FROZEN KONG

[LORRIE PAULUS]

I am looking for ideas on things to put in a kong to freeze.  My 20 week old Rosie eats Wellness Core No Grain and after some issues with Iamss and Blue Buffalo we have successfully transitioned her.  I don't want to give her anything that will mess that up, but we are having issues with her waking up very early in the morning.  She doesn't have to potty, sometimes I will take her out and she just sits there--she was going over 7 hours at night and then all of a sudden early wakings!  I have been reading that a frozen kong when she wakes up might help keep her quiet until we get up...any ideas?

[Teresa and George]

I know that a lot of people freeze peanut butter in Kongs; we use cream cheese.  It's not too messy, and it keeps George happily occupied.  Sometimes I'll mix a few kibbles in there, too, just to make it interesting.  With any luck, the early wakings will just be a phase.  George was up pretty early at that age.  Now, at 8 months, he is like a sleepy teenager who doesn't want to get up in the morning.  :)  Good luck!

[LORRIE PAULUS]

I am hopeful that's the case .  And once the weather is warm she can be outside until dark...she was doing so well and now she is a whiner!  I just made a small one with pumpkin, yogurt and a few of her treats.  IDK how messy it'll be--I have been mixing pumpkin & yogurt with her food since we've been transitioning so I thought I could give her the morning mixture in a kong instead of in her food....

[Doug, Micki, Dawson & Mya]

+1 on the peanut butter. I like the kibble idea too.

[Namrata and Rowlfy]

Just curious about how much peanut butter do you put in the kong?  I thought it was very fattening for dogs.  I have a small blue puppy kong.  should I fill it all the way with peanut butter or cream cheese? If I do then its at least 4-5 tbsp of peanut butter.  Isn't it too much? 

[Teresa and George]

I don't use a huge amount of cream cheese--mainly spread it around the inside so he can stick his tongue in there and lick it.  Might want to check with your vet if you're concerned about calories.  Probably as long as it's not ruining your pup's appetite for his/her regular food, it's OK.

[Helen & Kirby]

It depends on what your dog likes.  My lab loved peanut butter, tomatoes, watermelon, bananas, etc., but the doodle I have is very picky!  I usually put kibble, then rice and chicken, or a couple spoons of quality canned food, then freeze.  sometimes a little mashed potatoes, anything that will freeze and hold the kibble inside.  You can even poke a treat out the top frozen in the mash potatoes.  I like the yogurt and pumpkin idea, I think I'll try that!

[Hollidoodle]

I fill it with frozen plain yogurt mixed with a few kibbles and 'cap it off' with peanut butter. She has a short little tongue and can only get half of it out of the puppy sized one, but it takes her quite a while to get out what she can! I'll have to try the cream cheese soon. I did try plugging it with the kong brand squirt can stuff but it gave her the squirts too...