Bowls are boring!

Is your dog barking at people walking past the window?

Does your dog struggle to relax after a walk?

Are they chewing your shoes and stealing your underwear?

Do they treat your sofa like a jungle gym?

Whatever problems you’re having, this post is for you.

You might be feeding your dog the absolute best nutrition that’s available. Whether that’s raw food, a gently cooked diet, or a super-premium kibble; if you’re feeding your dog from a bowl, you’re missing out! And so are they.

This blog post is an excerpt from my book ‘Calm The Heck Down’ - due to be released late 2024.

This book is the ultimate guide to turning your hyperactive bundle of fur into a calm, confident little pal who doesn’t embarrass you or annoy the neighbours.

Whether your dog struggles with fearfulness, reactivity, or simply being too excited to sit still; learn how to get the best behaviour from them and to improve your relationship at the same time!

The canine digestive system was not built to digest food that has been inhaled within 7 seconds.

In the wild, canids like wolves and jackals catch their prey and then lay down with it, chewing through bones and muscle meat for around 45 minutes!

This gives their digestive system plenty of time to properly process the nutrients, and helps prevent all kinds of serious health problems. The act of lying down while licking and chewing stimulates calming hormones, reduces cortisol & adrenaline, and satisfies your dogs' natural urge to chew.

While it's impractical for most of us to offer our dogs a deer carcass for them to enjoy on the sofa, we can simulate a more natural way of feeding by using food toys instead of bowls.

It is unreasonable to ask our dogs not to chew on anything at all. That’s like asking a bird to stop flying.

Instead of waiting for them to make a mistake and chew the wrong thing, show them what they are allowed to chew.

Chewing is a natural urge and it’s only fair that we provide our dogs with a safe outlet for their urges.

If we fail to provide for this need, dogs will do it their own way by chewing on furniture and shoes.

Go to any pet shop and ask for an "original Kong" (red colour). If your dog is the reincarnation of a velociraptor on steroids, ask for an "extreme kong" (black colour). There are also Kongs designed for seniors (purple) and puppies (blue or pink).

If your pet shop doesn't stock Kongs, find a better pet shop.

This is such an essential tool.

I don't want to freak you out, but there are rare cases of dog's tongues getting stuck in a Kong that was way too small for them. Buy the correct size for your dog’s weight, and you won’t have any problems.

Don't let this put you off. The benefits outweigh the risks. Just be thoughtful. I always buy a size larger than what the Kong company recommends. It's safer and also fits more food inside. Double win.

Regardless of whether you are feeding raw, cooked, or dry food, it simply needs to be moistened. If you're feeding kibble, you need to either soak the dry food in hot water until it softens or add some wet  food and mix it together.

The reason for this is simple: think about how fast dry food will fall out of the toy. It's way too fast and too easy. The game will be over within seconds. To extend playtime and chewing, we have to increase the difficulty. Food that is wet will stick inside the Kong and your dog will really have to work their jaw muscles to get the food out!

Dogs love having a job to do, and we don't want to deprive them of their natural foraging instincts.

Most dogs won’t understand how to get the food out and might give up easily if they’re not encouraged. I’ve met many owners over the years who tried feeding from Kongs unsuccessfully. This is because the Kong was too difficult on the first try. Once they did this training, their dog become a Kong addict.

If your dog seems confused by the Kong, you can show your dog how to use it. For the first week, you hold the Kong* while they’re eating it and talk to them in that silly baby voice that you use when you think no one is watching.

*Only do this if your dog doesn’t have resource guarding/food aggression issues.

Brace yourself, because I will sound insane saying this; but another tactic is to pretend to eat from the Kong.

Before giving the Kong to your dog, carry it around with you, pretending to lick it, making chewing noises, etc (yes, I realise how gross that sounds, and you might want to close the blinds so your neighbours don’t become concerned for your mental wellbeing).

Treat the Kong as though you want it for yourself. Take inspiration from Gollum if you need to. What an icon.

You are teasing your dog and making them believe that the Kong is of such high value that you don't want to give it to them! It drives them absolutely wild and makes them really appreciate it when they finally get a turn.

Break it down into levels of difficulty.

Start at level 1 and don’t progress to the next level until your dog is successfully getting all the food from the Kong.

Level 1: Gently put their food into the Kong but don’t pack it down. The pieces of moist food should be able to fall out quite easily. Sit with your dog while they’re working out how to get the food, and any time they lick or chew, praise them and cheer them on! Let them know how happy you are that they’re making an effort to solve this new puzzle. If they pick the Kong up in their mouth, praise them. Praise every single interaction with the Kong. If they walk away from the Kong, ignore them until they resume playtime/eating. 

Level 2: Now that your dog is successfully removing all the food from a loosely stuffed Kong, you can increase the difficulty. Stuff the food in but pack it in more tightly with a fork this time. When you tip the Kong up, very little should fall out of the hole. Your dog has a bigger challenge now, they must lick and chew to squeeze their food out.

Level 3: Now you can increase the difficulty again by stuffing the food inside, packing it in very firmly with a fork, and then pushing a dried chicken foot, dried tripe, or dried turkey neck (any small natural treat that will fit in the hole) into the top of the Kong. We call this an ‘appetiser’. It sticks out the top of the Kong and is a nice crunchy addition to their meal, adding a new texture and more interest to keep them entertained.

Level 4: Do everything in level 3, but now you freeze the Kong. Prepare all Kongs every evening before bed and freeze overnight. Now you have all your dog’s meals prepared for the next day. A frozen Kong with a chicken foot stuffed in the top will take most dogs about an hour to get through!

Think about it: that’s an hour or more of your dog lying down while quietly licking and chewing. They’re not bouncing around on the sofa, or barking at the window, or chewing on your arms.

Find out your dog's most high-value treats and only give them access to those treats when they get them from out of the Kong.

If your dog knows they can get those treats at other times, there is no incentive to learn how to use the Kong. 

By doing this you increase the value of the Kong. The Kong becomes like the Holy Grail of dog toys.

Once your dog has learned how to use the Kong toy and is a verified Kong Addict, you can now move to the next stage of Kong training - giving your dog the Kong and then leaving the room until they have finished.

(If your dog has already developed severe separation anxiety, you will need to refer to the chapter on separation anxiety first.)

Now your dog is thinking "I love when Sharon leaves me alone, I get to have a nice peaceful time with my Kong, and all my favourite treats! Glad I don't have to share it with her anymore!" 

Your dog is unlikely to develop separation anxiety if wonderful things happen every time they get left alone from the time they are a puppy.

Now that your dog is having their jaw muscles worked out properly on a food toy, your shoes will be less tempting!

The final benefit is that a dog cannot physically eat from a Kong and bark at the same time. You also reduce boredom barking by building this habit.

Extras: If you have a high-drive dog who needs even more mental stimulation, you can add other alone-time games into your repertoire.

In addition to the Kong, set up a treasure hunt around the room using small high-value treats such as freeze-dried meat.

Hide the treats around the house, as well as in a snuffle mat, snuffle ball, and various other food-dispensing toys and puzzles. Get a wide variety so your dog has a lot of activities to keep them busy.

When is the best time to give a Kong?

The very best time to give your dog their Kong is immediately after a walk so they can calm down after all the excitement of being outdoors. Doing this reduces adrenaline and helps them remain calm for the rest of the day.

Other times that it’s useful is when visitors come over.

Give the Kong immediately and instruct your visitors to ignore your dog while they’re eating. This helps with dogs who become overly excited when visitors come over.

Once your dog has finished the Kong, they will feel more relaxed and will be able to peacefully mingle with visitors in a more polite way. This should be done in combination with basic manners training, such as “sit” and “go to bed”.

You can also give them a Kong when you are eating at the table or cooking, this helps prevent begging and whining for food.

Such a simple and easy solution to so many problems!

Take that lovely food bowl you bought, nail it to a frisbee, and fling it over a rainbow.

Feeding from a bowl is a wasted opportunity to fulfil your dogs' need to chew.

Using a food toys helps prevent separation anxiety, excessive barking, destructive chewing, and many other behaviour problems. It is also great for their digestive, dental, and mental health.

It only takes 5 minutes a day.

Add this healthy habit into your routine, you won't regret it!