Filling Ideas
Many dogs, who crave mental stimulation, enjoy food-covered toys because licking naturally releases dopamine in canines.
What is dopamine?
Dopamine is a motivating, feel-good chemical that an animal's brain releases when the animal is expecting a treat or a pleasant experience. It makes them work harder for the reward!
Where do I start?
Begin with the right style toy. Many companies provide dog owners with a large selection of fillable, fun toys for dogs to enjoy. Kong, West Paw, Pet Safe, and Lickimat are just to name a few but even simple toys such as the underside of frisbees are great options, too. Oftentimes, these can be washed and sanitized in the dishwasher for our convenience.
What do I fill it with?
There are hundreds of food combinations to fill these toys! Always add ingredients in moderation and be sure to stay away from salt and items with artificial sugars.
Start off simple or make it a layered masterpiece!
Note: If layering, be sure to make the bottom a high-value item! This ensures that your dog will continue the activity versus getting bored with it.
Binders | Fruits | Veggies | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
Cream cheese | Melon | Broccoli/Cauliflower | Bone broth |
Peanut butter | Berries | Carrot | Beef trachea |
Plain greek yogurt | Apple | Spinach | Bully stick |
Pureed Banana | Banana | Zucchini/Squash | Freeze-dried treats |
Egg | ​Peach | Green bean | Coconut milk/oil |
Raw/Wet food | Cranberries | Bell pepper | Salmon oil |
Hummus | Pear | Peas | ​Parsley |
It's filled, now what?
Once you've got it stuffed with or covered by your item(s) of choice, you can do one of two things:
Freeze it! This will allow your dog to enjoy the item over a longer period of time.
Give it to them!
Important Safety Tip
Whenever giving your dog a treat, bone or a toy, be sure that the activity is supervised to avoid any emergency trips to the vet!
Be sure to check out Brain Games and Safe & Non-Safe Foods for information about the importance of stimulation and to learn more about fun and safe foods for your dog.
Bri loves to spend her downtime with a filled Kong!
Bri is available for adoption through FLUFF Animal Rescue.