Using a Kong with Your Klee Kai Puppy
A Kong is an awesome training tool and reward system for your Klee Kai puppy
Kong Training for Klee Kai Puppies
Kong training can be an incredibly rewarding and fun training tool for your Alaskan Klee Kai puppy! Training puppies with Kongs — those that are specifically designed for puppies, of course — can be helpful with various activities, but it’s important that it’s done right! Puppies need to be introduced to Kongs in a way that is enticing to them so that they are toys they will want to play with!
A Kong is a specific brand of dog toy that can be filled with food and treats and frozen to make an all-day treat or reward for your dog if they are being crated for an extended period of time, if you want to have fun with them while replacing a meal, or if you just need to distract them so that you can get something done and entertain your dog at the same time.
Kika’s Klee Kai recommends the following to fill a Kong for a puppy:
Moistened dog food
Peanut butter
Small amounts of goat’s milk or bone broth
Canned dog food or baby food
Cottage cheese or cream cheese
Fruit such as mashed banana, blueberries, or strawberries
Bully sticks
A Kong Is A Great Puppy Toy
Built for training & rewarding
Can be frozen to make treats last
Seal with peanut butter or cream cheese
Perfect for crate training
Great Crate Training Tools
A Kong makes a great crate training tool for young puppies still getting used to being at home alone for hours at a time in their crates. Filling a Kong with one of the fillings and freezing it can give them a treat that will last them a long time, and they will get not only physically but mentally worn out by getting every last lick of treats or food from the toy.
Fill Your Kong Right!
When you fill your Kong, we recommend first sealing the small hole with something like cream cheese or peanut butter, then using a regular spoon to fill the larger hole with the filling mix you want to use. You can give a filled Kong to your Klee Kai puppy right away, but if you freeze them for at least 3-4 hours, the treat will last much longer.
Use The Right Kong
It’s tempting to just grab a red Kong off the shelf at the pet store and use that for your dog; Kong does make different sizes for different sized dogs, however. We recommend using the pink and blue “puppy” Kongs if you have an Alaskan Klee Kai puppy. The rubber is softer and more flexible, and overall easier on puppy teeth. Kong also makes a variety of additional toys such as tires and balls if you want a break from the regular Kongs themselves, or if your dog is getting bored with them. Kong even makes an “extreme” toy for dogs who are power chewers, something we don’t see with Alaskan Klee Kai puppies as much, but may be helpful to know for other breeds.