Be Your Dog's Best Friend
Module 3- Section 2
Module 3- Section 2
Further Theory :
- Children and dogs
- Puppy School
- Chewing and Toys
- 1.Children and Dogs
Each and every interaction with the child must be a positive one for the pup, so this is where the use of treats, especially nice tasty one’s such as liver bread, biltong, small pieces of chicken are used. The more the pup associates the child with nice things, the more positive the interaction will be. However, what must be borne in mind is that the pup must not be frightened by the child, especially when it comes to being picked up. Far too many accidents occur with a child handling a pup roughly, mostly by not knowing how to interact with the pup - parent supervision and explanation to the child before any interaction should always be undertaken.
Another problem that could occur is when the pup receives such a fright or association with the child that One Event Learning occurs. The impact of the adverse interaction with the child was so severe that the pup from that time onwards will reaction fearfully/aggressively towards children. This is not an unusual occurrence and with behaviour modification assistance it can be overcome but can take a lot of time and effort - prevention is always better than cure.
It is up to parents to lay down the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of not pulling a dog’s tail, or ears, jumping on them etc, and to teach the dog how to interact with dogs, to ensure that the two can live happily together. Our own rule is that under no circumstances are children and dogs ever left together unsupervised.
Preparing the child to interact with dogs.
The younger the child the less understanding it will have that pulling ears, hugging, smacking the pup, can actually hurt the pup. We find that the best way to prepare a young child for interacting with a PUP is by example and the use of a stuffed toy dog.
The key words that all owners should teach their children is ‘Gently or Softly’ and also 'Slowly' so that the child does not approach the dog too fast, and this is how all interactions should be carried out. Using the stuffed dog, the parent demonstrates how to lightly stroke a dog. The parent then carries out the stroking on the child to demonstrate how it feels. The child then strokes the parent, and when the pressure is right, the child strokes the dog. The parent first works over all areas of the dog showing the child at each point how to stroke and touch.
The parents tells the child in simple language that staring into a dogs eyes or patting it on the head is not something a dog likes, and demonstrating how leaning over the child and patting child’s head and staring into eyes (get really close to the face and hard eyes) can be something that is not acceptable.
Next step is to show the child how ‘not’ to do it. Start, for example with the parent pulling the dog’s ear. The parents then gently pull’s the child’s ear and asks if they like it. The child is then again shown how to handle the dog’s ears. The same is done with the tail. When it comes to the dog’s paws, the child’s foot can be used by parent holding it and squashing the toes gently, and even lifting it off the floor so that the child can feel how uncomfortable it can be standing on only one leg. After this we suggest using a child friendly dog to practice for real.
We would also explain and teach the child the following ‘dog rules’, for both their own and strange dogs: -
- Never disturb a sleeping dog. Always call the dog and let it know you are approaching. This applies to the family dog as well.
- Never chase a dog that is running away.
- Don’t smile at a strange dog – this can be interpreted by the dog as showing teeth - a sign or reactive behaviour. With their own dog this will not apply.
- Never approach a dog that has puppies.
- Remember that tail wagging is the most ambivalent of signs, just because the tail is wagging does not mean the dog is friendly, as per your notes on calming and stress signals, the whole body needs to be observed.
- Never approach a strange dog without the owner’s permission. If the owner cannot control the dog and have it SIT nicely for the child to pet, WALK AWAY
- Never approach a dog that is not with its owner.
- Never approach a dog that is confined in any way i.e. behind a fence, within a car, in a crate, or on a chain. The reason for this is that a dog could well 'resource' guard in this situation and reactive behaviour could occur.
- Never tease any dog by poking at them through fences or car windows or reaching your arm through to pet them.
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- Never have games of tuggies with a dog unless the dog has been taught to release on cue and this should always be under adult supervision to ensure that done correctly and that the dog does not get too excited, and perhaps grab the item by mistake – ensure that the item used is long enough for there to be a gap between the dogs mouth and the child’s hand.
- Never engage in rough play – wrestling, fighting.
- Never put their face next to a dog, or kiss or hug a dog. Unless this is family dog and this exercise has been taught and supervised by adults, it should never happen. Even in the case where this has been taught, basic common sense must be used i.e. don’t do this to a dog that is eating, watch the dogs body language to see if it is really accepting of this. The horror videos that people post on Facebook showing how ‘sweet’ the interaction is – if only they could see the signs of a dog not coping with the interaction and how quickly this could change!
- Teach children basic signs that a dog is unhappy and may become reactive, such as growling, or lip raised, head low and tail between legs, hair raised behind neck, turning its head away, whale eye etc. If the child is of an age to understand, show the subtler signs as well, such as the dog turning away, ears back etc.
- If a dog shows any signs that it does not want to interact (avoidance behaviour) such as turning away, turning just head away, walking away or one of the other signals, the child is to leave the dog alone and it is explained to the child why the dog does not want to interact.
- If you are in the area of a stray dog and not sure if friendly – child to leave that area – walk away slowly and don’t stare at the dog (remember eye-balling signals a threat)
- If a strange dog approaches, remain calm and motionless. Keep your hands at your side.
- Don’t pick up dogs unless an adult is there to supervise, and the pup/dog is used to being picked up.
- Speak with a soothing voice.
- If a dog is injured do not touch or try and help it child to get an adult to assist. Even family dogs have been known to bite in a situation where they have been injured.
2.Puppy School
Studies conducted by both Dr Dunbar and Dr Michael Fox and a few other researcher, showed that if pups were not introduced to a variety of environments and novel stimuli when they were very young, the chances of them growing up fearful and with a total lack of social skills was almost a foregone conclusion, and based on the behaviour cases we have worked with, we definitely can confirm this.
There are definite fear periods encountered during the early 16/18 week period, although the exact period this happens is currently being debated, so avoid scary situations for your pup (being around an aggressive dog for example), being careful to introduce it to these situation in a positive manner to avoid the pup being traumatized.
Each and every pup should attend puppy class, regardless of breeds. Many owners of small and toy breeds think that this is not necessary it is! In actual fact, we have more cases of reactive and fear behaviour from the smaller breeds than we do with the larger breeds, and the most common reason for the behaviour is that no early socialization was done.
What to look for in a Puppy School
Puppy schools normally run for between 4 – 7 weeks. Please do everything in your power to attend each and every session – you simply don’t get a second chance, you have limited time!
Don’t just stop with puppy school, try to go to the classes for older pups and keep your pup well socialized for the rest of its life – a true gift to have a dog that gets on well with all other dogs.
Here is the link to Recommended Puppy Schools on our main website. The instructors have undergone the necessary training and have the experience required. https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/puppy-schools.html
Studies conducted by both Dr Dunbar and Dr Michael Fox and a few other researcher, showed that if pups were not introduced to a variety of environments and novel stimuli when they were very young, the chances of them growing up fearful and with a total lack of social skills was almost a foregone conclusion, and based on the behaviour cases we have worked with, we definitely can confirm this.
There are definite fear periods encountered during the early 16/18 week period, although the exact period this happens is currently being debated, so avoid scary situations for your pup (being around an aggressive dog for example), being careful to introduce it to these situation in a positive manner to avoid the pup being traumatized.
Each and every pup should attend puppy class, regardless of breeds. Many owners of small and toy breeds think that this is not necessary it is! In actual fact, we have more cases of reactive and fear behaviour from the smaller breeds than we do with the larger breeds, and the most common reason for the behaviour is that no early socialization was done.
What to look for in a Puppy School
- Qualifications. Scotty says that over all the years she hosted a puppy school, she does not remember being asked, even once, proof of her qualifications! You can compare puppy school to sending your toddler to preschool or kindergarten – would you send your beloved child to an institution without checking it out first? The people running puppy school have to have the highest qualifications that can be obtained in this genre of dogs. They are dealing with your pup during the critical learning period and it is essential that they have the qualification and experience to ensure that you and your pup get the very best you deserve and get you off to a good start. Remember that at this stage in the pup’s development, scary things that happen can have lifelong effects. If a situation such as this occurs during puppy school, the instructor should be qualified to get it sorted out immediately. Additionally, the majority of good puppy school instructors we know will encourage you to phone them for any assistance during the week.
- Methods of Training Practiced. The majority of puppy schools nowadays do practice the more modern methods of positive reinforcement & Lure and Reward training, but there still are schools that use the harsher methods, and this is not what you want to expose either your pup or yourself too - make sure what is taught first!
- Go and observe a session or two of the school of your choice before enrolling. Puppy school should be relaxed and fun and the instructor should have full control. Off-lead interaction between the pups is one of the most important factors but have a look if this is being supervised – which is essential, as dogs that are bullies or those that are fearful have to be accommodated for.
- If a website is available, read through this carefully first and ask the vets in the area if they recommend clients to this puppy school.
- Is there lots of different equipment that can be used? Look for things such as tunnels as used in agility, small jumps, equipment to go over and under etc.
- How many pups are in the class? This should be between 4- 8 maximum. More and the class should be split, or there should be additional instructors/assistants to be able to run the class smoothly.
- Find out exactly what exercises are taught.
- Personally, we find it an added benefit if the instructor is passionate about what they are doing. Somebody who regards puppy school as a chore or a part time job is to be avoided.
- Determine if sound desensitization is used. As mentioned previously this is an important part of a pup’s habituation process that needs to be attended too and good schools will have CD’s and the like to further assist.
- Try and choose a school where children and other animals are present to further your pups existing social skills.
- Personally, we prefer schools that are close to busy roads so that the sounds of traffic can be heard.
- Does the instructor supply written notes, or a CD supplying basic info?
- How does the instructor respond to questions? Is she/he willing to supply the information in a pleasant informative manner without ‘talking down’ to clients?
- Speak to the clients at class and ask for their input.
- Are the grounds clean and well kept?
- Is the area secure?
- Is shade available?
- Are there water bowls around for thirsty pups?
- Are toilet facilities provided for those attending?
- Is there safe and secure parking?
- Does the school in general look professional?
Puppy schools normally run for between 4 – 7 weeks. Please do everything in your power to attend each and every session – you simply don’t get a second chance, you have limited time!
Don’t just stop with puppy school, try to go to the classes for older pups and keep your pup well socialized for the rest of its life – a true gift to have a dog that gets on well with all other dogs.
Here is the link to Recommended Puppy Schools on our main website. The instructors have undergone the necessary training and have the experience required. https://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/puppy-schools.html
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3.Chewing and Toys
Inappropriate chewing is a very common problem, but what we need to understand is that chewing for a dog is a natural behaviour, and is bound to happen, especially with puppies. In his excellent book “Before & After Getting your Puppy” (link at end) by Dr Ian Dunbar, he advocates that all puppies should become ‘chewaholics’! We certainly agree with him and have used this method on countless occasions, both with our own and client’s puppies and adult dogs and have never been disappointed. Basically, we are giving the dog only ‘legal’ chewable toys and making this his favourite habit. It allows a dog to settle quietly, chewing helps to de-stress, exercises jaws and teeth and is excellent for a teething puppy. If we teach our pups to only chew on certain ‘legal’ objects then we will provide entertainment and cut down on the possibility of puppy chewing on inappropriate items.
Many of our clients tell us that their dogs have balls, ropes, stuffed toys etc but hardly ever play with them – we am not surprised! All they are talking about in inanimate objects, they have no life of their own, but a delicious chewy that the dog can really ‘get stuck into’, provides essential entertainment and help with frustration.
We have had clients who swear that their dogs chew up the furniture etc just to spite them! Not true, a dog will chew out of boredom, frustrations, anxiety, or if it is teething.. The following can be used for both puppies and adult dogs. What is crucial is that if there are more than one dog in the home, you must determine if the dogs will not fight when high value chew toys are around. If there is even the possibility, rather separate the dogs completely and allow them some quiet time to chew in peace.
It is not necessary to spend a fortune on expensive chew toys, you can make your own, by filling a hollow object (such as a marrow bone or Kong) with dog food that has been soaked overnight so that it expands, and the appearance is mushy. Smear honey around the inside of the marrow bone or Kong. The honey acts as an antibacterial agent then seal the top with a biscuit and leave the dog to chew to his heart’s content. After your dog gets the hang of chewing at this you can freeze it making another Kongsicle (Dr Ian Dunbar) which will help with teething. A raw marrow bone can be used for this as well. Ask your butcher to cut it much longer than normally found in the shops (about 3/4 inches) and take the marrow out – this is just too rich for a puppy.
Another favourite is to take a 500ml empty water bottle. Boil the kettle, measure out 450ml and to this add a half teaspoon of either Bovril or Marmite. Allow to cool, pop several small treats or pieces of dog food in the empty bottle and then add the cooled mixture and freeze. The reason why 450ml as opposed to filling the bottle, is that it will expand in the freezer. Initially you may have to cut the bottle in half till your dog gets the hang of it. This is excellent for sore teething gum’s, but it is recommended that it is given outside! Simply pick up and throw away the chewed plastic before the dog ingests it. Being slightly neurotic about our dogs swallowing things ourselves, we normally take the top off the bottle and these are the types of chew toys we give when home so that we can keep an eye on it. Dogs appear to love the noise that an empty water bottle makes (squeaky) and they can roll it and play with it which I believe mimics, to a certain degree, what happens with prey. If necessary, you can start with a smaller plastic bottle for a pup, depending on the size of the pup. As above, this should always be supervised.
You can also use the water with marmite method by following above and instead of putting in a plastic bottle, put in an empty Tupperware with some pieces of kibble and treats and then freeze it – pop this out on the grass and what pup lick to hearts content – also helps with sore gums.
Keep an eye on what your dog is chewing and how chewed the object is - taking it away before it can become dangerous will go a long way to avoiding problems. Another way to make any object for chewing more appealing is to smear the inside of it with organic peanut butter (always use organic as peanut butter in large amounts can be toxic to dogs (and never one that contains xylitol), stick a piece of biltong right in the bottom, really jammed in, and the dog will have great fun trying to get it out. Nearly all stuffed chewie’s can be frozen, turning them into ‘Kongsicle’!
Many of the pet shops have excellent chew toys available as well as toys that can be pushed around the garden and pieces of food fall out.
If children are given a toy for Xmas and spend the whole day playing with it, by the next day they are bored with it and will play with something instead. It is exactly the same with dogs – if they have the same toys every day, they too will get bored. We have three cane baskets and each basket contains a mixture of different chew toys. We rotate these on a daily basis, picking up and putting away what is left at the end of the day. Not only does this keep my dogs entertained, the chewie’s last much longer.
If you do have a pup that is already chewing on chairs or items, you can purchase a bottle of pure Citronella oil, and smear this onto the item being chewed - this is normally enough to deter a pup from chewing on these items. There are deterrents for chewing that can be purchased at the vet and pet shops - what has to be remembered is they need to be applied every few days.
Another way to stop a pup from chewing on illegal items it simply management - put away any items the pup is likely to chew on such as shoes, cushions, socks etc.
Inappropriate chewing is a very common problem, but what we need to understand is that chewing for a dog is a natural behaviour, and is bound to happen, especially with puppies. In his excellent book “Before & After Getting your Puppy” (link at end) by Dr Ian Dunbar, he advocates that all puppies should become ‘chewaholics’! We certainly agree with him and have used this method on countless occasions, both with our own and client’s puppies and adult dogs and have never been disappointed. Basically, we are giving the dog only ‘legal’ chewable toys and making this his favourite habit. It allows a dog to settle quietly, chewing helps to de-stress, exercises jaws and teeth and is excellent for a teething puppy. If we teach our pups to only chew on certain ‘legal’ objects then we will provide entertainment and cut down on the possibility of puppy chewing on inappropriate items.
Many of our clients tell us that their dogs have balls, ropes, stuffed toys etc but hardly ever play with them – we am not surprised! All they are talking about in inanimate objects, they have no life of their own, but a delicious chewy that the dog can really ‘get stuck into’, provides essential entertainment and help with frustration.
We have had clients who swear that their dogs chew up the furniture etc just to spite them! Not true, a dog will chew out of boredom, frustrations, anxiety, or if it is teething.. The following can be used for both puppies and adult dogs. What is crucial is that if there are more than one dog in the home, you must determine if the dogs will not fight when high value chew toys are around. If there is even the possibility, rather separate the dogs completely and allow them some quiet time to chew in peace.
It is not necessary to spend a fortune on expensive chew toys, you can make your own, by filling a hollow object (such as a marrow bone or Kong) with dog food that has been soaked overnight so that it expands, and the appearance is mushy. Smear honey around the inside of the marrow bone or Kong. The honey acts as an antibacterial agent then seal the top with a biscuit and leave the dog to chew to his heart’s content. After your dog gets the hang of chewing at this you can freeze it making another Kongsicle (Dr Ian Dunbar) which will help with teething. A raw marrow bone can be used for this as well. Ask your butcher to cut it much longer than normally found in the shops (about 3/4 inches) and take the marrow out – this is just too rich for a puppy.
Another favourite is to take a 500ml empty water bottle. Boil the kettle, measure out 450ml and to this add a half teaspoon of either Bovril or Marmite. Allow to cool, pop several small treats or pieces of dog food in the empty bottle and then add the cooled mixture and freeze. The reason why 450ml as opposed to filling the bottle, is that it will expand in the freezer. Initially you may have to cut the bottle in half till your dog gets the hang of it. This is excellent for sore teething gum’s, but it is recommended that it is given outside! Simply pick up and throw away the chewed plastic before the dog ingests it. Being slightly neurotic about our dogs swallowing things ourselves, we normally take the top off the bottle and these are the types of chew toys we give when home so that we can keep an eye on it. Dogs appear to love the noise that an empty water bottle makes (squeaky) and they can roll it and play with it which I believe mimics, to a certain degree, what happens with prey. If necessary, you can start with a smaller plastic bottle for a pup, depending on the size of the pup. As above, this should always be supervised.
You can also use the water with marmite method by following above and instead of putting in a plastic bottle, put in an empty Tupperware with some pieces of kibble and treats and then freeze it – pop this out on the grass and what pup lick to hearts content – also helps with sore gums.
Keep an eye on what your dog is chewing and how chewed the object is - taking it away before it can become dangerous will go a long way to avoiding problems. Another way to make any object for chewing more appealing is to smear the inside of it with organic peanut butter (always use organic as peanut butter in large amounts can be toxic to dogs (and never one that contains xylitol), stick a piece of biltong right in the bottom, really jammed in, and the dog will have great fun trying to get it out. Nearly all stuffed chewie’s can be frozen, turning them into ‘Kongsicle’!
Many of the pet shops have excellent chew toys available as well as toys that can be pushed around the garden and pieces of food fall out.
If children are given a toy for Xmas and spend the whole day playing with it, by the next day they are bored with it and will play with something instead. It is exactly the same with dogs – if they have the same toys every day, they too will get bored. We have three cane baskets and each basket contains a mixture of different chew toys. We rotate these on a daily basis, picking up and putting away what is left at the end of the day. Not only does this keep my dogs entertained, the chewie’s last much longer.
If you do have a pup that is already chewing on chairs or items, you can purchase a bottle of pure Citronella oil, and smear this onto the item being chewed - this is normally enough to deter a pup from chewing on these items. There are deterrents for chewing that can be purchased at the vet and pet shops - what has to be remembered is they need to be applied every few days.
Another way to stop a pup from chewing on illegal items it simply management - put away any items the pup is likely to chew on such as shoes, cushions, socks etc.
Take care when you buy toys from the pet shops. Although many of these are excellent, some contain small pieces such as squeaky toys which can cause choking and should not be given. Use your discretion and common sense when buying them. What you need to bear in mind is that any product that is swallowed can cause an upset tummy or even blockages, so the onus has to be on the you, to ensure that the chewy is taken away from the pup/dog before chewed up into small sized bits that can be swallowed.
Here are a couple of do’s and don’ts for you to consider: -
Before & After Getting a Puppy:
50 ways with Kong’s : http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/50-ways-with-a-kong.html
Keeping pups and adult dogs entertained
As we all know, pups are busy, busy, busy and have an absolute need to chew! Here are some ideas on how to fill Kong's to give hours of chewing fun in addition to the Kong recipes above. I know your dogs will enjoy this, so do make the effort and remember that you can make Kong's in advance and just pop them in the freezer for easy access - Dr Dunbar says this is called a 'Konsicle'!
This was forwarded to us and was apparently first sent by Heather Le Plongeon and was originally sourced from a Kong newsletter in 2007. Always make sure your dog does not have an allergy first.
The following Kong stuffing’s are made with one or more human food ingredients:
CHEESY ELVIS: Combine a ripe banana, 3 spoonful’s of peanut butter, and a slice of cheese. Mix until blended well. Fill the Kong and freeze.
MONSTER MASH: Instant mashed potatoes (without the salt) — or leftover mashed potatoes from dinner — mixed with crushed dog biscuits.
DOGGIE OMLET: Combine a scrambled egg, some beef, yogurt, cheese and mashed potatoes all together
FIBER CRUNCH: Combine bran cereal with some peanut butter.
KONGSICLE JERKY POPS: The equivalent of a Popsicle… Seal the small hole of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Fill to the rim with water and a pinch of bouillon (or just use chicken broth instead). Place a stick or two of beef jerky inside. Freeze. (This one gets messy in a hurry, so it’s recommended only for outdoor use.)
GOOEY CHEERIOS: Combine cheerio’s and peanut butter. Freeze.
FRUIT KITTY NOODLES: Mix together some dried fruit, cooked pasta, banana and dry cat food.
BANANA YOGURT: Plain yogurt and mashed bananas. (You can also add a little peanut butter or other fruits.) Then freeze it.
PEANUT BUTTER GLUE: Fill Kong 1/3rd full of dog food. Pour in melted peanut butter (after it has cooled from microwaving). Add more dog food, followed by more melted peanut butter until the Kong toy is full. Freeze until solid.
ROCK-HARD KIBBLE: Combine some of your dog’s regular food with cream cheese, which acts as a cement, keeping everything inside.
STICKY BREAD: Smear peanut butter on a piece of bread. Fold it over and stuff inside the Kong. Mix together plain yogurt with some fruits or vegetables (carrots, celery) and pour inside. Freeze. The yogurt sticks to the bread holding everything together.
APPLE PIE: Squeeze a small piece of apple into the tiny hole. Fill the Kong with a small amount of plain yogurt. Add a few slices of mashed banana, more apple, yogurt, and banana. End with a slice of banana and chunk of peanut butter on the top.
CRUNCH ‘N MUNCH: Combine crumbled rice cakes and dried fruit with some cream cheese and plain croutons.
PUMPKIN PIECES: Combine some plain yogurt, canned pumpkin, and cooked rice in a small baggie. Mix well inside the bag, then snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the Kong toy. Freeze.
KIBBLE-SICLE: Put a glob of peanut butter into the Kong first. Then add some dry dog food. Pour in some chicken broth. Add some more peanut butter, followed by more dry dog food. End with another glob of peanut butter at the very top. Freeze until solid.
OLD STANDBY: Soak some of your dog’s regular food in water (or chicken broth) for a brief time before placing it inside a Kong, then freeze.
MUTT & CHEESE: Melt a cube of Velveeta cheese in the microwave, until it’s gooey — not runny. Fill the Kong toy with cooked noodles. Pour cheese over noodles.
FROZEN BONZ: Mix up some bananas, unsweetened applesauce, oatmeal, peanut butter, and plain yogurt. Freeze.
CHEEZY DELIGHT: Combine small chunks of cheese (or cheese spread) with some dry dog food and microwave until the cheese melts. Let it cool completely, and then pour into the Kong toy. Freeze thoroughly.
CARB DELIGHT: Combine some canned dog food with pasta noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, and some of your dog’s dry dog food. Freeze.
NUT CRUNCH: Take 2-3 dog biscuits and crunch them a bit into very tiny bite-sized pieces. Add a couple spoonful’s of peanut butter. Then add a couple spoonful’s of plain yogurt. Mix in bowl until soft, but not runny. Stuff inside Kong.
BABYLICIOUS: Mix together some fat-free cream cheese, peanut butter, and either sugar free applesauce or a jar of baby food (like bananas, carrots). Cram a solid food item into the small hole at the end of the Kong, and then fill with the mixture. Seal the large hole with either more cream cheese or peanut butter.
FRUITOPIA: Combine applesauce with chunks of fruit. Freeze.
PUPPY TRAIL: Fill the Kong with some cashews (unsalted) and freeze-dried liver bits. Add some dry dog food and/or dog crushed dog biscuits and some Cheerio’s. Drop in a spoonful of peanut butter, followed by some dried fruit. Finally, top it off by using a piece of ravioli or tortellini to close the large opening.
RED ROVER: Smear the inside of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Put a tiny piece of apple into the small hole, and then drop some more apple pieces in next. Drop in a scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then drop in some dog food or broken dog treats. Add another scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then more apples. Plug the large opening with a final scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese) and freeze.
FROZEN TUNA SALAD: Mix together well: 1 6oz can of light tuna, 2 T. plain yogurt, and 1/4 C. grated carrot. Spoon into KONG toy. Freeze.
Here are a couple of do’s and don’ts for you to consider: -
- Always supervise the pup/dog chewing especially when first offering
- Always take the chewy away before it gets too small
- Never give a pup a marrow bone full of marrow, it is too rich.
- Only purchase top quality chewy toys to ensure that your dog is getting the best possible product with little risk of contamination
- Avoid vinyl chew toys. This substance is very hard and does not break down easily and is one of the chew toys that can cause severe obstructions. Either use latex which is more pliable and will pass through the digestive system easier if swallowed.
- Always give a chewy that is much bigger than the expected size for the particular breed.
- Don’t give pups pig’s ears. They are far too rich for the puppy and can contain salmonella.
- Don’t give pups/dog coloured chew bones. These contain additives and can cause allergies and upset tummy.
- If the dog has a runny or upset tummy or appears to be itchy after chewing it could be that your dog has an allergy to the product. If this occurs go to the vet and when the problem has cleared up and the dog is healthy again, offer the same product, but only for a short period and then take away and see if there is a reaction. It is better for the vet to be involved with this process.
- Never use Rawhide products – if swallowed these swell up and often an operation is required to remove them – dogs have died due to these. Additionally, it is an animal product so how was it treated to prevent insect infestation – the same applies to hooves and an additional factor with these, is that they tend to break and chip teeth.
Before & After Getting a Puppy:
50 ways with Kong’s : http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/50-ways-with-a-kong.html
Keeping pups and adult dogs entertained
As we all know, pups are busy, busy, busy and have an absolute need to chew! Here are some ideas on how to fill Kong's to give hours of chewing fun in addition to the Kong recipes above. I know your dogs will enjoy this, so do make the effort and remember that you can make Kong's in advance and just pop them in the freezer for easy access - Dr Dunbar says this is called a 'Konsicle'!
This was forwarded to us and was apparently first sent by Heather Le Plongeon and was originally sourced from a Kong newsletter in 2007. Always make sure your dog does not have an allergy first.
The following Kong stuffing’s are made with one or more human food ingredients:
CHEESY ELVIS: Combine a ripe banana, 3 spoonful’s of peanut butter, and a slice of cheese. Mix until blended well. Fill the Kong and freeze.
MONSTER MASH: Instant mashed potatoes (without the salt) — or leftover mashed potatoes from dinner — mixed with crushed dog biscuits.
DOGGIE OMLET: Combine a scrambled egg, some beef, yogurt, cheese and mashed potatoes all together
FIBER CRUNCH: Combine bran cereal with some peanut butter.
KONGSICLE JERKY POPS: The equivalent of a Popsicle… Seal the small hole of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Fill to the rim with water and a pinch of bouillon (or just use chicken broth instead). Place a stick or two of beef jerky inside. Freeze. (This one gets messy in a hurry, so it’s recommended only for outdoor use.)
GOOEY CHEERIOS: Combine cheerio’s and peanut butter. Freeze.
FRUIT KITTY NOODLES: Mix together some dried fruit, cooked pasta, banana and dry cat food.
BANANA YOGURT: Plain yogurt and mashed bananas. (You can also add a little peanut butter or other fruits.) Then freeze it.
PEANUT BUTTER GLUE: Fill Kong 1/3rd full of dog food. Pour in melted peanut butter (after it has cooled from microwaving). Add more dog food, followed by more melted peanut butter until the Kong toy is full. Freeze until solid.
ROCK-HARD KIBBLE: Combine some of your dog’s regular food with cream cheese, which acts as a cement, keeping everything inside.
STICKY BREAD: Smear peanut butter on a piece of bread. Fold it over and stuff inside the Kong. Mix together plain yogurt with some fruits or vegetables (carrots, celery) and pour inside. Freeze. The yogurt sticks to the bread holding everything together.
APPLE PIE: Squeeze a small piece of apple into the tiny hole. Fill the Kong with a small amount of plain yogurt. Add a few slices of mashed banana, more apple, yogurt, and banana. End with a slice of banana and chunk of peanut butter on the top.
CRUNCH ‘N MUNCH: Combine crumbled rice cakes and dried fruit with some cream cheese and plain croutons.
PUMPKIN PIECES: Combine some plain yogurt, canned pumpkin, and cooked rice in a small baggie. Mix well inside the bag, then snip off a corner of the bag and squeeze it into the Kong toy. Freeze.
KIBBLE-SICLE: Put a glob of peanut butter into the Kong first. Then add some dry dog food. Pour in some chicken broth. Add some more peanut butter, followed by more dry dog food. End with another glob of peanut butter at the very top. Freeze until solid.
OLD STANDBY: Soak some of your dog’s regular food in water (or chicken broth) for a brief time before placing it inside a Kong, then freeze.
MUTT & CHEESE: Melt a cube of Velveeta cheese in the microwave, until it’s gooey — not runny. Fill the Kong toy with cooked noodles. Pour cheese over noodles.
FROZEN BONZ: Mix up some bananas, unsweetened applesauce, oatmeal, peanut butter, and plain yogurt. Freeze.
CHEEZY DELIGHT: Combine small chunks of cheese (or cheese spread) with some dry dog food and microwave until the cheese melts. Let it cool completely, and then pour into the Kong toy. Freeze thoroughly.
CARB DELIGHT: Combine some canned dog food with pasta noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, and some of your dog’s dry dog food. Freeze.
NUT CRUNCH: Take 2-3 dog biscuits and crunch them a bit into very tiny bite-sized pieces. Add a couple spoonful’s of peanut butter. Then add a couple spoonful’s of plain yogurt. Mix in bowl until soft, but not runny. Stuff inside Kong.
BABYLICIOUS: Mix together some fat-free cream cheese, peanut butter, and either sugar free applesauce or a jar of baby food (like bananas, carrots). Cram a solid food item into the small hole at the end of the Kong, and then fill with the mixture. Seal the large hole with either more cream cheese or peanut butter.
FRUITOPIA: Combine applesauce with chunks of fruit. Freeze.
PUPPY TRAIL: Fill the Kong with some cashews (unsalted) and freeze-dried liver bits. Add some dry dog food and/or dog crushed dog biscuits and some Cheerio’s. Drop in a spoonful of peanut butter, followed by some dried fruit. Finally, top it off by using a piece of ravioli or tortellini to close the large opening.
RED ROVER: Smear the inside of the Kong toy with peanut butter. Put a tiny piece of apple into the small hole, and then drop some more apple pieces in next. Drop in a scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then drop in some dog food or broken dog treats. Add another scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese), then more apples. Plug the large opening with a final scoop of peanut butter (or cream cheese) and freeze.
FROZEN TUNA SALAD: Mix together well: 1 6oz can of light tuna, 2 T. plain yogurt, and 1/4 C. grated carrot. Spoon into KONG toy. Freeze.
