The beloved KONG dog toy wasn’t invented in a lab or a pet store. It came from a mechanic’s garage. In the 1970s, Colorado mechanic Joe Markham was trying to stop his German shepherd, Fritz, from chewing on rocks. One day, while repairing a Volkswagen bus, a rubber suspension part popped loose. Fritz grabbed it, chewed happily, and wouldn’t give it back.

Markham realized he had stumbled onto the perfect chew toy: tough, bouncy, and safe for teeth. He refined the design into the hollow, snowman-shaped toy we know today, ideal for stuffing with treats. From a single accident in a garage, KONG has grown into one of the most iconic dog toys in the world, sold in more than 80 countries.