My fab 9 week old pup Jessie is giving up on her puppy Kongs once she's taken a bit out of the top! She seems most keen on warm soaked kibble and I've tried adding a bit of something delicious (sardines, peanut butter, cheese) to tempt her to keep licking, but she always gives up after a few mins! She'll completely ignore a Kong if it's come out of the fridge or been frozen! I've also gone down in size to a small puppy Kong, tried the Kong Quests and given her a Rice Bone (which she completely ignored)! - but all to no avail! To progress her Crate Training I really need something that will last her longer than 3 mins! - please does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.
My Jessie also had this problem. It took her a while to get the hang of it, so maybe keep trying, or try again in a couple of weeks? Anything quite mushy like soaked kibble, or mashed banana saw her give up! In the end she finally got the technique with peanut butter mixed with dry kibble in a small puppy Kong. She is now (18 weeks) on a large Kong filled with wet puppy food and kibble and frozen, which lasts her ages! I haven't found anything as good, but I am sure other people might have some suggestions! She obviously quite likes anything she is not supposed to chew such as pens, sticks and children's shoes....
There really isn't any such thing as a safe, long lasting chew - although for young pups, you could try a bit of beef pizzle, pig's ears, venison ears etc. but do watch that it doesn't upset her tum. No chew like this will last my adult dog more than a few seconds. Don't freeze or chill kongs at first, just stuff them full of something like fresh sardines - you have to get them addicted to kongs before you can give them watery frozen kibble and they think it's amazing (although that is worth aiming for, kongs are simple but really can help with all sorts of good behaviours, particularly if you need to leave a dog).
What about a fresh sardine......frozen? Do you think that might keep her attention? Maybe frozen then half defrosted to start with? Lilly loves the Lidl's sardines that come in a pack of four, we have a couple fresh then a couple frozen, but Lilly is almost six. I guess might upset her tum, but I guess you won't know until you try. What do the rest of you think??
Thanks for your replies. My two older labs love Kongs and I'm sure Jessie will get there - but in the meantime, how do I Crate train her???! Although she's had enough of her puppy kong after a few mins, I'm managing to shut the crate door for 10 mins with only a few yips now and then. But I'm keen to slowly extend that to 20-30 mins but I don't know how if all I've got to work with is a 3-min Kong!!!!
I would just keep trying - at 9 weeks she is still very little. Make it as easy for her to get out of the Kong as possible until she gets it - we did dry kibble until he got the concept. I don't think we moved into soaked or frozen until he was nearer 11/12 weeks once he got the whole Kong thing. We now use a mix of soaked and wet food JWB puppy wet food which he loves. Mine didn't like the frozen option to begin with but now loves it. We started with only freezing for a short time (good advice from this board) and now put them in overnight to freeze solid. The Kong quests are a bit easier and the rubber is softer for them to get into them. I would persevere as there isn't really anything else that I would feel is safe to leave a puppy with in a crate. Try them out of the crate first, on the kitchen floor. Let her have fun with them and give her time to work them out. Fingers crossed she will get it soon! Sam and Mole (18 weeks)
the early morning frozen Kong Quest which lets me get ready in peace - 30 minutes on and his still chomping at it!!
We had a similar problem with frozen kongs: tatti still won't eat them if they are frozen. She leaves them to defrost and then eats them. I find it works best if you just used warm soaked kibble and maybe something a bit nicer like chicken at the top. We've never used cheese or peanut butter as our vet said to never feed a lab dairy and I thought peanuts were a no no for dogs. Sardines do sound like a good idea though. Tatti throws her long around to try and dislodge pieces so we hve to cram it in well. A bit of frozen banana, a frozen puppy dentastick or a bit of carrot might work instead but not for too long. I really can't think of anything else. I did used to wedge half a strawberry in a kong which seemed to work too. Maybe, if food isn't working, try a new and exciting toy? Keep trying, they change so much at this age something that didn't work last week may work this week. Good luck, I hope you find something that works
As they get older they begin to enjoy the frozen Kongs more, when little pups, soft and unfrozen kibble works, but by 5 months old they are far more proficient at getting it out. I find soaked kibble then frozen the best as it comes out of their food allowance so no added calories. I put a small fish cube at the bottom - so the last bit is the best . .
I never use a kong or any toys or treats unsupervised. My friends lab managed to get the kong stuck between his top and bottom teeth lengthways and was really distressed obviously.
