The Champion Chewer of East Texas vs Kong

My chocolate lab was one of those insatiable chewers, everything was an exercise toy for his mouth and nothing lasted for more than an hour. Once his mouth captured a Frisbee it was history. Desperate for help we were on a call-in vet radio show and on air we dubbed him the "Champion Chewer of East Texas." That title stuck for a long time. Now after more than 12 years his teeth are somewhat delicate and his chewing activities have been relegated to soft chew toys. But…in his youth…nothing daunted him.

Nothing daunts him except Kong. That’s what he knows it by. If we command him to “get Kong” he gleefully bounds off in search of this large, black rubber toy. It really is the world’s strongest dog toy. It is tough but it is fun.

JB Wholesale Pet Supplies produces Kong for aggressive power chewers. It resembles a small tower of three balls, each progressively smaller. You can stuff treats into the base. The largest “ball” is hollow inside with room for training treats. My dog never needed that enticement. He was intrigued by the way it would bounce.

If I toss this into the yard my retriever eagerly chases his Kong as it takes multi-directional hops. Each hop seems to encourage more hops. It’s like chasing a rabbit. I know he’s always attempting to figure out the next move. What’s amazing is that at 12 he still has it. We found this toy 10 years ago and it remains nick-free. On those days when he’s feeling frisky, Mr. Graybeard likes to locate Kong, take it to his picnic table, climb up on top and gnaw.

Kong Therapy
Most dog’s have a natural need to chew and chase. As a puppy when my lab was bored he was DESTRUCTIVE. When he was bored he chewed—the deck, the back door, the house, his food bowl, or anything else that was within reach. He was bored if he wasn’t being mentally or physically challenged. He was bored if he wasn’t around people (we also call him Mr. Social). His favorite toys were a really hard rubber ball, the large black Kong and the water sprinkler. After we found Kong we often observed him playing on his own. He’d carry it up the deck steps then drop it down the steps and race to capture the wildly bouncing Kong. Then he’d return to repeat the process over and over until he was tired. If you’ve had a Labrador from puppyhood, you know it takes a lot for them to reach the condition known as tired. (Sometimes it takes years or at least seems to take years.)

This is not an easily entertained dog. Squeaky toys don’t do it for him and if it has a squeaker he immediately rips it out. There are a lot of dogs who share similar dislikes for squeaky toys.

The manufacturer also provides training strategies for introducing your dog to the Joy of Kong. Again, he didn't need any persuasion, but tips include the use of treats and reinforcement with praise. If you include treats with the Kong training, your dog should be eager to please.

His Mouth
He’s 12, has all of his teeth, and has only recently been showing signs of plaque buildup. He’s active, smart, (I think he’s incredibly handsome but that has nothing to do with Kong), and he still spends time with his 10-year old Kong. Plus, he hasn't been an East Texas dog for many years.

Warnings
I consider my 95-pound dog a tenacious chewer and, somehow, he has never broken a chunk of any size off this chew toy. However, it can happen. The manufacturer advises that dogs should not be left alone with Kong. If he were to break off a piece he could choke. If the toy becomes damaged from chewing I recommend taking it away and your dog can have the title of Champion Chewer of East Texas. He will have earned that moniker. Select the size appropriate for your dog and for your dog’s age. They also sell puppy Kong in varying sizes. Periodically clean and inspect your Kong and make sure it is free of debris, cracks, or broken pieces. We’ve never had any problems in 10 years but I still inspect this favorite toy. Regarding the battle between the champion chewer and Kong, Kong won.

From His Master’s Voice
Kong, I want Kong and I want to chase and catch that silly bouncing toy. It just confounds me why it goes one way and then another and I just can’t keep up with the bounces. It must be part rabbit. If I can’t play in the sprinkler then I want to play with Kong. At night I dream about chasing it and some night I will catch it.