff your kong with a smaller kong with another kong inside that one, LOL.ound:


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

Thanks for the replies! 

@Deeken: I've seen people suggest using yogurt before. Is it unsafe to give dogs dairy? I currently give him a little string cheese as treats but I'm concerned about using too much dairy if I also give him yogurt. 

@MaggieGirl: lol - I think you're right! Maybe nesting kongs, like those Russian nesting dolls?


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## Conard10 (Sep 25, 2010)

I think (only based on what I've read) that some dogs do just fine with dairy, other's may be sensitive to it. We put plain yogurt and kibble in a kong and freeze it...but it only takes our dog about 30 minutes to eat! I always wondered how these other dogs took hours to finish. 

We also put yogurt in our pup's kibble at dinner time and we've never had a problem. 

The only chew that last our dog for a long time is an antler....those things last forever!


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## Deeken (Feb 14, 2011)

Conard10 said:


> The only chew that last our dog for a long time is an antler....those things last forever!


Unless you have my dog. His record on antler consumption (for a 10 inch antler) is 3 days.

What I've learned about Kong stuffing is that the "wetter" you make it and the longer you freeze it, the longer it lasts. I have multiple Kongs, make them all up and throw them in the freezer. Like I said, I let Deeken's defrost for a bit before giving it to him because if it takes longer than 45 minutes or so, he loses interest. The edges need to have softened but if its been in the freezer for a while, it really gives the centre time to freeze. If there's another dog here, I will give it to them frozen and if its been in the freezer a couple of days, it can take more than an hour. 

Yogurt is fine. I buy a plain, organic, probiotic yogurt and I actually think the bacterial culture in it is really good for him. Obviously some dogs can be sensitive to dairy (just like they can be sensitive to anything else) but it shouldn't be of automatic concern. I also think that yogurt is less of a concern than something like milk.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

People are always getting warning about Pits. But no one ever warns about Labs.... They are chewing machines.

Forget the Kong... instead I use a baseball bat and cut it into 12 inch pieces (I buy them by the gross - it's cheaper that way... and contract with the local wood mill for the cutting). Then, I soak it in water overnight, and contract with a local grocery store to put it into the industrial freezers. Then, I give him 3 of these. Each one takes about 5 minutes, but he's ready for a nap when he finishes...

I haven't tried using the aluminum bats... those might last a little longer.

BTW, don't ever give a full grown Lab an intact baseball bat. The only thing more dangerous than the wagging tail of a happy Lab in a kitchen or living room.... is a playful Lab with a baseball bat, who thinks you want to play ball with him...


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

a7dk said:


> Hello everyone! I recently adopted a rescue from a local organization (about 10 days ago). The rescue thought he was a Lab/Border Collie mix but he looks more Lab/Pit Bull to me. In any case, he's 55 lbs and likes to chew kongs in his crate. The problem is he tends to whine when in his crate, and so far he needs to stay in there when we aren't supervising him because he hasn't yet learned to curb his instinct to chase my 2 cats. So I've started training him by enticing him in there with treats a few times a day, feeding him in there, etc. At night I give him a couple of stuffed frozen kongs to chew on.
> 
> My question is this: how can I make his kongs last longer? He completely empties both in about half an hour. I fill them by mixing his kibble with peanut butter and stuffing that in there, then freezing it for a few hours. Some people say that kongs can entertain dogs for hours on end, but Hobbes just goes right through them! And when he finishes he starts whining.
> 
> ...


Another idea (besides kongs) are interactive kibble toys. Tag has a tug-ajug and a buster cube. He seems to prefer the tug a jug, becuse he had it as a baby.  If I have to keep him busy all morning he gets a yogurtt/water frozen kong along with some kibble in a tug a jug or buster cube.


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## Deeken (Feb 14, 2011)

LazyGRanch713 said:


> Another idea (besides kongs) are interactive kibble toys. Tag has a tug-ajug and a buster cube. He seems to prefer the tug a jug, becuse he had it as a baby.  If I have to keep him busy all morning he gets a yogurtt/water frozen kong along with some kibble in a tug a jug or buster cube.


Hmmm, I bought a tug a jug thinking it would be a great alternative (since I feed out of toys) but Deeken can empty it in under 5 minutes. It certainly doesn't work as well as I expected it to based on all the good things I'd heard about it.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

Deeken said:


> Hmmm, I bought a tug a jug thinking it would be a great alternative (since I feed out of toys) but Deeken can empty it in under 5 minutes. It certainly doesn't work as well as I expected it to based on all the good things I'd heard about it.


What are you putting in it?
I don't bother with the easy dry things i put moist things in there so they stick and are harder to get out.


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## Deeken (Feb 14, 2011)

katielou said:


> What are you putting in it?
> I don't bother with the easy dry things i put moist things in there so they stick and are harder to get out.


His dinner- kibble. Hmm, I can moisten it before I but it in...


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

Wow, thanks everyone! Based on your responses I've prepared kibble soaked in broth with some yogurt added and its now in the freezer. I'll let you know if he devours it in record time! 

I haven't tried any of the other food puzzle toys yet, mainly because the ones like buster cubes and the like tend to make a hell of a racket, and his crate is still in our bedroom at night, for now, until he can stop whining so much.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

Also make sure the kong isn't "too big"...I made the mistake of thinking they would need a bigger kong, but it turns out that what they really needed was the size down. It looks too small for them, but it takes them longer to get it all out. 

I use premium wet dog food to stuff mine.


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## SOKAIBA (Aug 17, 2010)

I just use a Kong Genius (the big blue tube). I put a handfull of biscuits in there broken in half so they can still fall out occasionally. My pup is a monster chewer(not quite a 10" antler in 3 days OMG!) but loves to flip this thing around for hours. Plus you don't have to deal with the mess of stuffing and freezing.


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## a7dk (Mar 30, 2011)

SOKAIBA said:


> I just use a Kong Genius (the big blue tube). I put a handfull of biscuits in there broken in half so they can still fall out occasionally. My pup is a monster chewer(not quite a 10" antler in 3 days OMG!) but loves to flip this thing around for hours. Plus you don't have to deal with the mess of stuffing and freezing.


I'm not familiar with the Kong Genius - I'll check it out next time I hit Petsmart! Thank you!


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## SOKAIBA (Aug 17, 2010)

http://www.amazon.com/KONG-Genius-Extra-Large-Colors/dp/B003JVDV6W


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