Most dogs love a little mental stimulation, and treats are usually the best kind of motivator to get your pooch thinking and working. Many dog owners provide their furry friends with KONG toys, which can be stuffed with treats and left for their dogs to figure out how to get them out.
Snacking, however, can be as bad for your dog as it can for you! While your pup will happily munch on just about anything you put in a KONG toy, it’s best to pack them with healthy treats to add some worry-free nutrition to your dog’s mental stimulation. Below, we’re discussing 30 healthy treats you can put in a KONG toy for your dog to enjoy guiltlessly! Here are the best Kong treats to try today:
The 30 Treats to Put in a Kong:
1. KONG Stuff’n Real Peanut Butter Treat
First on our list is probably the most popular KONG treat out there: peanut butter stuff’n, also made by KONG. Just the smell of peanut butter will have your pooch going crazy over their KONG toy, and it also offers protein and healthy fats. In moderation, this dog-friendly peanut butter can make a delicious and engaging snack for your dog.
2. KONG Stuff’n Peanut Butter Snacks Dog Treats
Want to give your pooch the tasty peanut butter they love but worried about it making a mess? That’s where these peanut-butter-flavored treats come in! They fit perfectly in KONG toys because they’re made just for them, and they’re a delicious alternative to potentially messy peanut butter.
3. KONG Stuff’n Puppy Ziggies Dog Treats
These breath-freshening treats are made by KONG and are designed to fit perfectly in your dog’s KONG toy. They’re tasty, nutritious, and they’ll have any food-loving pooch working overtime to get a taste.
Related Read: 10 Best Dog Treats For Bad Breath
4. KONG Stuff’n Easy Treat Bacon & Cheese Recipe
This easy-to-apply bacon and cheese flavored paste may not be so appealing to you, but your dog will be head over paws for it! This tasty paste is made to be a healthy treat for your dog and will keep them mentally engaged to the very last taste.
5. Apples
Since apples are healthy and provide a little sweetness, they make an excellent stuffing for your dog’s KONG toy. Just make sure to remove all seeds, stems, and the entire core to prevent choking.
6. Natural Baby Food
Baby food is an easy and cheap way to stuff your pup’s toy, and you can stock up on a variety of flavors to keep your canine engaged and interested. Fill the toy and freeze it before offering to your pup to avoid a mess.
7. Chicken or Beef Broth
The scent of just about any meat will have your dog’s curiosity piqued, so chicken or beef broth can be great stuffing options. Seal one end of your KONG with a dab of peanut butter, place upside down in a glass, fill with broth, and freeze. This will prevent the KONG from making a mess while your pooch tirelessly investigates the meat scent. Opt for a low-sodium broth for the healthiest option.
8. Canned Pumpkin
Pumpkin is flavorful and low in sugar, which makes it the perfect healthy treat for your pooch. It’s also thick enough that you don’t need to freeze it beforehand. Sprinkle in some pieces of your dog’s everyday food for some added fun.
9. Milk-Bone Mini’s Flavor Snacks
These Milk-Bone treats are an easy and mess-free way to provide some mental stimulation with your dog’s KONG toy. They’re delicious, so they’ll keep your pup engaged, and their shape makes them difficult to get out, so they’ll provide lots of entertainment.
10. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is another treat that can be stuffed in a KONG toy and frozen. Choose a fat-free or low-fat cottage cheese for the healthiest option, and freeze before giving it to your dog. Add in some blueberries for a little added sweetness.
11. Applesauce
Applesauce is sweet and delicious, and it will have your dog engaged and interested. If you get low-sugar applesauce, it can provide a perfectly healthy and tasty snack for your furry friend.
12. Carrots
Carrots are a low-sugar but perceptibly sweet snack that can offer some mental stimulation when stuffed in a KONG toy. You may need to add in another more odorous treat to attract your dog, but the crunch of a carrot will be a tasty reward for any pooch.
13. Steak
Looking to pack some protein into your dog’s mental stimulation and snacking? Small pieces of steak will be irresistible to your dog, so combine them in your KONG with other ingredients for hours of entertainment.
14. American Journey Beef Recipe Grain-Free Soft Treats
These soft dog treats are great for stuffing into KONG toys. They can be taken out more quickly than hard treats because they flex, and this can lead to your pooch getting rewarded more often and maintaining their focus. They’re high in protein and free of filler foods, too, so your dog can enjoy them guiltlessly!
15. Mashed Sweet Potato
Mashed sweet potato can be stuffed into your dog’s KONG toy and offered as-is or frozen. It’s naturally sweet, so your dog will love it, but it’s also lower in sugar than most fruits. Just make sure to remove all of the skin before stuffing.
16. Yogurt
Unflavored yogurt is a healthy and protein-packed snack to put in your pup’s KONG toy. High-sugar yogurt should be avoided, so plain Greek yogurt is your best bet. Put some yogurt in the toy and freeze before giving to your pooch as a healthy dairy treat.
17. Ground Meat
For an enticing and easy-to-dislodge filling — perfect for a dog who might lose interest when the going gets tough — you can stuff some ground meat into the KONG and seal the top with paste-like peanut butter. The meat will keep your pup focused, and you can be sure that they’ll lick up any mess it might make when it hits the floor!
18. Cheerios
Another simple and cheap option to keep your dog thoroughly engaged is a handful of Cheerios. These will tumble out of the KONG quickly, so the fun won’t last long, but it can serve as a good training technique for teaching your dog that their KONG toy is a source of snacks.
19. Purina Pro Plan Savor Canned Dog Food
While dry kibble can be an easy way to start getting your dog to associate their KONG with a reward, wet food like Purina’s Pro Plan Canned Dog Food is thick and tasty. It can make the game more challenging and stimulating for your pup.
20. Milk-Bone Small MaroSnacks Dog Treats
These marrow-filled treats are the perfect size for really challenging your dog to extract the reward from their KONG toy. They’re also delicious and will keep even the least food-motivated dogs working!
21. Liver Pate
Liver pate is thick enough to be added to a KONG and offered at room temperature, but you can also freeze it inside for more of a challenge. The scent of the liver will have your dog’s interest piqued from the get-go! Just make sure not to overdo it because liver can be fatty.
22. Croutons
Looking for a KONG stuffing that’s simple and won’t require a trip to the store? Consider adding some croutons to your pup’s toy! The shape will make them difficult to extract, and the taste and satisfying crunch will keep your pooch interested.
23. Strawberries
Dogs love the sweet and refreshing taste of strawberries, so add some slices to your dog’s KONG for a delicious, summery treat. A word to the wise: skip this one if you have light-colored carpet or furniture, as it can cause staining.
24. Bran Cereal
Bran flakes are a heart-healthy and tasty snack you can offer your dog in their KONG, and the crunch will motivate any pup! Make sure never to choose a cereal with raisins in your dog’s diet, as they are highly toxic.
25. Cooked Eggs
Want to supply your pooch with some mental stimulation and a hearty, protein-filled breakfast treat? Scramble up some eggs and place them inside their KONG. Make sure never to cook with butter, oil, garlic, onion, salt, or pepper, as these can all be dangerous for dogs. Stick with plain, unseasoned eggs. The smell will have your dog ready to engage in seconds.
26. True Chews Premium Jerky Cuts Dog Treats
Some treats, like these jerky cuts from True Chews, are shaped perfectly to offer a challenge for your dog when they’re stuffed in a KONG toy. Place one or two of these in a KONG, and your dog will be entertained and stimulated for hours.
27. Sliced Bread
In moderation, sliced bread can be an excellent treat for your pooch. Simply fold up a slice of bread and stuff inside the KONG. You can even add a little something special — like some peanut butter — before folding it to ensure your pooch keeps at it!
28. Cooked Pasta
Some kinds of pasta, like rotini or farfalle (bowties), make good treats for placing inside your dog’s KONG toy. They will provide a tasty reward, and the shapes will make them difficult to extract. Just make sure not to cook the pasta with salt, oil, sauce, or garlic.
29. Blue Buffalo Health Bars Dog Treats
If you want a super healthy treat that’s still delicious, consider these Health Bars from Blue Buffalo. The shape will make them a challenge for your dog to get out, and the bacon, egg, and cheese flavors and smells will keep them interested.
30. Apricots
Apricots are another fruit option that can keep your dog interested and motivated, mainly because their shape will make them difficult for your dog to get out. Fruit should always be offered in moderation given the sugar content, but it’s perfectly safe as a special treat from time to time.
Keeping Your Dog Entertained with KONG Treats
It’s safe to say that if you’re struggling to think of what to put inside your dog’s KONG toy, you aren’t thinking outside the box! There are plenty of foods and snacks intended for dogs and humans that make great stuffing for a KONG, so the sky’s the limit. Switching up what you place in the KONG will add a new layer of intrigue and mental stimulation for your dog as well, so it’s a great way to keep them occupied and engaged.
Featured Image Credit: Kong, Chewy
Contents
- The 30 Treats to Put in a Kong:
- 1. KONG Stuff’n Real Peanut Butter Treat
- 2. KONG Stuff’n Peanut Butter Snacks Dog Treats
- 3. KONG Stuff’n Puppy Ziggies Dog Treats
- 4. KONG Stuff’n Easy Treat Bacon & Cheese Recipe
- 5. Apples
- 6. Natural Baby Food
- 7. Chicken or Beef Broth
- 8. Canned Pumpkin
- 9. Milk-Bone Mini’s Flavor Snacks
- 10. Cottage Cheese
- 11. Applesauce
- 12. Carrots
- 13. Steak
- 14. American Journey Beef Recipe Grain-Free Soft Treats
- 15. Mashed Sweet Potato
- 16. Yogurt
- 17. Ground Meat
- 18. Cheerios
- 19. Purina Pro Plan Savor Canned Dog Food
- 20. Milk-Bone Small MaroSnacks Dog Treats
- 21. Liver Pate
- 22. Croutons
- 23. Strawberries
- 24. Bran Cereal
- 25. Cooked Eggs
- 26. True Chews Premium Jerky Cuts Dog Treats
- 27. Sliced Bread
- 28. Cooked Pasta
- 29. Blue Buffalo Health Bars Dog Treats
- 30. Apricots
- Keeping Your Dog Entertained with KONG Treats
