[Ilaubuas]

Ok, so, against my wishes, I need to start kenneling both dogs in about 3/4 weeks when I am at work/go out somewhere. I don't love the idea but I can see why it's a good idea, especially for Serenity.

Since they'll finally be separated, I want to allow them to entertain themselves while in the kennels.

I know I can give them kongs, Nylabones, I was thinking about a bone but now I'm worried about them choking. I know I can get a coke bottle, poke holes in it and them put treats in it but I am worried the dogs will just chew that to get to the treats so I have to test it out.

Do you have any other suggestions? What do you do with your dogs to entertain themselves? It doesn't matter if the dogs on a chain, in a kennel or crate, I'm all ears.

Besides the above,

The lady I'm working with in regards to Serenity suggested I work/tire out the dogs before bed. I decided to do training, nose work and hide treats under a towel for them to get out. What are some other good mental games? At the moment Serenity can't play fetch/tug otherwise I'd be doing that as well.

Thanks.

[Qesomud]

Kongs hand down are awesome for keeping a dog busy while in a kennel. I use to ration out Snow's feed in three different kongs with some a few treats and maybe a doggie cookie in one. Freeze it over night and then give it to her before i left. There are also some dispensable toys that work well too to keep your dogs busy. I'll look up some i've used with snow and that have lasted against her. Also toys like ropes and stuff-less animals without squeakers in them are awesome.

[Ilaubuas]

Thanks you!

Did you give her three separate kongs or just one and gave her a kong with different stuff in it everyday?

I can leave a rope toy/stuffed toy in the kennel but the stuffed toy probably will get chewed. The rope toy, just leave it laying around on the ground or tie it to something?

[Ilaubuas]

A, I got confused about the kong thing, I mis-read it! Woops! Ok, I understand the whole kong thing.

Please let me know about the toy dispensing toys you use or could recommend!

[Qesomud]

One kong different day LOL. All the treats and food with the fillers is a lot of calories for multiple kongs. Also you can slipt the food between kongs and dispenser toys.

---------- Post added at 04:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

for daily feeding. LOL Sorry I had to add that. I forgot I wasn't specific.

[Qvqnubpj]

I put wet food in Amy's kong and freeze it. She doesn't really need anything else - she just sleeps all day when I'm gone. Hell, she sleeps all day when I'm here. The kong just gets her through the hump when I first leave.

[Qesomud]

I don't like using wet food. LOL. Its not good on their teeth.

[Qvqnubpj]

I don't like using wet food. LOL. Its not good on their teeth.

?

They lick it out of the kong. It's not meant for crunching.

[Qesomud]

Kibble and raw with bones are better because they clean the dogs theeth. Unless u brush ur dogs teeth you self or give dental treats; id rather keep from wet food imo. Even adding a cookie is better then giving straight wet food.

I be on the phone.

[Dyslermergerb]

I've used raw ground hamburger or raw ground turkey in kongs, put in the freezer for at least 12 hours (just to be sure its frozen solid) and my dogs love that.

I've also used rice and hamburger, cooked, canned food, peanut butter, water and kibble, and when I fed raw, I'd put the veggie glop in there and the dogs were really crazy about that.

All frozen, of course.

[Ilaubuas]

Thanks for the reply's so far!

I like the few suggestions you told me Libby. It'll be good to mix the food up. Thanks. I really need to buy some peanut butter. I find you using water quite interesting. What made you use water at times? What's veggie glop?

Also, anyone have suggestions for more mental exercises?

Thanks!

[Dyslermergerb]

Mostly the water and kibble mix was for Gypsy. She plowed through Kongs, frozen or not, so putting just plain kibble and water was kind of a healthier thing. I would just plug the ends up with a small bit of canned food, peanut butter, or hamburger and viola!

"Veggie glop" is what I called the veggie and vitamin/supplement mixture I used to make for the dogs when they were on straight raw diets. Basically any veggies, sardines, vitamines, eggs, egg shells, flax seed meal, ect. ect. blended all up in a food processor.

[RarensussyRen]

Frozen canned food in a kong isn't going to ruin their teeth. No worse than eating kibble everyday IMO. Canned food gets a bad wrap but IMO canned food is often much better than kibble. It has more moisture at least. With cats a pure canned diet is actually better for them (after homemade raw) over kibble and their teeth hold up just fine.

I use yogurt. I put some paper towel to stuff the small hole at the top, turn it upside down and fill it up with yogurt. Dog version of a popcicle!

But I think over any contraption you come up with to keep them occupied, working on them actually relaxing and being quiet during crate time is more important. Sure it's nice to have a frozen treat while your in there, but ultimately, if they're high strung and aren't relaxed in the crate a frozen pop cicle isn't going to keep them quiet the whole time. Teaching them how to stay calm and relaxed and building up duration will be better long term.

[Qesomud]

Wet food is bad for the dogs teeth if thats all you give them. You need to either clean your dogs teeth yourself OI'm not saying Don't feed your don't wet food. But making it the soul thing you feed them is bad. Mixing kibble and wet for a Kong is also a good Idea.

[Boveosteors]

I just throw a bone in the crate (or the room) the dog is in when I separate everyone before I leave. All they're going to do is sleep anyways. I must be a douche bag.

[Qzmsdoem]

I just throw a bone in the crate (or the room) the dog is in when I separate everyone before I leave. All they're going to do is sleep anyways. I must be a douche bag.

My dogs each get a cow hoof and a wubba. No fancy bells or whistles either.

[Sertvfdnhgjk]

My dogs only get Nylabones... sometimes nothing.. depends

[Peter Hill]

I just throw a bone in the crate (or the room) the dog is in when I separate everyone before I leave. All they're going to do is sleep anyways. I must be a douche bag.

I'm a bigger douche... My dog is lucky if I throw his antler in the room for him when I leave. Usually I'll put it up so he can't have it and he'll still sleep all day.

[Qvqnubpj]

I leave Amy a copy of Anna Karenina and tell her to write me an essay on a particular subject and how it relates to her life. If I don't like her essay, she doesn't get to go outside to play.

[Boveosteors]

I'm a bigger douche... My dog is lucky if I throw his antler in the room for him when I leave. Usually I'll put it up so he can't have it and he'll still sleep all day.

Well, normally I don't remember to put a bone in. But it's pretty much agiven that there's a bone in every room and crate in the house.