Dog will only use it's kong if we are around

[BumpowderSneezeonAndSnot]

This kind of defeats the purpose of it to my mind! We stuff it with biscuits and peanut butter and sometimes freeze it if we are feeling mean... but we can go out the house with a fresh kong in front of the dog, come home and it's not been touched. Dog is usually up to one of 2 activities. Destroying their bed or sleeping on the sofa. When we are home she devours the stuffed kong as if we don't feed her.

I don't have a lazy/daft dog, she's a rescued border collie cross she's just really odd around treats and toys. Any ideas of how to get her to engage with her toys?

I have a treat ball for my dog when I go out. I throw it to her as I leave the house. Obviously you can't stuff it like a Kong but you can fill it with small kibble or biscuit and the dog has to push it around with her nose to get the kibble to fall out.

If your dog likes to play with a ball she might be a bit more interested in something that she can roll and that produces food.

We had a dog that wouldn't drink while we were out at work, and then drink and drink and drink when we got back. It was a bit of a worry as we live in a hot country.

My dog won't eat if we're out of the house. He'll take treats but if we're away for a full day I take his meal and he never eats it, even in the car. Gobbles it up when we get in.

Have you tried videoing her whilst you are out? If she won't eat whilst you are gone and is destroying stuff she may be anxious at being left alone?

My dog is the same, takes his chewy treat, lies with it on his bed while we are out, as soon as we get home he picks it up
And starts chewing it.....it's bizarre

Same, my dog seems to shut down when we leave the house. Kong will be consumed as soon as we return home.

Our dog will not eat or engage with toys if nobody is at home. I suspect that he doesn't drink either as having a big drink is part of his welcome home ceremony. He never seems anxious or destructive, just sleeps and waits. He is mostly with us anyway, comes to work with us nearly all the time... but has been like this for years.

My dogs do this as well. Their lovely stuffed Squirrel Dudes are left untouched until we get home - then they are suddenly eaten up with gusto. I think they are just too sad/alert/busy waiting to eat their treats until we get back

Our spaniel has stuffed dragons, three of them around the house. She often walks around with one hanging out of her mouth, waiting for someone to tussle with her. She never ever plays with them or moves them when we're out. The same with her treats; if we go out for longer than an hour we pop treats in the bowl inside her crate (left open so she can have the run of the kitchen) and she'll invariably wait til we're home before going and eating the treats.

She's a fairly nervy dog, though, so I always assumed it was just her temperament rather than it being a common thing.

She probably associates the Kong with you leaving the house and therefore anxiety.

I would just make sure she's had a long walk before you go anywhere so you know she'll be tired and then give her the Kong before you go out for 30 mins, then hopefully she will be settled enough to sleep.

I think this is normal. My dogs just lie down and wait, or sleep when they're at home alone. As soon as I get in they spring into action, grab toys, wrestle each other, drink loads of water.
It's as if they want to share the enjoyment with me .

It's stress. Its not cute or odd.

Dogs often won't eat or drink or toilet if they are stressed, such as when they are left at home alone.

Training training training. That's all you can do. Build it up so they can enjoy short periods alone, rather than stress about it.

It's common for dogs to do nothing while you are out. They go onto a 'life on hold' position and often sleep the time away.

Mine gets some yummy food which he knows indicates we are leaving. He consumes that before we have even locked up and then just jumps on the sofa and sleeps or if it is close to us returning waits quietly and listens. He wouldn't eat from a kong when we are out and he isn't stressed as I watch him on a live stream on my camera.

I never realised this was a common thing. My lab also won't touch her toys or chew her dental stick if I am on my way out. She never touches the food in her bowl either. She's definitely not distressed in any way, she watches me leave by the window and then lays down to sleep until we return. We videoed her to make sure she was ok. It really is a life on hold, bless her.