How many Kongs can a puppy have a day? Here’s What to Expect

How Often Should You Give a Dog a Kong?

You can give your dog a Kong every day! Just be aware of the caloric content of the treat you’re giving them and monitor their weight. If your dog is overweight, then we recommend only using a Kong toy as an occasional reward so they don’t get too many calories at once.

Some lower caloric treats for dogs include carrots, celery, or peanut butter. Consider these options if you want to avoid weight gain for your dog.

If you have multiple dogs, give each one their own Kong to avoid any territorial issues! Also, keep in mind that not all toys are perfect for dogs to share, so find a toy that is safe for your pooch to play with alone.

When you give your dog a Kong, make sure it’s filled all the way or they will quickly lose interest in chewing on it!

How many Kongs can a puppy have?

Once you decide which Kong to use, get 2-3 of them. They will be in steady rotation, especially for puppies, and you’ll never be unprepared.

As a training tool, a Kong can help you achieve various training goals. While you are crate training (this applies to both puppies and newly adopted dogs), a Kong will help you train your dog to love his crate. We always say the crate should be a happy and even magical place, where treats and toys just “appear” for your dog to discover. Additionally, giving your puppy his meals in a Kong, while in the crate, is going to render several accomplishments; you are training your pup to like his Kong, you are training your pup to like being in his crate, and you are training your pup to enjoy – or at least, not mind – being alone.

A Kong is described as an interactive toy. There are many interactive toys available these days, but what makes Kong one of the best is its durability. It’s also inexpensive. The classic red Kong is the most common, and it comes in various sizes. The cavity of the Kong is not all that large, so make sure you are choosing a size that will allow you to insert adequate filling, and also ensure your dog’s success in eventually retrieving the goodies inside. If the Kong is too small and you have a large dog who is unable to extract the filling, it can become an exercise in frustration, and this is exactly what we are using the Kong to prevent; a bored, frustrated dog. If your dog is an exuberant chewer, consider purchasing the black Kong, as this is the most rugged. Once you decide which Kong to use, get 2-3 of them. They will be in steady rotation, especially for puppies, and you’ll never be unprepared. There will be a Kong in the crate, a Kong in the dishwasher, a Kong in the freezer, and a happy dog in the home.

What should you put in a Kong? If you look on sites like Pinterest, you will be inundated with well-meaning suggestions and a myriad of over-complicated or time consuming recipes that can have you thinking “Who’s got time for that?” And if you read the labels on processed foods like cheese in cans (even those created for pets) you’ll find more chemicals and non-natural ingredients that you don’t want your sweet pet to ingest. Don’t overthink it! To initially introduce your dog to a Kong, especially a puppy, take a portion of your dog’s meal (to prevent overfeeding), or all of it for small breed dogs if it all fits in the Kong, fill the Kong with it, and stop up the hole with a smudge of peanut butter or cream cheese or mashed banana. When you have the time and if you’re so inclined, try those Pinterest recipes, of course! Once you have trained your puppy to enjoy his Kong by serving his meals in it, you can switch to feeding him his whole meal in a bowl at meal time (we discourage free feeding; more on that in another post), and start using the Kong as a treat dispenser, giving it to your pooch when being crated. Or when you leave for work. Or when you’ve got company and want your pup to be happy and occupied. Or as a reward for good behavior. Or because you loooove him! You can put the filled Kong in the freezer. The peanut butter or banana, etc., will make a yummy frozen treat and will last longer.

Kong’s are one of the best items you can get for your pooch, for a multitude of reasons. We have been welcoming a lot of puppies to the Comfy Family lately, so we wanted to provide some detailed information about why we are such fans, how to introduce and use a Kong, and the benefits for both you, your dog, your shoes, your furniture…

A filled Kong can help deter boredom and prevent bad behaviors in that it gives your dog something to focus on and be stimulated by. It provides a reward. (We always like to reward good behavior!) Additionally, it allows your dog to forage and chew, which are natural behaviors for canines.

KONG Academy – Puppies

While most dog owners have heard of Kong toys, how familiar are you with how to use Kong toys to entertain your dog? Kongs rank highly in any list of the best dog toys, and their wide variety of uses make them an excellent choice for almost any dog.

Kongs are hollow toys, made of rubber. Some are soft enough for teething puppies, while others are designed for vigorous chewers. They can be stuffed with a variety of dog treats or food items for your dog to enjoy; after use, they can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher. Kong toys are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from extra-small sizes for toy breeds, to extra-extra-large sizes for very large dogs. Fortunately, there’s a Kong toy to fit the needs of nearly any dog.