Here is a great way to give your dog a mental workout.  Stuff a Kong!

An easy recipe is this.  Slice some bananas, and drop into Kongs.  It’s easy to manuever Kongs if you put them in a large yogurt conainer.  We get them from Publix.  Both the dogs and I love yogurt, so we have plenty of these empty containers, which are perfect for Kongs!  After you stuff the Kongs with sliced bananas, push some good peanut butter in with a knife.  We use organic peanut butter from Costco.  It’s more economical, but good.  Though watch the ingredients.  For a while, Costco had an organic brand with added sugar.  Dobies, Aussies, and other dogs, don’t need sugar in their diets.

For those dogs that are good at destuffing Kongs, you can put some peanut butter in after adding some banana, then add more banana, then more peanut butter.

For those toughian dogs who get really good at destuffing, I freeze a bunch of stuffed Kongs to make it a more challenging destuffing project.  You can cover the Kong with aluminum foil for freezing, or turn the Kong upside down in the yogurt container, ingredients permitting.

Remember, don’t make it too hard for dogs who are soft.  Keep the stuffing to their levels, or they will get frustrated and not try.  For the first time dog, you might start with a simple slathering of peanut butter inside.  That will be an easy and rewarding introduction to the Kong for your dog.

After the Kong has been destuffed, it will need cleaning.  I buy vegetable brushes and squeeze them together for a good, tight-fitting brush that will get the Kong clean for next use.  Soap and water and a soak sometimes is needed to loosen the remaining peanut butter.  I had used a bottle brush, but on the Dobie sized Kongs, they aren’t wide enough to do a good job.

The Fort Doberdale Squirrel Posse love their Kongs and have a good time destuffing them. They give Kongs their stamp of approval.  It is a mental workout, which all dogs need, and it’s fun to watch your dog figure out how to get the treats out. Some bounce, some lick, some take the whole thing in their jaw and smash.  Remember to count their Kong treats as part of their daily calories.

Helen