What to do with a Kong??

Hi!

I am collecting my new staffi from a dogs home over the next few days. We've bought him a kong but I don't really know what to put in it. I've read another topic which mentioned a few things such as peanut butter, mushed up cooked veg or even raw mince... but they talked about filling them... should I really fill up the whole thing?? That's quite a lot isn't it?? I don't want to over feed him... And when I freeze it, should it be frozen completely (like over night)?

I also saw plenty of comments about some treats (pigs ears etc) causing choking... I was hoping to give him a treat to keep him entertained as I leave for work, so I wont be around to supervise... would a kong be better for this as it would be full of mushed up food? Or is this just as dangerous?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi, when you use the kong it is better to fill it with lower fat stuffs, but at the ends put tasty stuff in it like the peanut butter. As for pigs ears - i don't personally recommend them as they are high in salt so the dog would drink a lot and much more likely to have accidents.

It's fine to leave the Kong. We use a vegetable mush. When it's frozen it takes them forever to get the food out which is what keeps their attention.

Moo is not interested in kongs, she has a bone filled with something (from a local pet shop) that she loves, you could also get a stag bar, again doesn't really interest mine but highly reccomended

We had some anxiety issues when we got Marlon.

A combination of Kongs, Stag Bars and child locks on cupboard doors have managed to help us alleviate the problem!

Frozen kongs seem to do the trick though. take all day for him to clean out!

Thanks for your suggestions everyone! I'll have a go at filling a kong with mushed up cooked veg this weekend and I'll freeze it down - that should keep him entertained whilst we have a few guests coming round tomorrow!

What will you feeding him?

If it's dry, you can soak it, mash it and use that to stuff it for his breakfast or if it's wet food you can just put it straight in.

Might be worth giving his first Kong or two unfrozen so it gets his interest and he gets the hang of it.

I quite often use a bit of their dry food out of their allowance in the bottom then mash up a banana and fill it up with that then use a tiny bit of peanut butter for the top

ETA: You're fine to leave him with a Kong or a stagbar but I wouldn't leave him with a pigs ear or a bully stick.

Galadriel wrote:What will you feeding him?

If it's dry, you can soak it, mash it and use that to stuff it for his breakfast or if it's wet food you can just put it straight in.

I certainly wouldn't leave wet (tinned) food for any length of time, especially in this weather - the flies will be all over it before 10 minutes had passed.

Galadriel wrote:ETA: You're fine to leave him with a Kong or a stagbar but I wouldn't leave him with a pigs ear or a bully stick.

Kongs are ok (as long as he doesn't chew lumps off it like my idiot dog does ) and stag bars are good. I wouldn't give a pigs ear at all, and I wouldn't leave a bully stick with him unattended.

Caryll wrote:

Galadriel wrote:What will you feeding him?

If it's dry, you can soak it, mash it and use that to stuff it for his breakfast or if it's wet food you can just put it straight in.

I certainly wouldn't leave wet (tinned) food for any length of time, especially in this weather - the flies will be all over it before 10 minutes had passed.

Galadriel wrote:ETA: You're fine to leave him with a Kong or a stagbar but I wouldn't leave him with a pigs ear or a bully stick.

Kongs are ok (as long as he doesn't chew lumps off it like my idiot dog does ) and stag bars are good. I wouldn't give a pigs ear at all, and I wouldn't leave a bully stick with him unattended.

Good point about eating the Kong! Would be a good idea to make sure he won't do that before you leave him with it OP.

The wet would be OK I'd've thought. Mine polish off a frozen Kong in about 10 minutes and an unfrozen one in a lot less so the flies wouldn't have a chance (if I had flies in my house which thankfully I don't!)

I too don't give pigs ears and only bully sticks under supervision

Just reminded me thanks. Put one in the freezer with cheese in. Blue has been good today. You've made him a happy bunny

I bought Saffy a Kong today, the first time I've ever bought one and within a minute she bit a small chunk out of it......

Not sure what think of them tbh lol

Rachb26 wrote:I bought Saffy a Kong today, the first time I've ever bought one and within a minute she bit a small chunk out of it......

Not sure what think of them tbh lol

What size and type did you buy? Did you fill it?

Galadriel wrote:

Rachb26 wrote:I bought Saffy a Kong today, the first time I've ever bought one and within a minute she bit a small chunk out of it......

Not sure what think of them tbh lol

What size and type did you buy? Did you fill it?

Hi, I did a little bit of peanut butter mixed with Wainwrights dried duck treats. It isn't the largest Kong size, and not the smallest. It said large on the packaging tho.

Must be a monster chewer, Blue has had his nearly 2 years and he can polish a extra large stag bar off in 4 weeks

Rachb26 wrote:

Galadriel wrote:

Rachb26 wrote:I bought Saffy a Kong today, the first time I've ever bought one and within a minute she bit a small chunk out of it......

Not sure what think of them tbh lol

What size and type did you buy? Did you fill it?

Hi, I did a little bit of peanut butter mixed with Wainwrights dried duck treats. It isn't the largest Kong size, and not the smallest. It said large on the packaging tho.

Was it a puppy one? If so then you'd be better off going for one of the extreme ones although some power chewers can still get through those ones but I suspect at her age, it's not strong jaws, just those needle puppy teeth that have caused the damage!

You can try and teach her to just lick the food out rather than chew the Kong, that's what I did with mine, everytime they tried to bite it I'd take it off them for a few seconds. Now they just lick the filling out then leave them.

Galadriel wrote:

Rachb26 wrote:

Galadriel wrote:

Rachb26 wrote:I bought Saffy a Kong today, the first time I've ever bought one and within a minute she bit a small chunk out of it......

Not sure what think of them tbh lol

What size and type did you buy? Did you fill it?

Hi, I did a little bit of peanut butter mixed with Wainwrights dried duck treats. It isn't the largest Kong size, and not the smallest. It said large on the packaging tho.

Was it a puppy one? If so then you'd be better off going for one of the extreme ones although some power chewers can still get through those ones but I suspect at her age, it's not strong jaws, just those needle puppy teeth that have caused the damage!


You can try and teach her to just lick the food out rather than chew the Kong, that's what I did with mine, everytime they tried to bite it I'd take it off them for a few seconds. Now they just lick the filling out then leave them.

Yeah it was just a normal red one. Usually I give her lamb shank bones to chew on but liked the idea of her having something to mentally stimulate her. In my opinion her teeth are above average for sharpness. I have been nipped alot lately by loads of different pups and hands down hers are the sharpest. But she is on raw and makes short work of bones. I can't complain because she doesn't chew the house up....yet!

I will try your suggestion because I don't feel comfortable just letting her have one, so I will supervise!

I fill cairos with peanut butter, or plain natural yoghurt mixed with a bit of dry kibble then freeze.

I never got a king type toy, onyx has had high ball drive since day one. That and a spring pole (had shoulder rebuilt, all I could to). Another great joy of onyx is bubble popping. Get ind of the wands that make large bubbles and let him have at it. Onyx loves jumping and direction changing for them

I have the extreme Kong (the black one) for my dog as he bit some off the red one. He loves it, but if we leave it with him when we go out we often find when we come back he hasn't touched it and then he will go off and eat it. Not quite sure how to get around that one.

here are few links to KONG Recipes....

1. www.kongcompany.com/recipes/

2. www.starfishtothesea.org/info/display?PageID=1593

hope these help.

Note: nutrecare.co.uk are having a promo offer on kongs at moment...

www.nutrecare.co.uk/Product-2505/Kong-dog-toys/Kong-Dog-Toy-Black