I meet so many people through work, and they all have one thing in common, they all love dogs. I think this often makes for wonderful people, don’t you think?
Bernard - Photography by waggywhisker.co.uk
Yaena is one of them, she first called me a few months ago as she wanted to learn more about dogs' behaviour in order to communicate better with her dog Marley, a gorgeous and lively Toy Poodle. We quickly approached the subject of the Kong, and with Yaena being extremely focused on food and the effect it has on humans and dogs alike, she started experimenting with Kong filler recipes. I asked Yaena if she would share some of her delicious, healthy and seasonal recipes with us, she said yes!
Here's what Yaena says:
“Thank you for introducing me to the Kong. As a keen cook and someone who is interested in nutrition I became quite inspired to make the Kong fillers not only interesting but also full of good stuff. Here are three of our favourites.
The Pumpkin Pie *
¼ cup pumpkin puree
2 tbs peanut butter or coconut oil
A handful of cranberries
A big pinch of cinnamon
Blend all in blender (or use a stick blender) and fill the Kong, store in the freezer. For an extra bit of fun add a few chunks of turkey to dig out.
The Salmon & Cream Cheese *
4 tbs cream cheese, or cottage cheese for a low fat option
A slice of smoked salmon
One grated apple (no seeds)
Chop the salmon and mix the cream cheese and grated apple. Fill the Kong and freeze.
Bernard - Photography by waggywhisker.co.uk
Are you going to share your Pudding? *
¼ cup yoghurt
2 tbs peanut butter/almond butter
A handful of blueberries
Blend all in blender, then add slices of banana for bonus chunks and added interest. Fill the Kong and freeze.
Once you find your dog’s favourite recipe, making larger batches and freezing them in extra Kongs will save you precious time.
*If you don’t have any of the ingredients just leave it out or substitute, but do make sure any ingredients are dog safe. I also like to alternate the recipes for continued interest and nutritional variety.”
None of these ingredients are known to be dangerous to dogs, and have multiple known health properties. However your dog could be sensitive or prone to allergy, so be safe.
Kong's are available from our online store, scroll down for more.
Happy Kong Filling!
(Originally posted January 2016)
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Here is another fun recipe to try for your dogs during this hot weather.
You may remember a few years back a lovely client called Jeremy shared with me his recipes for making lovely Bobby some dog friendly Ice Cream.
We have put it together for you to have a go yourself. Don’t forget to tag me on instagram with your creations @olijustedogtrainer. I love to see what you’re up to with your furry friends.