Do your dogs really like Kongs?

Question

Obvious question, I know. They're highly recommended by many very knowledgeable people and they've been around for decades.

But honestly, I've never had a dog who cares a thing about Kongs. I'll stuff Kongs with different stuff (peanut butter, kong stuffing, mostly loose dog food with a little bit of moist stuff). I've used big Kongs, little Kongs, soft puppy Kongs... Generally, the dogs nose it and nudge it for a few minutes and give up. Then it's forgotten by the people and the dogs for months or years before it's found with disgusting, moldy food in it.

Is there a trick to Kongs? Is it just that some dogs don't like them and others do? I'm mostly just curious.

Answer 1

Only when stuffed!!!!!!! Otherwise they sit in the same place for DAYS!!!!!!!!!!

And I have seen at least 10 dogs that suffered ruptured cruciates from chasing a Kong. It bounces in every different direction requiring the dog to change direction too quickly. So I never throw them for my dogs.

Answer 2

Dogs Kong? King Kong?

Answer 3

It's up to the dog. My dog doesn't like Kongs, even with peanut butter. She loves to find out how small a hole she can get the squeaker out of the stuffed toys. I'm just glad she doesn't try to eat the stuffing.

Answer 4

My dog likes hers, but it's not her absolute favorite. I think the trick to getting them to like it is to make it really easy in the beginning, put just kibble in that basically falls out. Then you can start making it harder for them and they'll keep trying to get it out, and devise different methods to "win." My dog started throwing the kong in the air, letting it drop and watching the food shoot out. But this took her a long time to devise. I think if you make it hard at the beginning, they'll just give up.

Although, it might depend on how much prey drive your dogs have. My dog has a lot of drive, so she doesn't like to give up on something. If your dog doesn't have much prey drive, they might not care about the kong no matter what you do!

Answer 5

My dog will go at it until everything I put in it is gone. Have you tried freezing the contents inside overnight?

There is another thing I got for my pup that she loves... it is a decently sized rubber bone with a cylinder hole through the the entire thing (horizontally)... I stuff that just like the Kong and she LOVES it!

Answer 6

My pups have always preferred ropes and stuffed toys but they aren't what I consider aggressive chewers.

I think that what makes them so popular to recommend is that most dogs can't do any damage to them. People feel that they are a safe toy so there isn't much liability. That may also be the reason that many dogs don't like them, they can't actually tear them apart.

So dogs don't use them and that makes them an even safer toy to recommend.

Ironic.

All the 'toys' that my dogs like are considered potentially dangerous: vinyl, rawhide, sticks, stuffed animals. They really like cardboard but only to rip it up, not to eat it.

Answer 7

I have never put food in my dogs Kong and he loves it! He plays with it every day.

Answer 8

with my dog i get food moist and stuff it inside the kong. and then i put it in the freezer. My dog absolutely loves it, but i do know dogs that dont like them

Answer 9

Our puppy won't touch the Kong. He does, however, really love any sort of stuffed toy. Currently he's in the process of disemboweling a stuffed duck.

Answer 10

My dogs don't like the Kongs, they like the peanut butter I cram in there every so often, Lol...

:) No trick with my dogs, they just like peanut butter.