How to Make a Stuffed, Frozen Treat

The FirstMate team would like to thank Kaitlyn and Molly for sending this fantastic recipe to us! You can follow Molly’s adventures through their Instagram account @hyperintelligentmolly.

Dogs require a lot of exercise, both physically and mentally; while this is nothing new for most pet owners, we’re always searching for new ways to keep our dog entertained. If you’re looking to try something new, we recommend the deceptively simple, stuffed, frozen Kong. The frozen filling stuffed inside the tough rubber toy, challenges them to figure out how to retrieve the snack, keeping them entertained for a while. The necessary chewing and licking that comes from playing with them is exactly the kind of problem-solving your dog loves. Best of all? We’ve yet to find a dog that doesn’t love playing with one of these hollowed-out rubber toys. They are fantastic, especially if you’ve got a pet that is anxious or easily excited by guests; providing them with a stuffable, rubber toy can help to focus them on an exciting and tasty task.

Interested? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a stuffed, frozen Kong for your dog.

1. Search for all the stuffable dog/cat toys in your house. For this demonstration we’re using 2 regular-sized Kongs, 1 baby Kong, and 1 mystery hollow bone.
2. Mix 1 can First Mate wet food with 1/2 cup FirstMate kibble. This is not an exact science, so approximations are okay!
3. Stuff the Kongs with the mixture you’ve just created, using your fingers or a very tiny spoon. This part can be messy, so it’s usually a good idea to stuff the Kongs over a sink.
4. Let your dog lick the spoon and bowl clean, then put them back in the cupboard (Just kidding, you should definitely wash them first).
5. Place the stuffed Kongs into Ziploc bags so they don’t make a mess, then place them in the freezer overnight. Freezing them makes a more challenging, longer lasting treat.
6. Once the mixture is frozen, pull the Kong out of the freezer for your pet to enjoy! We use this as an activity to distract our pup while we are watching a movie since she likes to jump at the screen.

There you have it, a super simple, super fun treat for your pet to enjoy! Tell us all about your first time making a stuffed frozen toys in the comments below, and be sure to share any photos with us on Instagram using the hashtag #FirstMate. Happy creating!