24 Healthy Kong Filler Treats: Vet Approved Recipes & Stuffing Ideas
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Giving your dog a treat is always satisfying, and it’s even better when you can make it fun and engaging. KONG toys are a classic for a reason; they provide a simple yet effective way to give your dog minutes to hours of stimulating playtime with a delicious reward. And when you can make that reward as nutritious as it is delicious, you’re doing everything right.
But, what might be considered healthy for us isn’t always safe and sensible for dogs. Treating our pets takes a conscientious approach. Most pups happily chew on a toy no matter what’s inside, and are even more inclined to lap up a treat, whether it’s good for them or not. So when we are able to pack a KONG with wholesome snacks for a tasty challenge, we are bound to be onto a winner. If you often find yourself staring blankly into the pantry, wondering what your dog might like, this list of 24 healthy KONG filler treats that will leave your dog begging for more!
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Kong Fillers for Dogs You Can Buy Today
1. KONG Stuff’N Peanut Butter Snacks
KONG Stuff’N Peanut Butter Snacks are a solid alternative to the convenient yet messy Easy Treat. A mixture of flour, peanut butter, and apples, they’re healthy, all-natural snacks your dog will love, and you can feel good about offering them. The size and shape fit perfectly with the various KONGs, presenting a minor challenge and an enormous reward for your dog.
2. KONG Stuff’N Ziggies
A tricky treat that’s also good for teeth, KONG Stuff’N Ziggies are a fun and healthy way to keep your dog entertained. The texture promotes proper dental health, with rosemary and parsley adding fresh, natural aromas to freshen your dog’s breath.
3. KONG Kitchen Natural Peanut Butter & Pretzel Crunchy Dog Treats
The PB & Pretzel bites from KONG Kitchen are tasty, nutritious nuggets that give your dog a bit of extra work. Several treats fit in a KONG, allowing your dog more time to play and work for their reward. The bites are only four calories each, so there’s no worry about your dog having more than they should.
4. Newman’s Own Beef Jerky
A KONG stuffed with Newman’s Own beef jerky, available in original or beef & sweet potato flavors, is a protein-rich and extra-delicious option to pamper your dog. The bite-sized pieces of grass-fed beef fit into XL KONGs, or you can break them apart to pack them into smaller toys. Since they’re free of grains and artificial preservatives, they’re easy on the taste buds and stomach. Plus, Newman’s Own donates 100% of their profits to charity, helping you get more from the experience too!
5. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Trail Treats Grain-Free Salmon Biscuits
You won’t need to try too hard to tempt your pup with a KONG filled with Blue Buffalo’s Wilderness Trail Treats. The crunchy, grain-free treats come in delicious meaty flavors, including salmon, turkey, duck, and red meat. Protein-packed meat is at the top of the short ingredients list for a treat full of fatty acids and disease-fighting antioxidants. They can get crumbly in the pack, but each presents a great challenge for medium-large dogs.
6. Bark Bistro Company Buddy Budder
Are you tired of the same old peanut butter for your pet’s KONG? Bark Bistro Company Buddy Budder is an upgrade to the classic filler, arriving in seven blends boasting simple all-natural ingredients. Free from xylitol, added sugars, salts, or preservatives, there’s no question whether it’s safe and healthy for your dog. It’s perfect on its own, or to anchor smaller treats inside the KONG, and with flavors like Beggin Bacon, Barking Banana, and Superberrry Snoot, you might be tempted to try them yourself!
7. Old Mother Hubbard Oven-Baked Biscuits
Old Mother Hubbard’s crunchy oven-baked biscuits come in several exciting flavors for your dog to test out, with multiple sizes from mini to large. Add one to an oversized KONG, or pack it full of smaller biscuits. It’s a healthy and affordable way to test dogs of all breeds for a few minutes of fun. Meat isn’t the main component, but you’ll appreciate the familiar and pronounceable list of ingredients.
8. Buddy Biscuits Soft & Chewy Dog Treats
The soft and bite-sized Buddy Biscuits are a flavorful and healthy KONG filler treat for dogs of all ages and sizes. Even senior dogs will enjoy the chewy, manageable reward. They’re perfect for smaller KONGs, or you can fill up a larger toy and seal it off with a small wad of peanut butter.
9. Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats
Stewart Freeze Dried Dog Treats keep it as simple as possible with their single-ingredient recipes. Though pricier than some treats, they’re relatively affordable among freeze-dried options, and your dog will appreciate the healthy, high-protein filler for their KONG. They come in four flavor options and several sizes, so you can try them with a smaller tub before committing to a value-sized pack.
10. Bocce’s Bakery Soft & Chewy Dog Treats
Bocce’s Bakery Soft & Chewy Dog Treats are a versatile KONG filler. The all-natural, limited-ingredient treats can fit smaller KONGs, or you could pack a couple of morsels into a larger one. With a soft and easy-to-chew texture, they break up without crumbling, giving you more ways to fill your dog’s chew toy. The snacks come in five intriguing flavors, including chicken and pumpkin, duck and blueberries, and the always-reliable peanut butter and bacon.
11. Evolve Grain-Free Jerky Bites
Evolve’s bite-sized jerky bites are a tantalizing treat to motivate your pup during playtime. The grain-free treats have a pleasantly soft texture and an all-natural blend of veggies, antioxidant-rich fruits, and protein to satisfy any dog’s tolerances. With meat as the number one ingredient, they’ll have no issue keeping your dog’s focus.
12. PureBites Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Treats
Another freeze-dried option, PureBites, puts its bare bones formula featuring 1–2 ingredients on the front of the package. The treats are full of protein and little else, and they’re an easy choice when you want your dog to have only the healthiest foods. Like other freeze-dried products, the size of the pieces varies significantly, making some treats more KONG-friendly than others. But even the crumbly ones can fit along other less-appetizing fillers to keep your pup engaged.
13. Sprats
Air dried Baltic sprats are another healthy option for stuffing those KONGs. Each pack is 100% sprats, rich in essential fatty acids and no additives. You can stick them in on their own, or combine with peanut butter for a truly disgusting treat! If you can stand the smell, your dog will LOVE the taste.
14. KONG Stuff’N Easy Treat
KONG Stuff’N Easy Treat recipes are the quickest, simplest way to treat your dog to a KONG. Available in four flavors (peanut butter, pepperoni, liver, bacon & cheese), the spray-in treat delights your dog’s taste buds while making it as easy as possible for you to fill their toy. Though it’s a little messy and sparse on natural ingredients, it still delivers a decent amount of protein and fat.
All Natural Kong Fillers for Dogs
15. Raspberries and Strawberries
These delicious berries are a sweet treat packed with healthy antioxidants, vitamin C, and potassium. You can cut them into small pieces easily to fit any KONG and mash them up for an alternative way to fill your dog’s toy. Plus, they don’t have as much sugar as other fruits, allowing you a little more slack in how much you offer your dog.
16. Cottage Cheese
Dogs love cheese, so you never have to worry about getting their attention on their KONG when this is on the menu. With fat content and lactose being an overarching concern when it comes to cheese, cottage cheese has a lower fat and salt content than most other cheeses, and its higher water content makes it much easier to digest. Cottage cheese fills any KONG to the brim and pairs well with blueberries for a more satisfying treat. Toss it in the freezer to keep that treat lasting for hours.
17. Green Beans
Green beans make a good stuffing for KONGs, whether cooked or raw. They’re low in calories and full of fiber and essential vitamins, which is a low-risk choice when you’re trying to keep your pet’s weight in check. Avoid canned green beans or any products with added salt to limit your dog’s sodium intake.
18. Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin is a fiber-filled, nutrient-dense option for a KONG toy, provided it’s free of dangerous sweeteners and preservatives. Fortunately, pumpkin is the only ingredient in most products, making it a no-brainer when you want something healthy for your pet. It’s usually thick enough to work well with a KONG, but you can freeze it to give your dog extra time to work on it.
19. Cooked Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs can be an appealing treat for many pups, whether you take the shell off or leave it on. Whipping up a batch for the week is simple enough, as you won’t want to give your pup more than one a day. The protein-rich treats are easy to put in your dog’s KONG, but you must ensure they’re cooked fully to prevent sickness.
20. Apples
A cored and sliced apple is easy to cut into the perfect bites for any breed. Apples supply numerous health benefits for dogs, thanks to their rich blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. Apples and peanut butter are a snack you can enjoy with your dog while they play with their KONG. To switch things up, try a healthy, additive-free applesauce to fill the toy instead.
DIY Kong Filler Recipes for Dogs
21. Peanut Butter, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes
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You can cook up some sweet potatoes and mix them in with chunked-up apples and peanut butter to fill a KONG. Make sure the apple pieces don’t have any seeds and are the proper size for your dog. You can freeze it if desired, but it will hold perfectly fine unfrozen while still giving your dog several minutes of work licking it clean.
22. Carrots, Green Beans, Chicken Broth, and Rice
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Using unrinsed rice and adding a little extra water while preparing it will create a stickier product, making it easier to keep in the toy and bind the veggies.
23. Strawberries, Bananas, and Yogurt
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Bananas are higher in sugar than most fruit, but you can dilute its effect with plain yogurt and low-sugar strawberries. You can cut up the strawberries and mash the bananas before mixing, or puree them all together and freeze them before serving.
24. Vegetable Mash
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This can have a number of variations, depending on what you have in the kitchen. Cut up and boil some sweet potato, parsnips, butternut squash, carrots, rutabaga, or potatoes until soft, drain the water and mash away! Mix in some frozen peas for some added color and texture, and stuff your KONG with this delicious, nutritious, and healthy treat. This is a great one for dogs needing to stick to a low calorie diet, or those with a history of pancreatitis.
Final Thoughts
As you are probably realizing, the possibilities for your dog’s KONG are seemingly endless, but inspiration must start somewhere. Try the recipes or a few fitting dog treats to see what your pup finds the most favorable. KONGs are a blast for pets, and by experimenting with different nutritious food combos, you can make them fun for you too!
Remember that many of these treats are high in calories, and may be quite rich if your dog’s stomach isn’t used to them, so exercise caution. Try to alternate using classic treats in your KONG with some of the more healthy options.
As you have noticed, freezing the softer KONG fillers can be a great idea to keep your dog occupied and cool, and you can even try filling your KONG with smaller dry treats and water, then freezing it. KONGs have a hole at the top that you’ll need to block if you’re going to try this technique though!
Have fun creating new and exciting KONG stuffers for your favorite pooch, but remember to check that you are sticking to dog-friendly ingredients. If you have any doubts, always check with your veterinarian before introducing something new.
- See also: 10 Best Kong Dog Toys
Featured Image Credit: AlyssaRich, Shutterstock
