Sorry - really stupid Kong question!

Ok...maybe I missed the point of a Kong. No one told me!

Someone mentioned in another thread that they're supposed to chew it to get the food out. I've been thinking this over and....how would that work? How would chewing a Kong get peanut butter out of it, for example?

My dog has no idea that Kongs are for chewing. Mostly because she gets her dry kibble in it with just a bit of wet food to seal the big hole...she doesn't chew it, she licks the wet food and then nudges the Kong around the room to make the kibble fall out.

Also, what is the small hole at the other end for?

the small hole is so that the dog doesn't create a vacuum and get their tongue stuck.

my dogs don't chew either. they lick and luce flings. i don't care what they do with them provided it keeps them occupied.

my dogs just lick the kong too, not a single one of them chews on it. They do, however, chew on hollowed out bones that have peanut butter inside (i refill them).

the hole at the other end prevents it from becoming a nasty vacuum that could suck your doggie's tongue in.

As they chew, mushy food gets squeezed out of the holes at either end ...then they lick it. Some dogs don't chew on them much though ... they just kinda lick them over and over and somehow manage to get all the food out that way!

But when first giving a dog a Kong, I start with loose kibble not moistened and not packed very tightly. These come out easily, so they learn that Kong=Food.

Next time I really pack the kibble in there tightly but still without moistening. By packing it in hard, they have to give it at least one good chew to get the first piece to come out ... that teaches them to "work" to get the food out.

After a few times of being successful at that, then I try mushy stuffings. Some I have used are moistened kibble, mashed banana, mashed banana mixed with a tiny bit of peanut butter, chopped fresh apple mixed with a tiny bit of peanut butter, scrambled eggs mixed with cheese, shredded carrots mixed with a little cream cheese, and boiled meat that has been first put through a food processor and then mixed with just enough broth to make it good and moist. The reason I don't start right off with mushy stuff is so they don't get frustrated with the thing right off the bat ... but instead gradually learn to work it.

Some people do use just plain peanut butter ... I don't because it makes a mess and because dogs seem uncomfortable eating plain peanut butter even though they love it. They do that weird thing with repeatedly sticking their their tongue out. Guess plain peanut butter must get stuck on the roof of their mouths ... can't be too comfortable trying to get that all off.

I imagine it makes for easier cleaning of the thing. (They are top-rack dishwasher safe though.) Also prevents vaccuum-effect ... so the dog's tongue doesn't get sucked into it and stuck.

Mine don't chew them either, they lay down and hold it with their front paws and lick them to death.

Whatever keeps them busy and happy works for me

Are the puppy kongs dishwasher-safe?

All kongs to my knowledge are "top rack" dishwasher safe

Yeah, top rack only and you have to place them so there's no chance of them falling to the heat elements on the bottom.

BUT .... the puppy and senior Kongs are made of softer rubber. Dishwasher-washing could possibly make them wear out faster from the heat ... but maybe take them out before the high-heat dry cycle?

I don't put Kongs in the dishwasher every time ... only occassionally so they get really clean ... cleaner then I can get them with just handwashing. It may make them wear out faster, but I'd rather have to buy another sooner rather than have gunky, smelly Kongs in the house. They usually get every bit of food out ... but I imagine there must be some residue that could smell or grow bacteria.

At the dog day care I worked at we would put the kong toys through our restaurant style sterilizer (super high heat) every night. Those toys lasted for *years*.

Paco chews the heck out of his kong, but he's a pit bull. It's just about his favorite toy, he's had several over his lifetime, and I know from experience the black ones are much stronger than the red ones.

And the little hole on the end is so that the dog can hold it in his mouth by the small end and use it as a megaphone... oh wait, maybe that's just my dog :lol-sign: (it really is pretty entertaining, he does it every day and it looks just like he's using a megaphone).

My dogs gnaw on their Kongs, but only because I pack them tightly and freeze them. I suggest using something nice and mushy... wet kibble, canned food, meat, banana, peanut butter, yogurt, etc... and freeze it. To get the stuff out fast, Nova will have to nibble, scrape, and manipulate the Kong.

A lot of dogs who enjoy playing with their Kongs will chew on them. I don't really consider them a chewing toy as much as they are an interactive and fetch toy that IS totally safe for them to gnaw on in the process of getting food out or playing. Most dogs aren't that into chewing on rubber toys, actually, at least in my experience. My boys prefer chewing on bully sticks, lamb ears, tendons, and raw bones - edible things!

:rofl1:
That's amazing... and what does Paco say into his megaphone?

Maddie chews on the smaller end, which squeezes all tin good stuff to the wide opening, and then she licks it out. She chews and licks, and if there is something stuck in there she'll carry it around and drop it, and roll it around with her paws too. cute! missy just licks. she has a killer tongue, though

Ollie really doesn't care for them ...............