Introducing Your Dog To A Kong
Before giving your dog a Kong, make sure he has been fed and has had his exercise.
You may also want to get acquainted with your dog so you know what to expect from him.
Make sure to use positive reinforcement whenever possible.
When introducing a new object or animal into your home, you may want to do this in an open area where people can watch you interact with your dog.
You can introduce your dog to the Kong by putting the Kong on the floor near him.
Place the Kong close enough so he can reach it easily but not so close that he knocks it over.
Have him sniff the Kong to determine if he wants to play with it.
If he does, hold the Kong out to him and let him take it.
Keep in mind that if he takes the Kong without any encouragement, you might have to put it back down again later.
After a few days, try placing the Kong on the floor while your dog is watching you.
Then, after he looks at it and seems interested, offer it to him.
If he accepts the Kong, reward him with praise, petting, or treats.
The next step is to place the Kong on the floor and leave it there for a few minutes.
This way, your dog will see that it remains stationary and won’t knock it over.
As long as he doesn’t touch it, he can pick up the Kong and play with it.
Eventually, you will be able to remove the Kong and allow your dog to continue playing with it himself.
However, you should always supervise your dog around the Kong until he gets the hang of it.
How Often Should You Give Your Dog A Kong
If your dog has an active lifestyle, such as running around in the yard or jumping up on people, then you may not need to give him a Kong very frequently.
For example, if your dog enjoys chasing squirrels, you might want to wait until after breakfast and dinner before giving him his Kong.
This gives him something else to do while you eat and keeps him from begging too much at mealtime.
If your dog isn’t very active, however, then you might want to give him a Kong every day.
If this is the case, try giving him his Kong first thing in the morning so he can play with it all day long.
If he plays with the Kong all morning, then you won’t have to worry about him becoming bored during the rest of the day.
You should also consider giving your dog a Kong more often if he likes to chew things.
Chewing items is a natural behavior for puppies, but older dogs can get into trouble if they chew on inappropriate objects like shoes, electrical cords, and furniture.
So, if your dog chews on anything other than toys, you might want to give him his Kong more often.
Another factor to take into account is whether your dog is a good or bad digger.
Dogs who are good diggers will destroy their Kongs quickly, and you will need to replace them more frequently.
On the other hand, dogs who aren’t good diggers will hold onto their Kongs for a long time, so you will only need to replace them once in awhile.
You will know if your dog is a good digger by watching him closely.
When he starts digging into the ground, you can see where he is trying to reach.
If you find that he is pulling out dirt, you can assume that he is a good digger.
But if he pulls out sticks and leaves instead, you probably don’t want to give him a Kong very often.
Young puppies shouldn’t be given Kongs more than once per week because they still have sharp teeth and could accidentally hurt themselves on the toy.
Older dogs, on the other hand, can handle a Kong more frequently.
As dogs age, they lose their ability to smell and hear well.
This makes them less aware of their surroundings, so they are more likely to run away from loud noises and objects that might scare them.
By giving your dog a Kong more often, you can help him to stay safer and more comfortable.
How many Kongs can a puppy have?
Once you decide which Kong to use, get 2-3 of them. They will be in steady rotation, especially for puppies, and you’ll never be unprepared.
Most DANGEROUS Dog Toy?! How you SHOULD NEVER use a kong, seriously!
As long as you monitor the calorie intake, I don’t think you need to worry about how many kongs you feed a day. Our 6mo Golden Retriever puppy gets 1 to 2 Kongs daily while we’re at work and he’s in his crate. This helped tremendously with his crate training and he actually gets excited to go in it.