A personal endorsement for a terrific dog toy!

Betsy, a 2-year-old Golden Retriever, is my first 'granddog', and I love her to pieces. Her parents have brought her up right--she is an 'inside dog' and behaves like a lady, but she can play like the boys when the opportunity arises. She has been showered with toys and attention since they adopted her as a puppy, but she had never had a Kong Dog Toy. On a recent trip to see my son and his wife I just had to take something to show Betsy that 'grandma' loves her. Enter one X-Large Kong.

Get the right size for your dog

Kongs come in a range of sizes to provide the best fit for your dog. Trust the chart provided on the Kong package to choose the one right for your dog. Golden's fall in the larger dog area, and the X-Large Kong I purchased for Betsy is the smallest one recommended for her size. As her jaws get stronger using the Kong, we will graduate to heavier Kongs that can stand up to more abuse. I bought a box of liver treats to use in the Kong, and couldn't wait to try it out on her.

Say goodbye to the Kong

At first, Betsy just sniffed the Kong and walked away. The hard red rubber is kind of smelly, and maybe the aroma of the liver snacks wasn't compelling. So...following one of the ideas in the instructions accompanying the Kong, I rubbed a little peanut butter inside the holes at either end of the toy and handed it back to Betsy. Yep, that got her interested in a hurry, and I didn't get my hands on the toy again until the peanut butter and liver treats were completely gone a half hour later.

How it works

The trick is your dog will mouth the Kong and eventually his saliva will soften and reduce the size of one of the treats so it can be pulled from the toy and eaten. The process can take quite awhile, depending upon the type and number of treats inside the Kong. Peanut butter is an instant reward, and sparked our dog's initial interest, but wasn't required once she got the idea.

Hello refill

The literature that accompanies the Kong Dog Toys includes recipes and ideas for filling your dog's Kong for 'hours' of entertainment. Recipes include ingredients you may already have at home, such as maccaroni and cheese, beef or chicken broth, etc. Ingredients can be layered inside the Kong, layered and covered with broth then frozen, and so on, allowing you to create something different for your pet each day.

Recommended by experts

Kong toys are approved by experts in dog health and behavior, including veterinarians and trainers. As Kong literature explains, in the wild a dog's 'work' is hunting for its food, with a successful hunt delivering a food reward. Our dogs spend much of their time sleeping, which is also natural, but little time working for their food. Kong toys provide a natural and healthy diversion that creates entertaining 'work' for our dogs that leads to a delicious food reward.

While you are away-all day work and play

Does your dog find destructive ways to keep himself entertained while you are away? Betsy did. My son returned home in time to witness Betsy streaking through the yard with a two-foot strip of newly laid sod gripped firmly in her teeth. She was having a great time, and had ripped up other pieces while he was out. It was only funny for a moment--sod is expensive and putting it down is back-breaking work, to boot! Her antics were a symptom of boredom; she is an intelligent dog, bred for hunting--work--with no work to do, so she improvised. No more. Now when Betsy is left in the yard while her parents are gone, she has 3 Kong toys, packed and ready for work, to keep her occupied. Problem solved.

Last thoughts

We have found the Kong toys to be a great addition to Betsy's care and training. When we know she will be alone for most of the day, we substitute filled Kongs for her daily ration of dog food to prevent unwanted weight gain. To keep her gums healthy and clean her teeth, we also purchased a Dental Kong. We make sure she plays with it for a short time each day. This is one product that definitely delivers what is promised. You should consider getting one (or many) for your dog today! Click on the image below to see the many different toys available.