Why Your Goldendoodle Needs a KONG
As a lifelong dog owner and current Goldendoodle mom, I can tell you that your Goldendoodle needs a KONG. My Goldendoodle Juno radiates joy from the tip of her wet nose to her waggly tail as soon as she sees me grab her KONG and begin to fill it with her favourite healthy KONG fillers. Since Goldendoodles are bred from a Golden Retriever and a Poodle, two of the smartest breeds of dogs out there, the intelligence of these two breeds is passed down to the Goldendoodle. In addition, they are both working dogs, originally bred to be gun dogs, so they thrive on having a job to do. Since Goldendoodles are so smart and love to work, this means that they require a steady stream of mental and oral stimulation in order to be well-balanced and happy.
Canine Enrichment
One reason why every Goldendoodle needs a KONG is for canine enrichment. My Goldendoodle Juno loves solving puzzles, learning new tricks, and working for her food using a canine enrichment toy such as a KONG. I rarely feed Juno her dinner out of a bowl. That’s too boring for her. In fact, if I offer her a bowl of food, she will often walk away. However, if I am more creative in presenting her food, she will eat it right away and often ask for seconds!
Stuffing a KONG
I love stuffing a KONG for Juno, as it makes it necessary for her to work for her food, which she thrives upon. A thoughtfully stuffed KONG offers her lots of mental stimulation and canine enrichment and helps her to be more settled and happy. Of course, I am careful as to what I put in her KONG, as I want the filling to be really satisfying but also healthy. Check out my post about Juno’s favourite The 10 Best Healthy KONG Filler Ideas For Goldendoodles. I never just use one filling, unless it is her kibble and even then I combine it with healthy treats. In fact, the fillers are meant to be mixed and matched, and if you want to increase the longevity of the KONG experience, try freezing a few KONGS with different combinations of fillings. This way you always have one ready to go!
Reasons Your Goldendoodle Needs a KONG
- A KONG helps to settle and relax your Goldendoodle
- Helps to satisfy your Goldendoodle’s instinctual needs
- Healthy play – It’s bouncy and perfect for playing fetch!
- Reduces unwanted chewing
- Reduces separation anxiety
- Great for teething puppies
- Boredom buster
- Canine enrichment
- Assists with crate training
- Curbs unwanted digging and barking
- Assists with excessive grooming and paw licking
Choosing the Right KONG for Your Goldendoodle
KONGS come in different strengths and are constructed for all ages of Goldendoodles. For example, Juno uses the red Classic KONG. She likes to chew, but wouldn’t be what I call an “aggressive chewer”. The red Classic KONG is the perfect strength and hardness of rubber to satisfy her chewing and playing needs.
However, if your Goldendoodle is more of an “aggressive chewer”, I would recommend trying the black Extreme KONG. This rubber toy is specifically designed for power chewers and can help them get the exercise they need.
When Juno was a puppy, I had her use the smaller, softer, and gentler KONG Puppy. The KONG Puppy soft rubber formula is customized for a growing puppy’s baby teeth and gums and Goldendoodle puppies love them!
Finally, the KONG family has a purple KONG, which is designed specifically for your senior Goldendoodle. The KONG Senior rubber formula is customized for an ageing dog’s teeth and gums.
Cleaning Your Goldendoodle’s KONG
When using a KONG be sure that it is clean by following these steps:
- Rinse using warm water and dish soap.
- For stubborn dried food areas, allow the KONG to soak in warm water first.
- I use a bottle brush to scrub inside the KONG to get into all the grooves.
- Rinse out all the soap really well.
Pro Tip – The KONG is dishwasher safe. When choosing this option to clean your KONG, place the KONG on the top rack of your dishwasher.
KONG Recipes for Your Goldendoodle
As already stated, there are so many combinations of yummy fillers for you to use in your Goldendoodle’s KONG. Again, you want to be mindful of calories because if you are using The KONG in addition to mealtimes, those extra calories can add up quickly. It’s important to keep your Goldendoodle guessing and engaged, so I suggest creating your own recipes by mixing and matching healthy ingredients that will help to keep your Goldendoodle in great mental and physical condition. If you’re needing some healthy KONG ingredient ideas, then be sure to check out The 10 Best Healthy KONG Filler Ideas For Goldendoodles. In addition, if you would like more canine-enrichment feeding ideas, check out Ditch the Bowl – Four Clever Ways to Feed Your Goldendoodle.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are so many reasons why a Goldendoodle needs a KONG. If you haven’t tried one with your Goldendoodle yet, I highly recommend you do. Not only will it bring happiness to your Goldendoodle, but also to you as you watch how excited your Goldendoodle is when a KONG is offered.
Happy Tail Wags. xo
Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love can make him wag his tail.
Kinky Friedman
