Did You Know A Volkswagen Bus Part Inspired This Popular Dog Toy? | Hollidaysburg, PA

Aug 26, 2022

Today is National Dog Day, and if you’re a pet owner then you are probably familiar with the popular KONG dog toy! This conular, beehive-shaped rubber item– often seen in red or black– is a hollow “mental stimulation” toy for dogs that can be filled with treats and will keep them busy for hours! But, did you know that this toy originated from a part of Volkswagen’s classic Bus?

In 1970 an auto repair shop owner named Joe Markham adopted a German Shepard named Fritz to help guard his shop from burglars. Frits was a fine dog, but had flunked out of the police academy due to excessive chewing, and Joe soon realized that the black mark on Fritz’s record was indeed an issue. You see Fritz’s favorite toy for teething was a rock and after a while it began to wear down the dog’s teeth! Joe tried every other chewable toy he could think of, but it wasn’t until one day when he was working on a Volkswagen Bus, that he found his solution! After disassembling a customer’s VW for repair, Joe came across Fritz happily chewing away on the Buses rubber axle stop. It was perfect!

The rubber was soft enough not to damage the dog’s teeth but strong enough to hold up against Fritz’s powerful bite! So, Joe, inspired by his pup’s discovery, began developing his dog toy idea! After years of experimentation and a bit of help from a German engineering firm, the first KONG toys hit the markets in 1976 and have been a massive hit ever since! Volkswagen loves this story and hopes to continue to inspire its drivers and community in new and exciting ways!