[Gracie's Mama]

So do you guys use those stuffable Kong toys? If so, do they last long? Are they well liked? I spent a small fortune at petsmart today. And bought a kong and some of that stuff like looks like cheese in a can. Except I got the liver and peanut butter kind. I need help. I need to know how you guys "stuff" it? I looked at it and made a few tries tonight but I just dont see how this works without being too easy(and the stuff just falling out) and too hard(where she loses interest).

My small fortune was well spent by the way. They were having a sale so I got some bil-jacks liver treats. Half a dozen new toys, a new harness(she didnt like the one we made her wear now), and some ear cleaning stuff. Plus the kong and the two squirt-cheese can things.

P.s. I was on ebay the other day and noticed a few kong toys on there. They were only like a couple bucks. I paid 10 for the one I bought her today. Would you guys buy a kong off ebay? It weirds me out a little. It does say "new" though. It's not used or anything. So maybe it would be alright?

 

[bassetmom26003]

I bought my boy a Kong as he was a destructible chewer, but he never liked it. I didn't fill it with stuff because his tummy was incredibly sensitive. Haven't offered it to my gal yet.......as for Ebay Kongs I think I would pass, it is only a few dollars more in the store. I understand about spending a fortune at those darn Pet stores though. When I brought Annie home I went to look at SUV barrier bars for between the cargo and backseat and shampoo. Well didn't buy the barrier b/c it was ridiculous $100 or over, and spent $30 for 2 bottles of shampoo and a nametag. On the way home I stopped at Tractor Supply, a farming store with pet stuff too......much cheaper prices for various things. If you have one of those near you may want to check it out. They usually have a good selection of toys too

 

[MollyMcFrecklesMom]

Mine love their Kongs! I put peanut butter in them (they love the chunky kind) and sometimes mix kibble in with it. Other times, I mash up bananas and put them in there, also occasionally mixing kibble in with it (eww to us...but they love it!) To make it last longer, fill it and stick it in the freezer. Be creative...anything that is safe for them to eat is fair game to put in the Kong.

 

[Wworm]

Hi Gracie and pals!

yeah, we spend small fortunes at Petco & Petsmart, frequently it seems...! can totally relate.

Worm has 2 kongs. I also had problems w/it at first, 'cause we bought the biscuits to stuff w/them & put peanut butter on them, but it was too difficult for Worm to get it out & he'd give up. i think i started a thread on this, too, before. it was also hard for me to stuff it and remove it...

anyways, i've taken some of the others' suggestions, and these days, we have "kong parfait" with ~3 layers of yogurt, peanut butter, wet food. i stuff it using a spoon and knife. i stuff them both & freeze them, and give him one every couple days.

 

[gilirainbow]

hi gracie. i usually soak up the kibbles in unsalted chicken broth, add some cream cheese, wet food, and freeze them for 2-3 hours. i don't give the kong everyday tho, since carlos gets bored easily. So i switch with food balls and some other treats filled chew toys.

 

[Geekerbell]

When Molly was younger (~ 2 months old) she had no interest in the regular Kong. We tried peanut butter and that Kong cheese flavored squirt stuff.
I started using other treat fillable toys and have now added the regular Kong back in, and now she loves it.
So we rotate between the treat stick (shaped like a flashlight and you can put kibble or other treats into it), Tug-a-Jug, Kong Genius toys (she's at the point now where we attach two together to make it more difficult), regular Kong and the Kong Stuff-a-Ball.

With the Tug-a-jug, treat stic and Kong Genius we use for her Kibble meal. The regular kong we mix kibble with peanut butter or cream cheese usually. (love the mashed banana idea, btw MollyMcFeckles, and the yogurt Worm).
She's not at the point yet tho where we freeze... she takes long enough without having to do that.
The Kong stuff-a-ball we usually put kibble in first them "seal" it off with peanut butter. With the stuff-a-ball I have also squirted dog toothpaste into the ridges of it. Then she has nice vanilla mint breath when she's finished. Bonus.

 

[Baileys]

Hi there!

I have a hand me down kong from her pug "cousin" AKA my sisters dog Anyways, she doesn't have much interest in it either. BUT what I have found is, I like to stuff her food in it with real organic peanut butter, no spray can stuff (guess I'm cheap haha), and then I freeze it. So if I have to work that day instead of feeding her that morning I give her a kong with her food in it. So it seems to keep her more interested because she is hungry, and the cold sensation on her poor teething gums.

Sometimes at the very end I stuff even better treats like string cheese or I get a baggie and throw some pieces of salami and slice of a natural balance roll and use that. (they sell these at Petco for 99cents and they seem to go along way, and if you ask for a repersentative day you can possibly get them for free if they have one, they are sell allergry free ones if you are concerned about wheat those I think are 30 cents more).

Anyways, find her favvvvvv treat and use it!! Haha Try cloud star my picky eater loves their brands.

Good Luck,
Baileys and Owner

PS if your giving extra treats than normal be sure to subtract food from breakfast or dinner that day, no chunky chunky basset's hehe

 

[Wworm]

Baileys-- formally requesting for more pics to look at! looking at your profile and can't really tell, but think that Worm has that same centipede/caterpiller? can we get a close-up of it and your basset???
Worm wants to see!!

 

[Gracie's Mama]

Hey guys.
Thanks for all the ideas. I've never really stuffed a kong before and didnt really know how to go about it. But you've given me lots of ideas. I like the soaking the kibble in chicken broth, using wet dog food, the mashed banana, yogurt and the cream cheese!

Molly has a LOT of food toys! I never even knew they made stuff like that. I will have to look more closely next time I'm there.

Bailey's- I will have to look for those natural balance rolls. I would have never thought of that. Also I made her a Kong this evening with peanut butter, bits of beef hotdog, bits of cheddar cheese, bits of her liver treats, some kibble, and mashed potatoes. She ate that instead of dinner. But I dont think she finished it all. lol.

So you stuff the kong full? How do they get to the bottom of it? Or is it just a matter of having the right size kong? I bought the puppy size large.

 

[gilirainbow]

they have the size for weight on the package. when carlos was younger and a lot thinner i used medium size. he's 1 y.o now and a big boy (40 lbs) so the medium size only lasts for less than 30 mins. i've got him a large size kong, it lasts longer.
i always stuff the kong full, press it till it's solid. no need to worry, bassets have long tongues!

 

[Wworm]

Well, Gracie, dunno if this pic helps. It takes Worm 20 min to finish his these days. He is older than your Gracie right now (10 months), tho that's the Kong we've always used since 4 months. Yes, as Carlos says, his tongue is all the way inside that Kong! like this

 

[gilirainbow]

Btw if I freeze the kong for too long (overnight), Carlos won't touch it. He'll bring the kong inside his crate and wait until it becomes soft while playing with other toys, then he'll eat it. What a brat!