Kong stuffing for fast-eating Springer Spaniels

A vet recommending Kong stuffing to slow down eating is solid advice — it's one of the most effective ways to turn a meal into a proper mental challenge rather than something that's gone in thirty seconds. The right chew toy for a serious chewer needs to be durable enough to last but not so hard it risks cracking teeth, and the right choice depends a lot on chewing style and jaw strength. Before I point you in the right direction: is your Springer a casual chewer, or do they really go at things? And is the fast eating happening at every meal, or more when they're anxious or excited?

That makes a lot of sense. If she's not a power chewer, this is less about durability and more about making the Kong work as a slow-feeder. At 18kg she's comfortably in the medium range. One thing worth knowing: are you planning to use her normal kibble inside the Kong, or were you thinking of something like wet food or peanut butter? That changes how you set it up.

Perfect — that's exactly the right approach for daily use. My recommendation is the Kong Classic in size Large. At 18kg your instinct might be to go Medium, but for everyday meal stuffing, Large gives you more room to pack in a full portion of kibble mixed with a little wet food or unsalted peanut butter to bind it. The Classic rubber is the right hardness for a dog who isn't a heavy chewer — firm enough to last years with a moderate chewer, but not the black Extreme version which is overkill here and harder to stuff. Wet the kibble slightly before packing it in, freeze it the night before, and a meal that used to take her ten seconds will take ten to fifteen minutes. That's exactly the kind of pace change that should help with the vomiting. The Kong Classic Large is widely available on Amazon UK and typically costs around £12–14.

Worth thinking about, but at six she's old enough to figure it out quickly — and the Classic shape has a wide enough opening that it's one of the more forgiving Kongs. Start without freezing it for the first two or three goes so she learns the game, then introduce the frozen version once she's confident. If you find she loses interest, a smear of something like KONG Easy Treat or cream cheese just inside the opening keeps her motivated. Most dogs crack it within a week and start looking forward to it.

Good call. Stick with the Classic red rubber — ignore the black Extreme unless she ever becomes a dedicated chewer, which at six is unlikely to change. Freeze it the night before once she's got the hang of it, and you should see a meaningful difference in how she eats within the first week. Hope it sorts the vomiting out.