Kongs for Puppy

[deiota]

Hello!
I'll finally go get my weim to bring home!
I'm considering buying some toys for Gandalf and I have some doubts about it.
He's about 8 weeks. Can he eat coachies and bones (puppy stuff)?
At first, I want to buy some Kong Stuff.
I believe the best choice is Puppy's model right? How big? medium? Large?
Which models are the best? I see a puppy tipical kong, a ball, a tooth stick...
can I fill it with snacks, coachies or paste?
the teething sticks are good? shall I replace the toothbrush or some tooth bones to heat?
How often do I give him treats, kongs with pasta or snacks?
I'll be giving him dry food, pronature eukanuba or something like that.
I want to buy good and lasting toys and treats for Gandalf, if possible, that lasts till he's adult.
thanks a lot!
deiota

[greyghost]

May 21, 2008 11:41:13 GMT 1 deiota said:

I want to buy good and lasting toys and treats for Gandalf, if possible, that lasts till he's adult.
thanks a lot! deiota

Kongs are good and will last but be warned some Weims have been known to demolish even the toughest of them, so always supervise once he gets big enough to do some damage.

Also, the small kongs are great for now but to take through to adulthood could cause a problem for the big mouth that Gandalf will ultimately end up with in that it could get stuck in the throat. So if you want something to last get the bigger sizes.

You are talking about giving him kibble so I presume you are changing his food from that of the breeders. Do this very gradually. The breeder should give you a bag of whatever he has been using.

When you start to introduce treats and things, again very gradually so that his little tummy gets a chance to get used to the change in his diet. Some of the treats are full of rubbish so watch out what you are feeding. Also be careful he doesn't go off his food and want just snacks..... He will probably end up with the runs whilst changing over, if not you have one of the lucky ones

[deiota]

Hello!
Thanks for your reply.
I've got some breeders food and tried to change to mine's (Science Hills) and his poo is soft, kind of diarrea. I've just mixed a few balls to the breeder's...
Can the water be also the cause?
For goodies, only give him a bit of a Eukanuba's biscuit for puppies... And a tooth bone (that he bites for a while and leaves).
About Kongs, what should I fill it inside with? Biscuits? The paste from Kong? Biscuits from Kong brand? I've read all about Yougurt and all.
He's too big, not yet 8 weeks old..
Thanks
Deiota

[greyghost]

The water does change from area to area and some (not many) do get a supply of water from the breeders area. With all the changes going on the pup will be sensitive anyway, stress can also add to the diarrhea. Rather than chop and change you just need to be consistent and stay on the smaller dose of new added food for longer and then a week later swap a little more of the new food in with the old.

I wouldn't have tried to change his food over immediately. It would be best to let him settle and get used to his new life first. But don't go backwards now just stay on what you are giving now (if it is not too much of the new food) until he had got used to it. It could take a couple of weeks of more.

I had so many people telling me what to do when Abbie was a pup and I had to change as she went right off her food when she was about 4 months old. Even though I did it very gradually she got the runs. I kept getting different advice to entice her to eat, so a bit of tuna a bit of this and a bit of that. She just got worse and worse until one day she had the shakes and was very poorly. It took some kaolin to help her out (vets advice).

Anything new you add may give him the runs. Don't be in a hurry to add treats like kong pastes until his tum has settled. (Not sure I would use them anyway, what is in them??? Probably processed rubbish!) I would put a bit of the pups kibble into the bottom of a kong (to stop stuff falling out) and freeze a bit of natural live yoghurt, not much. The probiotics in the yoghurt will help the tum and increase gut flora. Gradually add more yoghurt, start with say a teaspoon. Mine only has about 2/3 table spoons now fully grown.

Later you can try a tiny bit of mashed banana in with the yoghurt and even some honey. Honey is a natural healer too. Don't be in a hurry.

Have you heard of Bach Flower remedies? See here: euroweims.proboards44.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=health&thread=1060&page=1

I would give Walnut which will help your pup get used to its new environment gently. Just add 2 drops straight from the bottle into the pups food and put some in the water too. It is not the quantity you use of this but the frequency, so at least 4 times a day. Rescue Remedy is also a good one to have handy for stressful situations.

How is he sleeping?

[greyghost]

Here are a few ideas for stuffing kongs LATER when he is older and has adjusted to his other new foods: www.companyofanimals.co.uk/kongrecipe.php You can google kong recipes and it comes up with loads.

[deiota]

He sleeps a lot, puppy sleep right? but he runs a lot and plays.. he's not looking sick, anyway, for caution, we'll see the vet today.

[greyghost]

The sleep in natural. Remember to always take out for a pee after eating, playing and sleeping. I am sure you have remembered some of these things from your last dogs but it was a long time ago, for you and me both LOL.

Also, put a name to going to the loo, my breeder used 'get clean' and both my dogs will now do it to order.