Here are some of my favorite enrichment recipes for different types of frozen enrichment. Most of them can be served fresh, too. The purpose of enrichment is NOT to keep your dog occupied, but if you freeze these, they can double as a self-occupy item.
This is just licking enrichment—there are many other forms of enrichment that are important to include in your dog’s life! See my Enrichment Page for a complete list.
Items to fill
Toppl
Off-brand Toppl, like Soda Pup
Kong
Off-brand Kong, like “Fongs” (that’s my word for these, but the brand is Chew King)
Lick mats - I prefer the inexpensive ones, such as the ones linked.
Old tupperware
Large plastic recyclable containers, such as an empty yogurt or cottage cheese container
The most important thing to know is that YOU DON’T HAVE TO FILL IT ALL THE WAY!!!! I almost never fill any of the above completely.
What to fill them with
I typically mix up a concoction using some combination of the following. Disgusting? Yes. Very attractive to the dog? Also yes.
I’ve marked the items I use most often in bold, but there’s no wrong answer or combination here.
Dog food
Wet dog food
Their regular kibble
Novel kibble
Treats - don’t fill it with these, but add a few here and there.
Long treat, such as a jerky stick, sticking out of the top (they seem to love this)
Pour-overs from The Honest Kitchen
Fruit
Banana - in chunks, or smear it if it’s really ripe
Blueberries - I put them into something fillable as-is, but you can also mash them into lick mats (fully or partially).
Canned pumpkin - Make sure it’s plain pumpkin!
Other
Cream cheese
Spray cheese
Peanut butter - I limit my use of peanut butter because nothing packs on the pounds faster!
Plain yogurt
Other fun things
“Cereal” - Sometimes I’ll pour goat’s milk overtop of their kibble to make something resembling cereal. They love this!
Bone broth - I’ll also pour bone broth over their kibble from time to time. They love this, too.
