Daily Food Intake v Treats Kongs etc

TrapperChamonix

So heres the thing, when I leave the house every day I give my dog a treat to occuppy him for a while. I alternate betweek Pig's Ears, Roasted dried bones and Kongs with a variety of fillings.

• How much of his normal food should I cut back to compensate with the other treats?
• What are the healthy things I should be putting in his kong. Currently at different times he gets some peanut butter (small amount but can't be good for him), vegatable soup, some left over of our food (chicken without bones, boloneges sauce).

By the way, I keep seeing recepies for kongs that seem to contain a lot of cheese. I had always understood that giving dairy to a do was not good for dogs

mymo

I stuff the Kongs with half the dogs breakfast in the morning. Use left over spuds, carrots, broccoli or homemade soup, pasta, basically anything mushy mixed with dried food. Sometimes I freeze it too, and give the rest of breakfast in their bowls.
I generally keep away from cheese or dairy as one of mine doesn't seem to have the stomach for it.
I also have a couple of those Kong balls that they roll around to get out the dried food, takes ages and keeps them busy, even use it when I'm home and it's raining.
Just remember to take any food you put in the kongs out of their daily meals.

lrushe

I have a pup at the moment who is on 3 meals a day, so instead of one of her meals I just soak her puppy nuts in gravy until mushy, stuff the kong and freeze it. She doesn't get any extra calories that way, even as training treats I use her dry puppy nuts.

TrapperChamonix

Tx, I understand the point about substituting the kibble you put in the kong from their daily allowance.
Any advice on non kibble comparisons? Dry bones, pigs ears etc?

SarahSassy

Silly question - whats a Kong?

Satyr_The_Great

Kongs are a type of chew toys for dogs and pups. Pretty much indestructable. YOu can stuff food inside them to keep the dog busy. Kong malke other dog toys other than the stuffable ones...google them and find out :-) every dog should have atleast 2 kongs.

lorebringer

SarahSassy wrote: »

Silly question - whats a Kong?

This --> http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_toys_dog_training/kongs

They are "hollow" hive shaped rubber toys that can be stuffed with tastey items - they provide mental stimulation for dogs because they have to work to get the food etc. out of them, and generally keeps them quiet for a while. The Kong brand also make squeeky toys and other stuffable toys for dogs. They are very hard wearing but not indestructable (I have had quite a few eaten!) and they are a very good quality toy.

Sigma Force

Some people use cottage cheese, the dogs own food mixed with some dog biscuits. Just be careful with veggie soup or sauces as a lot of these contain onion which are bad for pooches.

You could make chicken stock (not from cubes too salty) by boiling some chicken or even beef or the like and freeze it in ice cube trays then stuff the kong with the ice cubes and then re freeze the kong.