Frozen Kongs-The Life Saver.
Having dogs eat, lick and chew-work for their food has many benefits. It keeps them busy while we are away, reduce boredom and inapproaperiate chewing/destruction, sooths and calms while alone. A filled Kong can act as a pacifier or entertainment while the dog is in a crate or when visitors come over. It can also help teething, stress reliver and to stimulate the dog mentally and physically. A kong does not have to be frozen, but it last a lot longer if it is.
Here are some popular ideas to what you may consider filling a Kong with to reward your scavenger with: canned dog food, sweet potato, boiled chicken, apple pure, banana, apple, baby food, kibble, dog treats, peanut butter, cheeze whiz, pumpkin pure, carrots, rice, turkey and lots more...
We prefer to start the Kong with some kibble (something harder) to make the narrow top part easier to clean and prevents gooey stuff from getting stuck at the top.
The mushier and softer the mix is (but not too wet as it will leak out), the better it freezes. We find that sealing the bottom when done filling prevents leaking in the freezer, e.g. banana, peanut butter, cheese. We recommend having a few on hand and premaking some for easy grab and use.
Did you know that many behavior problems are improved or resolved with exercise, mental and physical activities? Dogs need exercise for overall health and well-being.
Most breeds were intentionally selected over hundreds and thousands of years to do specific jobs and to help humans in one way or another. Most dogs still have this instinct. Dogs are also natural scavengers, they love foraging for food, solving problems, exploring and using their noses. Dogs that does not get a chance to perform a job, activity to exercise their body and mind often get bored, develop behavior problems and lack overall well-being.
Mental Enrichment (Puzzles, Games, Interactive feeders, treat balls).
Consider feeding your dog from an interactive ball, puzzle, through nose work or playing.
Hiking.
Santa Clara County have plenty of beautiful state parks for you and your dog to enjoy and exercise in. Check out the website for location and more information:
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/parks/parkfinder/Pages/parkfinder.aspx
