feeding out of a Kong

We don't feed exclusively out of Kongs but we do feed at least half if not more in Kongs and other stuffable toys. Every morning during the week, we leave the dogs each with 1 king-sized black Kong, 1 large Orka Jack (it requires a different strategy to get the food out than the Kong) and 1 hollow bone stuffed with "dessert" (some natural balance food roll or when I'm feeling magnanimous a little bread smeared with peanut butter or blue cheese). We also have a really beaten up large red Kong that we use if there's a little leftover food that doesn't fit.

For us it's no different figuring out their food situation in Kongs than otherwise. If there's food left in a Kong at the end of the day, I know something is wrong. If someone is looking skinny, they start getting a little extra in the red Kong. If someone's looking chunky, we just stuff less into their Kong.

We freeze the Kongs overnight with a combination of peanut butter, water and kibble. I put four scoops of kibble into a bowl with two tablesppons of PB and about a 1/2 cup of water and then microwave it for a minute (it reeks, just fair warning). Then I stir it all up and let the kibble soften for a minute, then stuff stuff stuff. I stuff half into one Kong and half into the other. I also know that each Jack holds about one scoop of kibble, so each dog is getting 3 scoops for their breakfast, plus a treat. Dinner is usually had in bowls so if anyone needs adjusting, that's often where it happens. Conrad is bigger than Marlowe but he is also more prone to weight gain, so he gets one extra scoop with dinner, but that's it.

We also will make up Kongs and freeze them if we know we're going to be going out around dinner time. I just make them up as soon as I get home around 5:00 and by the time we go out around 7:00 they're frozen enough.

I think supplementing with Kongs to whatever degree is practical for you is better than nothing at all. We do it primarily to keep the dogs occupied while we're out of the house and give them something stimulating enough that when they're all done, they're settled and ready to nap the majority of the rest of the day until we get home. It also I think helps them develop a good "work ethic"--no such thing as a free meal. It takes a little effort and work to get their food, and I think that's a good attitude for a dog to have.

Kongs are expensive (I wish they weren't--I'd love to have four for every day of the week) but if you get the right kind for your dog's chewing style they usually last several months before they start looking sad. Also, you can purchase Kongs in bulk at a discount through several veterinary supply stores on the internet.

I dont think you have to compensate, the Kong can be the "dessert" which actually does not have to be right after the meal but in a moment you decide is good for him to have the mental challenge like for example if you leave the house so he can be entertain in the mean time

Houndlove: Do your dogs have access to go out while you are away?  I'm just wondering if it would create any potty issues if the dog is crated.  I have an 80lb Foster Mix that is crated from 7:30-12:00;12:45-4:00; then again off and on throughout the evening (with bursts of training/outside exercise) because he is sharing our home with my 2 Shih Tzus and 2 Cats and he is very Prey Drivey so I have to "rotate the dogs" throughout the day. 

Anyway, I'm wondering if it's too much time in between if I serve him up his breakfast - frozen in the Kong, and then leave him with it until DH comes home at noon for the potty break?  I love the idea of him having something to stimulate him mentally while he's in there, but I don't want any pottly issues in the crate when I'm not home to check in on him.

Never any potty issues here. They are big dogs and as such have big, uh, colons? Anyway, they get a walk in the AM before breakfast and empty themselves. Then they get another walk in the PM before dinner and empty themselves again. Typically a dog only has to eliminate a couple times a day.

Conrad is crated during the days, Marlowe is confined in his own room. There has never been an accident during the day times with either of them, even though Marlowe is still in the final stages of finishing his housetraining.

A healthy adult 80 lb. dog can certainly hold it from 7:30 until lunchtime -- especially if he's crated.  I wouldn't even expect a problem if you couldn't make it home during lunch. 
 
Ace gets a frozen kong every day when I leave for work.  I don't try to put his whole meal in there -- there is some kibble, but it's mainly healthy treaty stuff like plain yogurt and unsweetened applesauce.  He gets his regular breakfast, and then the kong when I leave. 
 
When I first started with the kongs, I did decrease his kibble ration a bit to compensate.  But he is a lean animal and I'm not worried about overfeeding him, so now he just gets the kong in addition to his regular meal.  You can just see how it goes and make changes as you see how your dog is responding and if he is gaining any weight.  If you really want to be exact, you could measure the kibble into his bowl, take out what will fit in the king, and give him the rest in the bowl. 

for feeding large amounts of dry kibble, there are better toys than kongs-- buster cube and busy ball. You could probably get four cups into a large busy ball.

Hehe, yeah, the kong alteriatives. For my guys, it was too hard for them to get the food out and they give up. Conrad tends to take a "CONRAD SMASH!" attitude with them (he wants to crack the buster cube open like an egg) and Marlowe generally decides its all an elaborate hoax when he spends a couple minutes rolling it around and nothing comes out. I wound up giving my buster cube and giggle ball away to others with more determined dogs. But if you've got a really OCD dog, these toys are great.

I'll look for the cube thingy, sound exactly like what we need.

hehe thats funny houndlove. My dogs all hated the buster cube, and one of them deliberately put it under the wheel of the (parked) UPS truck and watched in glee as it got crushed as he pulled away.  But the busyball is a big hit-- kibbles come out pretty easily. One dog happily rolls it around the yard even when it is empty.