Hello! I'm new to the site... As yet I don't have a pup but am preparing for one and want to cross all the t's etc and know what I'm doing before I bring him home. As I'm new to raising pups I've decided to follow Pippa's advice and go for kibbles as food. I have read that if you feed with kibbles you don't need to add anything else to the diet. But in the Puppy Handbook it frequently refers to giving chicken/cheese etc as special treats. Is it ok to give these sorts of treats while feeding with kibbles? I wouldn't want to make the pup sick from rich treats or a change in diet, but if they're only small treats does it matter? Plus I'd like to use the frozen kongs filled with goodies, but what filling is best to use? Any advice much appreciated! Thanks Sally
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Hi Sally, You can feed only kibble if you wish, and many people do. Most good-quality kibble is manufactured to be a complete diet. But your dog will probably favour higher-value, tastier treats for training purposes, and things like chicken and cheese are perfect for this (in very small pieces, about the size of a pea). There's no issue with giving your dog these on top of kibble, as long as you make appropriate adjustments in quantity, so your dog doesn't get fat. Frozen kongs are great, and it varies from dog to dog what their favourite fillings are. There's a whole thread on the subject here: http://www.thelabradorforum.com/index.php?topic=5200.0 My two like sardines and cheese, tuna and cheese, banana and peanut butter. Hope that helps!
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Hi and welcome to the forum Harley is my first ever dog and she is now 16 months old. It is amazing watching them grow....I wish I got a dog years ago. Harley is on kibble and wet food combined. She is wheat intollerant so it took ages to find a kibble she could eat. Her favourite kong filling is probably tuna and natural yoghurt or banana and natural yoghurt. There are so many things you can use, just make sure you adjust their meals accordingly. High value treats are a must when training. We use venison sausage, chicken, cheese or duck breasts mainly. Have you looked at any litters yet?
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Hi Sally Your pup is certainly going to have a well informed 'mum'. When Molly came to us it was decided that she would be fed ONLY on kibble. My husband thought this was absolutely the best plan, after all the people who produced kibble were dog nutrition experts and we weren't. He was the first to crack Molly is fed primarily on kibble, but has the the odd extra. I am lucky, she seems to be a dog with a cast iron stomach, though some, like Naya spend months finding the right food. Labs can be awful scavengers, so in all probability yours will 'self cater' on all sort of things you think they shouldn't eat. Molly is a demon for the rotting, maggoty windfall apples you find in hedgerows
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Thanks for all the advice... the kong thread is very informative! Who knew! Snowbunny thanks for tip on pea size treats, as I did wonder what size would be appropriate. I guess it's best at the start to weigh everything out, kibbles and treats, for the day to prevent too much weight gain until it becomes automatic. Is it ok then to use yoghurt even though it's not advised to give them milk? I'm going up to see the litter on Saturday... have been sent photos and a video and can't wait to meet them. Do you have any tips on choosing a 'good' puppy? The litter is of 10 gorgeous pups! Have seen a few vids on youtube but any advice appreciated, or links to other threads... There's so much to think about, it's a bit of minefield!
Re: Kibbles and treats?! The main issue with milk, I believe, is the lactose, which gives most dogs runny bellies. Cheese and yoghurt have far less lactose so are OK in moderation. Of course, make sure you're going for good quality, no added sugar or sweeteners. Full-fat natural yoghurt with live bacteria is great. I don't bother weighing anything, because I feed a mixture of foods (kibble breakfast and dinner, with a raw egg (including shell) added a couple of times a week, raw meat for lunch and a variety of treats throughout the day). It would be far too complicated! So, when I first got the puppy, I looked at the manufacturer's recommendations for the amount, measured that out so I knew what it looked like - minus a bit, because they tend to be over-generous on portion sizes. That helped me to judge roughly how much they should be getting. I then simply keep an eye on their body shape and poo! The poo is a good indicator because, if you over-feed, it tends to start out OK but end a bit runny. Then you know you overdid it a bit! Also, make sure they keep a good proportionate shape, although that can be tricky as the puppy goes through growth spurts, as its body shape is always changing, but keeping it on the slimmer side is good advice. As for choosing your puppy, you may find that one chooses you! Other than that, just have a good play with them and see how they interact with each other. When we were choosing, we looked for a puppy that was full of beans, but not too much of a troublemaker. Some people have said their personalities change a lot as they grow up. This is true in the case of two of them that we know of; Shadow is a lot more laid back than he was at 6 weeks and Bertie, who was mischief, has also settled down. However, two of the three main terrors (Mikey and Dottie - now Annie) are still real handfuls, and little Tilly, who was always a quieter one, is still a proper lady. Our little Willow is a bit Jekyll and Hyde; she's a complete duchess most of the time, but can be a lovely little terror, too, when the mood strikes. So, I guess my point is, choose one that you think has a temperament you would like in a fully-grown dog. If one doesn't choose you first Can you share the youtube links so we can all look at some beautiful puppies?
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Welcome to you! Exciting times ahead! I mostly use kibble out of their allowance for training - so they don't gain weight. It works well. I use soaked and frozen kibble in their Kongs - they love it We also use filled bones (take out the filling as it's fatty yuk - and replace with soaked kibble then freeze - a great treat for them) I use dried sprats for special treats and recall.
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Thanks again snowbunny, it's so great to be able to get advice on this site! The video I was sent was just a file so not on youtube and have no idea how to transfer it... im not too technosavvy! I'm very excited to meet the pups and I suppose ideally I'd need a calm but energetic dog... I'm a gardener so it will be with me outdoors most days (once trained and vaccinated!) and as I live in the sticks we can go for good long walks. I'll have to wait and see what they're like! Will keep you updated... Boogie thanks for post, sprats are a good idea!
Re: Kibbles and treats?! My Tatze was the last bitch so I didn't get a choice. Gypsy is a Guide Dog puppy so I didn't get a choice. They are totally different but both adorable. Whatever you choose s/he will be great fun. Get prepared for the crocapup stage!! 99% of them go through it! .
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Welcome to the Forum,it's great you've found Pippa's site in the run up to your puppy's arrival,there is a lot of helpful accurate information. I have a dog that has always had a sensitive tum and has been kibble fed,for training rewards he could tolerate steamed and de skinned roast chicken,sardines and some Fish4Dogs products.,I used all of these to fill his kongs too. ...we've recently had some ear problems and are doing a food trial on a certain kibble...he is doing just fine on dry food only,even for training but that might be because he is older now.... I definately think I would have failed at Total Recall training if I hadn't have had something more enticing than kibble ;D Best wishes Angela
Re: Kibbles and treats?! A warm welcome to you Sally from us, Hattie 7 years and our rescue boy Charlie 4 years. I use kibble from their meals for training and for high value dried sprats, chicken etc. for more difficult things. Enjoy the forum xx Helen xx
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Thanks everyone! I hope it doesn't matter that the pup is a lab x collie, as i know this is a lab site? The mum is a lovely golden lab who i've known for years. Getting a bit too excited! Happy new year to you and your dogs! Sally
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Hi Sally and welcome from me and my girl Lilly. Have you seen Pippa's new Happy Puppy Site yet? I am on my phone so can't post the link but looked to be packed with good info for new puppy owners. This forum is a really good support. Since your pup is not all lab we will NEED a picture to approve you He he.... Have a fab time with all those puppies jac
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Hi Sally My boyfriend and I have Inca who will shortly be 5 months old. We feed her entirely on a puppy kibble which seems to suit her and she looks really good on it. I use kibble as basic treats and then I also take out small bits of cheese or sardines as high value treats if she does something particularly good. She will do anything for a bit of sardine!
Re: Kibbles and treats?! Thanks everyone. Unfortunately I can't post any pics as on the very day I went to select the puppy, my boss retracted what he said about me being able to have a dog at work with me. I'm a gardener and he had said it was fine before, but not now, as one of his tenants has three dogs who she lets run riot and he doesn't want another one. I would never let my dog run riot! I live onsite and could pop back to my house to see the dog but I still think it's unfair to expect a pup to look after itself for hours, especially a bright lab x collie, so I am no longer getting a dog. I'm heartbroken! So give all your pups a lovely squeeze from me! Sally
