kong treat

[Pam Thomas]

What can I put in a Kong and freeze it for a 10 week old pup that is on Wellness core grain free puppy formula? Is it too early to start with plain yogurt and PB? And can I start bully sticks or duck sticks-pure duck?

[Vivian & Mojo]

I started with mashed banana mixed with plain yogurt.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The rule is to introduce only one new food at a time (or make only one change at a time), and wait at least a couple of weeks before adding or changing something else.

I have never given a dog a filled Kong. A lot of people do this to keep a dog occupied in the crate if they work and the dog has to be alone at home for hours at a time. But it's not something I would do just to give the dog a treat.

Plain yogurt is very safe and bland, so you can start that any time. Peanut butter is extremely high in fat and calories, so I'd hold off with that. 

[Pam Thomas]

I  am just looking for a treat for her during her crazy time, 5-7 at night, I measure out her food allotment for the day every morning and use that for kong and rewards.And I don't fill the kongs-I have the real tiny ones.

[Stephanie and Ragley]

I would try training exercises instead of a treat during that time. Doing some "puppy push-ups" can work wonders with puppy energy! 

[Oliver & Elizabeth]

We tried the stuffed Kong thing, Oliver liked it but he didn't seem to be as interested as most dogs. He won't just sit there trying to get the food out until it's gone--Oliver just isn't super food motivated. We've had a lot more success in using interactive type toys with a mixture of kibble and medium-high value treats. It's perfect for the crazy time during the night because they "toss" the toy around the room trying to get the treats out and it wears them down. When Oliver was a puppy I loved even the five minutes of silence I could get out of a dental bone! :)

Oliver's current favorite interactive toy is the Planet Dog Snoop. He also likes the Mazee. 

Planet Dog Snoop: http://www.planetdog.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=1058

Planet Dog Mazee: http://www.planetdog.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=ORBEE-TUFF%C2%A...

[Kate, Mel, Tenley & Harper]

I would find out what she ate at breeder before they had solid food. My breeder already fed the pups a mix of yogurt and canned pumpkin (and a few other things). When he came home I just made that mix and put that in kong. It was familiar to him. Once he had been home for a few weeks I added a bit of peanut butter to the mix.

Goes without saying too that since yogurt is a dairy product you should take the kong away when she is done (or even if she isn't if it has taken too long) to wash it out.

[Leann]

Phoebe (almost 4 months old) loves her pb&yogurt kong...I usually stuff some kibble in the bottom to take up some space and then put in the pb/yogurt mix. then i freeze it so it lasts a bit longer. She doesn't get it everyday. Usually I save it for when I need to get something done and can have her with me but won't be actively playing with her....