Thanksgiving Dog Treat: Kong-ucopia KONG Filling Idea
It’s no secret that I love making fun and festive holiday dog treats! I’ve created unique and healthy dog treat recipes for every occasion: Halloween dog treats, Christmas dog treats, and today I’m sharing a fun Thanksgiving dog treat recipe that you can use as a KONG filling idea!
This thanksgiving dog treat is one of my favorites to make and you only need four simply ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge and pantry! Scroll down to learn how to make my Thanksgiving inspired Kong-ucopia KONG filling idea and discover many more KONG stuffing ideas at the bottom of this post!
Thanksgiving KONG-Ucopia Dog Treat Ingredients:
To make this simple Thanksgiving dog treat recipe, you’ll only need four dog safe fruits and vegetables:
- 1 Apple (you’ll only use a few slices, but might as well grab a whole so you can snack while you make your dog a snack, ha!)
- 1 Bag of Frozen Corn (steamable bag is always easiest and you’ll only need 1/2 cup.)
- 1-2 Carrots
- 1-3 spoonfuls of canned Pure Canned Pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
Additional tools:
- Apple slicer
Note: This KONG filling recipe can honestly be tailored to however many KONG’s you want to make. The small cups featured in the ingredients photo below are between 1/4-1/3 cup!
If you’ve never used any of these ingredients before or are interested in learning the health benefits of each, below is some helpful information about each! Feel free to skip ahead to the How To Make section if you’d like to get straight into making this delicious Thanksgiving KONG filling idea!
Is Pumpkin Good For Dogs?
Yes, pumpkin is good for dogs! It’s actually one of the top recommended vegetables to give to your dog as a healthy food topper or many people use pumpkin for a dogs upset stomach.
Pumpkin has many vitamins and minerals like Vitamins A, E, C, and potassium and iron!
**Note: If your dog is showing signs of an upset stomach, always call your veterinarian! Pumpkin is not always the cure and should not replace professional guidance.**
Is Corn Good For Dogs?
Corn is actually a very common filler in dog foods and according to this article from AKC, “it is a good source of protein, carbohydrates, linoleic acid, and antioxidants.” Which, if you immediately wondered what is linoleic acid the second you read it, don’t worry I was curious too! Purina actually has a helpful article explaining that this is an Omega 6 fatty acid that aids in many important bodily functions including “cell membrane structure & function, normal reproduction, growth, immune function and skin and coat health.”
Now, a question that is quite often searched is Can dogs eat the cob of corn? The answer is NO! Unfortunately dogs can easily choke on the cob of corn and it could also lead to an intestinal blockage.
Can Dogs Eat Apples?
Yes, dogs can eat apples! Apples are filled with vitamins A and C and fiber.
Two important questions that are commonly asked about apples for dogs are:
- Can dogs eat an apple core?
- No! This is a major choking hazard for dogs.
- Can dogs eat apple seeds?
- No! Apple seeds contain cyanide which is a toxin that’s very harmful to dogs.
Make sure that when feeding your dog, the core is removed, no seeds are present and the pieces aren’t too large to be a choking hazard.
One additional option that I love using for my dog treats is applesauce! The correct applesauce for dogs is unsweetened with no added sugars.
Can My Dog eat Carrots?
Absolutely! Carrots are a wonderful, low-calorie snack for dogs. Some of the benefits of carrots for dogs include being filled with Vitamin A, potassium and fiber!
One commonly searched question is “are carrots good for dogs teeth?” and the answer is yes! Frozen carrots have been recommended by vets for teething puppies and while your dog chews on them, they can help your dog’s dental health!
How to make Thanksgiving KONG-Ucopia Dog Treat:
Below are 5 easy steps for making this Thanksgiving dog treat KONG filling idea:
Step 1: Chop up your carrots and apple into small pieces.
In the ingredients list I had mentioned that you won’t need the full apple. I used about 1/4 of the apple for this dog KONG recipe and ate the rest while I was making it, ha!
Step 2: Grab your frozen corn (steamed bag or frozen bag) and heat up until cooked. Do NOT add any flavorings or seasonings.
Step 3: Grab a medium sized bowl and add all of your Thanksgiving KONG filling recipe ingredients. Mix altogether.
Step 4: Grab a spoon and start filling your KONG’s!
Note: While I have made many frozen KONG recipes before, this is actually one you can serve right away or put in your fridge for later in the day or the next day!
Step 5: Give to your dog and watch them enjoy! *Turkey hat optional* Ha!
I actually found this turkey hat on Amazon. It’s technically a cat turkey hat or a turkey hat for smaller dogs, but I couldn’t find the famous dog turkey hats that were everywhere a few years ago so I used this one instead. To be honest, I think it looks even funnier on Diesel since it’s so small and he’s so big, ha!
If you want to also wear a silly turkey hat with your dog like I did, this is the adult turkey party hat that I bought for myself, ha!
This Thanksgiving dog treat is one of my favorite holiday dog treat recipes that I’ve made! It’s fun, healthy, and my dog’s love enjoying healthy KONG filler recipes! Plus, adding in healthy KONG stuffing recipes is a great dog enrichment activity that you can do with your dog anytime you want!
If you loved this dog KONG recipe, check out more of my stuffed KONG recipes and frozen KONG recipes plus other homemade dog treat recipes like:
- Dog KONG Stuffing Recipe: Puppermint Bark (Perfect for the howl-i-days)
- Dog Lick Mat Idea: Halloween Night Sky Dog Treat
- Lickimat Buddy Recipe Idea: Halloween Frankenstein Dog Treat (it might look intimidating but it’s super easy to make!)
- Lickimat Soother Recipe: Fall Pumpkin Dog Treat
- 3 Ingredient Yogurt Dog Treat Recipe With Lickimat Soother (The perfect beginner lickimat recipe)
- 3 Ingredient Homemade Pupsicle Recipe (Super refreshing! One of my faves!)
- Peanut Butter, Yogurt & Banana Homemade Dog Popsicle Recipe
- 3 Ingredient Dog Treat: Tropical Dog Popsicle Recipe
- Frozen Yogurt Fruit Dog Popsicle Recipe (Perfect patriotic/Fourth of July dog treat!)
Plus, don’t forget to check out some of my most recent posts below & subscribe to my newsletter to get more KONG filling ideas for dogs delivered straight to your inbox:
Photography: Kate Kelley Collection