We've mentioned in prior posts that we are a fan of the Kong for training and occupying puppies; however, we've also found that people can be confused about what to do with the Kong and exactly how to get a puppy interested in playing with it. We also know there are a lot of products available at pet stores to stuff Kongs but they aren't necessarily healthy options or good for young puppies. Here are a few basic ideas and recipes to get you started on Kong stuffing and to give you the confidence to start creating your own recipes and strategies. 

BASIC TIPS: 

• Start with simply using your dogs own food in the Kong. Offer the Kong BEFORE any meal when the dog is hungry and willing to work to get his/her food out. This helps the puppy understand the general concept. If you feed a soft food, consider using a high grade kibble for this initial project.
• Once your puppy understands the basic concept of working to get his/her food from the Kong, increase difficulty by placing an edible plug in the hole for them to work out before getting the food. Based on the size of your Kong, you might consider a blueberry, a little peanut butter, a piece of cheese or even a moldable treat such as Little Jacks Dog Training Treats .
• Your puppy will quickly master the basics of a Kong at which time you can get more creative. Keep your dog's interest with the following: 
  • Layer the Kong with some kibble, a treat, soft food and a plug such as peanut butter.
  • Consider freezing the Kong to force your dog to work even harder at releasing the food. If your dog seems frustrated, try packing it with loose kibble and using a freezable plug (see recipes below). 
  • Put your dog's favorite treat at the bottom of the Kong to get them working to release it. 
  • Look at your leftovers and see if they might make a delicious stuffed Kong for tomorrow!

SHOPPING LIST: You don't need all of these items but will want a combination of dry goods and "mashable" healthy foods to layer your Kong:

1. KONG - A Kong based on your dog's size and age. For new puppies we recommend the Kong Puppy Binkie as they are smaller and softer for puppy teeth. For grown Cavaliers, Cavachons or Cavapoos, we recommend a standard Small Kong for dogs up to 20lbs and a Medium Kong for dogs above 20 lbs. or for those wanting to use this as meal replacement. 
2. KIBBLE - If you feed raw, home cooked or a fresh delivery food such as Ollie, you may want to get some high quality kibble for your Kong. We recommend choosing kibble for your puppy or dog from this posts on nutrition. 
3. HEALTHY FOOD - Natural peanut butter (look for low sugar and avoid any with sugar replacements which can be dangerous for dogs), non-processed cheese, bananas, blueberries, eggs, bone broth and plain yogurt (Greek is best) are all good choices but any food that's approved for dogs will work. 
4. SOFT FOOD - It's also good to have some soft food on hand when you're ready to make the Kong more of a challenge. You can again refer to Dog Food Advisor, make your own pup loaf or consider a home delivery food such as Ollie. Other options are pumpkin and mashed sweet potatoes. 

RECIPES: 

1. Beginner - Plug bottom hole of Kong if needed. Fill with dry kibble. Plug top with small spoonful of any of the following: yogurt mixed with peanut butter, mashed sweet potato, mashed banana or a couple of small blueberries. Freeze to increase challenge or removing plug. 
2. Intermediate / Advanced - Plug bottom hole of Kong if needed. Combine with any of the following: 
   1. Shredded carrots and/or zucchini. Mix with mashed sweet potato. Top with peanut butter or peanut butter mixed with yogurt. Freeze to increase challenge. 
   2. Place 1-2 favorite treats in the bottom of Kong. Top with mixed dry and wet kibble. Plug with mashed banana or peanut butter. Freeze to increase challenge. 
   3. Mix yogurt with fresh fruit such as strawberry or blueberries. Fill bottom and edges of Kong. Fill remaining space with kibble. Roll to stick kibble. Freeze to increase challenge. 
   4. Place shredded chicken or turkey in bottom of Kong, top with pumpkin (not pie filling) and plug with a soft treat. To increase challenge, mix pumpkin with meat and freeze. 
   5. Firmly plug bottom of Kong. Fill with kibble and bone broth. Freeze. Raw goat milk is another liquid option. 

These are just a few ideas to help you understand the progression of Kong stuffing and how it can occupy your puppy. Don't be afraid to experiment with different recipes to find a few favorites that your dog will love. Just be aware of the added calories and sugar and consider stuffed Kong when making sure your dog gets a balanced diet. 

​Does your dog have a favorite Kong recipe? We'd love for you to share it here!

Occupying your puppy is a key element to training success. It makes crate training easier, it helps to reduce destructive behaviors like chewing shoes and furniture, it reduces teething pain and it allows for distraction when nipping or barking. In order to effectively train a puppy, it's best to have a full arsenal of tools on hand and to rotate them to prevent boredom. While this may seem like a long list, it will take trial and error to really figure out what will work for your puppy. And remember, any items your puppy doesn't use or enjoy can be dropped off at your local animal shelter for less fortunate dogs who would LOVE something new! Below is our list of items we have on hand and what we use them for: 

CRATE TRAINING - One key to crate training is to make the crate or pen somewhere your puppy wants to go, Not only should it be a safe place, but it should also have some stimulation to reduce boredom, barking and whining. One easy way to make that happen is to feed your puppy in the crate and to also provide stimulating rewards. For crate training, look for items that last a while and don't require supervision. Items that could cause choking should be avoided - and never use rawhide. Here are our top picks (click on each to go directly to Amazon): 

• STUFFED KONG - Our favorite crate entertainment is a Kong. Although occasionally messy, we prefer to stuff them with various edible items in an effort to force the puppy to both work for his/her food as well as entertain themselves in the crate. The size Kong you choose will be based on the size puppy but for Cavaliers, Cavachons & Cavapoos, you should always start with the puppy size small and only move up in size once your puppy has mastered them. Our favorite puppy Kongs are the Kong Basic Puppy, Kong Puppy Tire, and the Kong Puppy Binkie. Again, all of these can be stuffed. We will post some of our favorite Kong stuffing recipes in a future post. 
• WEST PAW TOYS - Two of our favorite toys are from West Paw. The first, which we love for crates, is Qwizl. For crate, stuff it with a carrot stick, kibble, apple slices or even a bully stick. While we normally wouldn't suggest a bully stick in the crate when unsupervised, the Qwizl reduces the chances of a small portion of the bully stick causing a choking hazard and extends the life of the bully stick. The other, Toppl, is described below. 
• NYLABONE - There are a variety of Nylabone products. For small breed puppies it's important to purchase the softer puppy version. We like this puppy variety pack because it allows you to figure out what style and flavor your puppy prefers. Please note that one of these is edible and we only use that bone in supervised situations. 
• LICK MATS - A recently new toy, a lick mat is designed to sooth dogs who like to lick and to act as a puzzle for dogs to get the food. Some of our dogs LOVE these and others are barely interested. For crate training we've found it best to freeze them and to look for healthier foods to spread on them as a tummy full of sugary peanut butter is not a great choice for a puppy in a crate as tummy issues could result. We will offer some lick mat recipes in the Kong stuffing post. We do not leave these in the crate when we aren't home as we have heard that some dogs attempt to tear up or eat the actual toy (although our dogs have never tried that). 

GENERAL CHEWING - Dogs chew for multiple reasons including boredom and teething. Getting to the bottom of why your dog is chewing might help you choose the correct toy or product. Also, if your dog is simply bored, the best solution is always increasing exercise and mental stimulation through training.  Below are some of our favorite solutions for teething and mental stimulation: ​

• YAK CHEWS - These natural chews (actually a hard cheese) are relatively new to the dog chew world. If you are lucky enough to have a puppy who enjoys these a single chew can often keep them busy for days and days. They are fully digestible, don't stink and won't stain carpet. You do, however, need to supervise your puppy with them and remove them when they become too small. But don't worry, once the chew is small and presents a choking hazard, you can actually soak them in water for a few hours, microwave them for a minute or until it puffs up. After it cools completely you can give it to the dog as it becomes an edible biscuit. 
• BULLY STICKS - Our dogs and puppies love bully sticks. You should always supervise your puppy when providing bully sticks but this brand is guaranteed to be a favorite. Our dogs often ignore other sticks but these usually generate a fight so have one available for every dog in the house. In order to extend the life of bully sticks and reduce choking hazard, some people use stick holders. We've not found them necessary as we simply remove the small pieces once enjoyed. 
• TUG-A-JUG - While this won't help with teething, it will help with stimulation and boredom. Once the puppies are about 4 months old and have watched an older dog get food from the jug, they will entertain themselves for hours to get a few treats. If you don't have another dog, simply help your puppy get a few treats out. I recommend using small kibble or treats to begin as it's easier to get out for beginners. 
• ​TOPPL - This is the 2nd product from West Paw toys that we love. We enjoy using it as a food treat and later as a puzzle. Purchase the small for a puppy and then if your puppy enjoys it, you can purchase a large and create a treat puzzle for an older dog. Their Amazon page has some great examples of how to use this toy!
• EARTH ANIMAL NO HIDES - We discovered this healthy digestible rawhide alternative in our local pet store and our dogs LOVE them. We use two sizes - the single stick for a quick treat or the 4" size for longer chewing. Unfortunately, these are pretty expensive locally so we searched Amazon and now buy in bulk. Buy in bulk when you can get the single sticks for less than $1 per stick and the 4" chews for less than $5 each. This post will always be updated with the best priced bulk option for our two favorite flavors (salmon and chicken). The other flavors, peanut butter, beef and venison are also great but we use peanut butter for so many other treats (such as Kong stuffing and lick mats) and we've found the beef has the possibility to stain carpet and fur. Here are the links: 
  • ​Best bulk for single sticks (chicken)
  • Best bulk for single stick (salmon) (not currently a great price)
  • Best bulk for 4" chews (chicken)
  • Best bulk for 4" chews (salmon) (best bulk price)

​
TRAINING TREATS - Training your puppy is great because it's not only mental stimulation that reduces bad behaviors but it also helps the puppy bond with you. The key to training is high value treats that the dog really wants to earn. That being said you also want to make sure it's okay for their tummies. A lot of dog treats are loaded with bad ingredients and things that can be harmful for your puppy. Try a few of these treats to find one that your puppy really enjoys and when shopping always look for single ingredients, natural ingredients and treats that can be broken in to small pieces for training sessions. Here are a few of our favorites but don't be afraid to also try home cooked treats or pieces of deli meat, ground beef, etc. 

• Sojo's Freeze Dried Meat Treats - Single ingredient treats that are easily broken for smaller puppies. Try a sample pack to decide your dog's favorite. These are our preferred training treat due to size and simplicity of ingredients (and they don't get stale if left open). That being said, we need variety too so the others below are also recommended. 
• Zuke's Mini Natural Dog Treats - A great size, healthy ingredients and they won't break in your pocket or pouch while training. The only negative is they are a little stinky but perhaps that's why our dogs love them so much! We recommend the sample pack of multiple flavors to figure out your puppies favorite. 
• ​Stella & Chewy Treats - This reputable company has several single ingredient treats for you to test on your puppy for training purposes. Our older dogs love the Carnivore Crunch but they may be more difficult to use for training due to their size. 
• Little Jacks Small Dog Training Treats -  Of the treats we offer, these are the least healthy but still better than many commercial treats. That being said, these are perfect to hide pills, offer for potty training, etc. We do not use these when we plan to offer multiple treats. 

​While this blog has focused on puppies, we use every item here for our grown dogs, we simply size up on some of the Kong type toys and don't break the treats in half! Best wishes in occupying your pup . . . 

It's that time of year again when we get a lot of questions regarding what flea, tick and heart-worm medications we recommend. Please note that we are not veterinarians and we do not allow our dogs to spend much time in the grass or woods. They go on long daily walks, but do not regularly lie around in the grass. For that reason, we are lucky that we can go most of the year without any flea or tick preventative at all. That being said, we do have mosquitos and we do use a heart-worm preventative as recommended by our veterinarian.

We also do our best to only treat our dogs with natural products when possible because Cavalier have known sensitivities to strong chemical products. For those that have heard of recent issues with some commonly recommended medications, I would suggest you review the recently published information on the FDA website. We never recommend topical solutions or any Bravecto products for these dogs. Below are the products we use, but again please discuss these with your vet and consider where your pet will spend their time, your local climate, etc. Always ask your vet for the most holistic approach to use as little chemicals on or in your dog as possible. 

1. Diatomaceous Earth - If you have never heard of this product you will be amazed by everything it can do to prevent flea and ticks, as well as internal parasites, in your dog. Please note that you must use FOOD GRADE and should research and understand this product before using it. We suggest this article on Dog's Naturally as a good start. 
2. Wondercide Products - We learned about these products from one of our favorite Cavalier vet, Dr. Judy Morgan. We love their Geranium Shampoo Bar with Citronella for the LowCountry summer shampoo and their Flea, Tick and Mosquito Control Spray for Dogs & Home. We give our dogs a light misting if we're going on an outdoor adventure where we might encounter more pests than normal. This can also be used on your home. If you have a small yard where your pup regularly plays you might also consider their large Yard & Garden Spray which is great for patios and kennels too. Also helps keep mosquitos at bay. 
3. Flea Comb - If your pup was exposed, its wise to have a great flea comb on hand. This one can also assist with cleaning up under the eyes if you are dealing with tear stains. 
4. Prescription Products for Heartworms - If you live in an area with mosquitos, you need a heart-worm preventative. Dr. Judy Morgan, a Cavalier specialist, recommends Interceptor (not plus) as her first choice. This is often not stocked at your veterinarian; however, you can ask them to write a prescription and purchase online at Chewy.com. Please note that most puppies will use the package for 2-10 pounds and most full grown dogs will us the package for 11-25 pounds. You can save up to 30% on these medications by setting up auto-ship on Chewy.com. We do not use this all year long - only those months in which mosquitos are present. It's always wise to confirm your dog is not infected before starting a preventative. In the LowCountry, we use heart-worm preventative from March until October most years.
5. Prescription Products for Fleas and Heartworms - If fleas are also a problem and you are unable to control them with the natural alternatives mentioned above, Dr. Judy Morgan's second choice for prescription products is Sentinel (not Sentinel Spectrum). Sentinel is a monthly oral preventive prescription that guards against heartworms, adult roundworms, adult hookworms, whipworms, and prevents the development of flea eggs  This is the only multipurpose product she recommends and the only oral flea preventative we allow to be given to the dogs that we breed. Again, many veterinarians only carry the stronger multi-purpose products but Sentinel can again be purchased on Chewy with savings on auto-ship. Please use the Brown Box for puppies and dogs up to 10 lbs. and then the Green Box for full grown dogs. If you see any vomiting, depression/lethargy, pruritus, urticaria, diarrhea, anorexia, skin congestion, ataxia, convulsions, hypersalivation, or weakness in your dog after administration of this drug please contact your vet immediately. ​

No matter which product you use, please make sure to give the lowest dose possible. You can watch Dr. Morgan's video on this topic here. Please do everything possible to avoid the stronger chemicals in these dogs as they have known sensitivities.