Giving a puppy bones to chew - what sort?

[Kingsroadie]

Me again, again, again again - you get the picture! So the pup has lots of nylabones, nylabone keys, a rope toy, other soft toys but isn't overly keen on chewing them for longer than about 20 seconds (if that). I gave him one of those mini rawhide bones with a bit of dried meat twisted in with it and he loved it. However I have since been advised that rawhide should not be given to puppies (or any dog? Am not sure) so I won't be doing that again!

Any one got any suggestions on things their dogs like to chew? (Apart from any of my daughter's toys, our shoes, clothes etc - basically anything he isn't allowed to chew). Can I feed him bones from the butcher? If so, what sort and do they need to be boiled first?

Also - ignorant question - presumably pig and cow ears are rawhide and therefore also to be avoided?

Thank you for the millionth time - the eternally grateful kingsroadie...

Don't know Kings but will hang around to see responses!:)

I would err on the side of caution and not give any bones, but my bil gives his dogs raw chicken bones and swears by it.

My mum once gave my older dog a bone. A bit got stuck in her throat and it cost me £750 to have it removed.

Our pup is the same age as yours OP, he's currently chewing Spiderman!

Thanks Smartypants - Oh god that doesn't sound great! Yes he chews lots of her toys - not quite sure why they are so much better than his - just sod's law I guess - always the way...

Happy - we actually live on here these day - fancy meeting you here..

I have just ordered some stagbars which I vaguely recall someone having recommended - perhaps Slubber?! They sound quite good so I will see if those work any better.

What type of dog is he Kingsroadie?

Ours is a miniature schnauzer. He had his first little walk yesterday where I discovered he's going to be a roller in/eater of cow pats & horse manure - great!

Choc cockapoo. I always get a bit embarrassed about his heritage as I know lots of people think they are either "new-fangled nonsense" or "mongrels" (which they are). He works for us as we wanted a dog who will be able to come rough or driven shooting should we desire him too but we have two indoor cats who moult like MAD all year round and weren't too keen on another high moulting dog. Hoping he might be at least low moulting. But mostly because we liked the characteristics of poodles and love cockers. He has shown himself to be fairly clever already, learning sit on his first afternoon and doing it to command the next day. He has also learnt down, off and stay (btw this may be entirely normal and I am quite possibly being pfb about him! ).

We are still housebound for another just under two weeks. His next set of jabs are tuesday and apparently we should wait another week after that... Hmm bit of a pain re the cow pats and horse manure - one of the advantages of London are that there any many of those to be found! But the country is fab for dogs.

Hi will give all our puppies we breed and sell cow toes they last for ever they cant get little bits of and they love them. When they are a bit bigger they have pig ears and noses but we get the white one which have been treated so they are less likely to give them an upset tummy. We get ours from the dog shows but i have seen them in pet shops etc as well.

We have a 9wk old lab just chewing on iggle piggle, but that'll serve the little bugger right with his boat!

Glad to have a friend on here Kings :)

Happy - mine is chewing on a tombliboo which came with the magazine! They obviously have a penchant for In the Night Garden.

Me too!

Raw bones from the butcher are fine (including raw chicken on the bone) but never, ever feed a cooked bone of any kind. Pig and cow ears are also fine but the smelly smoked kind can result in upset tummies - again, better to give them raw if your butcher will oblige!

None of mine had much interest in the Stagbars but I've heard good things from other people.

Also, dried tripe sticks. Though they do smell like the devil's arsehole.

Thanks Hephaestus - I will go to the butcher tmrw and see if he has any. Can you buy a few and freeze them?

Yes was looking at dried tripe - thanks for warning me them smell like bum. a little off-putting!

My main problem is that I tend to wear a lot of maxi skirts/dresses, which puppy obviously considers fair game as I walk along, often have pup hanging off me :)

Kingsroadie - I love Cockapoos - they're gorgeous.

I also didn't want a moulter and schnauzers don't. We have got an ancient Westie, another non-moulting breed - although she's losing continence .

Happymm - our pup does the same; very partial to a maxi!

Yes you can freeze them, I have a chest freezer full of random animal bits. I just defrost them under the hot tap if I forget to get them out the night before.

You can also feed various things still frozen, great when they are teething, mine liked a frozen lamb's heart to gnaw on.

Me too Happy - I have stopped wearing any long dresses/ skirts since we brought him home as it just made everything very stressful. I miss them though and look forward to wearing them again soon!

Thanks smarty - I love Westies too. Poor thing and poor you - very sad.

A stuffed puppy kong will amuse mine (14 weeks) for about 20 minutes, which isn't bad in my book. I have given her a couple of pigs ears (under supervision) and she hasn't shown any undesirable side effects. Wouldn't do it too often though as they seriously stink and can't be great for them!

Ellan - lucky you! My bloody dog will lick it, get the stuff right at the top and then ignore - so it takes about 2 mins. He hasn't worked out he has to work hard to get stuff out yet (that or he can't be arsed! )

Am with you there Kings. My bubba can't even be arsed to wiggle the kong around to get bits of kibble out-lazy monkey:o

Right, kingsroadie. That's you off my Christmas card list now. There was me thinking our puppies were near soul-mates and then you casually boast drop in that yours can sit and stay and do all sorts of showy-offy things whilst mine just chews shoes, licks toenails and pees everywhere.

Try putting bits of cheese and peanut butter in with the kibble when you stuff the kong, and then putting it in the microwave for a few secs. I also put bits of cooked liver in first so they can smell it and want to get to it! (Yes, I'm nice to my dogs!).

I put cheese in in her first night,but was also left, and was a warm mess the next day, trying to get it out, yuk yuk yuk!

Clam - they are soulmates I promise! Mine can't even be arsed to wiggle the kong either. He can sit but stay is a bit dodgy. Down is getting there. It's only because I need to occupy myself and him otherwise he just dstroys the house... and I think I am lucky that he learnt it quickly. Clicker is used. Pleeeeaaase don't throw me off your christmas card list yet - I need a companion to moan at/with

Ellan - thanks - I have put some puppy kong paste, then some kibble, more paste and then philly. He will get this tmrw if when he wakes before 7!

(hurrying and making note to self to purchase peanut butter tomorrow)!

Oh, and good luck for tonight Kings :)

Maybe I just have a very greedy dog!

Happy? How was it?

We had a good night - he woke at 6:15 - woohoo! BUT I suspect he might have weed in his bed (no noise to tell me though) as he didn't wee first thing and his blanket seemed fairly wet. I used kitchen roll to try and absorb some though and it wasn't coming off yellow so he could just have slobbered everywhere which he sometimes does. I think this is unlikely though as surely he would need a wee after 7 hours without one. So that's a bit crap! Not sure why he is doing it.

On the plus side - I then gave him a stuffed frozen kong as above and I didn't hear from him until just now at 8am! Amazing - I was shattered so went straight back to sleep. I think I need to get to bed earlier than 11:30/12. I used to go to bed at around 10:30 (sometimes 10 if really tired) BP (Before Puppy).

How many meals are people feeding their pups at this age? I have been doing 4 but most people have looked a bit surprised (ones with dogs obv) and said they did 3. (Which might make the pooing slightly less frequent - we are having about 6 a day here)