Is your dog anxious when left in the crate or when you aren’t home? It can be particularly stressful for dogs who are used to you being home most of the day. Stressed dogs tend to display harmful behaviors, including pooping and peeing inside, excessive barking, excessive chewing (on both themselves and household items), and drooling. Creating a neutral or positive experience around your departures can help reduce these undesirable behaviors.
One effective strategy is introducing a Kong Toy to keep your dog engaged and relaxed while in its crate. Kong Toys can also be used as chew toys, treats, and food dispensers. We’ve created a helpful guide on how to prepare them like a trainer.
Mix up the ingredients.
We suggest changing the treats and food you stuff into the Kong occasionally to keep your dog excited for their next treat. You can also stuff their kibble or wet food meals into a Kong to keep them occupied during mealtime. It’s important to consult your veterinarian before changing their diet to prevent allergic or digestive issues with new foods.
Layer it up:
The first step is to stuff your kong with high-value food to pique your dog’s interest. This can include:
- Freeze-dried treats. Including freeze-dried chicken and beef.
- Cheese
- Hot dog pieces
- Fresh meat, including chicken strips and ground beef
You can then add small pieces of fruits and vegetables, including apples, blueberries, and carrots, to provide more nutrition and to make it more appealing.
When understanding how to prepare them like a trainer, it’s essential to wet down all the ingredients that you’ve gathered. This step will make the food last much longer. You can use water or a low-sodium bone broth to wet down the food.
Blend all the ingredients
The next step is to blend all of your ingredients with a mixture of smooth and water-soluble ingredients. This is important because it helps provide extra flavor for your dog, and it will take longer for them to eat.
Smooth ingredients to blend include:
- Peanut butter
- Cottage cheese
- Mashed banana
- Greek yogurt
Water soluble ingredients include:
- Canned pumpkin, applesauce, or pureed sweet potato
- Canned dog food
Freezing is key
When freezing your Kong, please consider your dog’s age, enthusiasm, and dental health. If it’s not frozen long enough, your dog may finish it too quickly; if it’s frozen for too long, it may lose interest. Understanding your dog’s specific needs will help you prepare the perfect Kong.
Are you looking for additional ways to use food for enrichment, or are you worried your dog may be suffering from separation anxiety? We have previously blogged on “Puzzle Games to Slow Down Your Dog’s Eating,” “Best Way to feed your puppy,” and “How to Stop Your Puppy from Whining in the Crate.” You can schedule a free consultation with our Co-Founder, Sean Savage CDBC, CPDT-KA. Sean can offer expert training recommendations while listening to your unique training and behavior goals.
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