stuffing from toys...

[Mommy2Molly]

I have a question about the shredding thing ...
Can't this be dangerous?
I walked in the livingroom this morning and saw stuffing for the first time. Molly is 4 months and till now has never ripped up her toys. Now I'm worried that she will swallow this and hurt herself really bad. I know this is normal puppy behavoir but I just love my little girl so much that I worry.

Molly is a lucky girl and because of everyone's schedule she never has to be alone except for every now and then if we have a family outting where she can't come with us.(refuse to let that happen often) But should I take up all her toys when this happens so she doesn't get choked with us not being there? I'm confused as to what to do because her best friend in the world now is a 20" floppy teddy bear and I'm affraid now that she'll soon discover that Baby Bear is stuffed as well. But at that same time I don't want her to feel lonely or alone. Please help!

[Lisa]

When you are not with her, I would take the stuffed toys away. Shredding is fun, and works their need for ripping and tearing prey apart. However, a large consumption of stuffy material could lead to a blockage in the intestine.

You could leave more durable toys like a kong stuffed with treats, nylabone etc. when you are not home (but not rawhide or other bone type things that might be a chocking hazard). But I would randomly stuff them even when you are home, so she knows that when she sees the kong you are not going to be leaving her (my mistake!).

:welcome2: to the DLC!

[Helen]

Charlie has two toys - a rope bone, and a nylabone. He's not allowed anything else because he's a super destruction machine. :)

Eating stuffing can lead to serious problems, including bowel obstruction. I would pick up the stuffies while you're not there to supervise, for her safety and to ease your mind. You could leave a stuffed, frozen Kong for her to work on while you're gone.

[Mommy2Molly]

Ummmm....

Sorry but I'm a new mommy so i ask....what's a Kong?

[Lisa]

OOOH, Kongs are GREAT!! Here is the link (http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html), they have a bunch of different products. But the basic red kong (or baby one) is fantastic. I am not sure if anyone here uses the stuffing. I just use peanut butter, plain yogurt (if freezing), and kibble. Just remember if you are giving her a kong to take that amount out of her food portion or you might over feed her.

[Helen]

Here's a picture of some. You can easily find them at Petco, Petsmart, etc. You stuff treats in them and the dogs have to work to get them out. If you do a search for "kong recipes" on the board, you'll find great ideas for what to stuff in them.

http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/standard/June05/50525_47fc5.jpg


Edit: Lisa, you beat me again!!

[Lisa]

LOL, sorry Helen, but you did give her outstanding answers :D

[Tex]

Ummmm....

Sorry but I'm a new mommy so i ask....what's a Kong?
You don't ever have to be sorry about asking a question!!! We were all there at one point too!!! I agree with the wonderful answers you've gotten so far......my two don't de-stuff toys very often, but that's when they go to stuffie heaven and we get to go shopping for new toys!!!!!!:welcome2: to the DLC!!!!!!!!!

[Jen]

Yes, the only stupid questions are the ones that are not asked!! Never be afraid to ask.

I use a slice of hot dog (organic, nitrate free) in Tasha's kong. Course she won't eat (and we don't think she drinks) when we're out, so she has to have it before we go, then she settles down to sleep.

[Teddysmom]

I do have a de-stuffer for my "fur-baby" so when we have to leave the house i put away all the stuffed toys and only leave out the nylabone, the rubber balls, his knot-ball and his treat ball for him to have; that way I know he can't shred anything and ingest the stuffing and cause himself any harm. Any stuffed toy bought specifically for him is pretty much history once we get it home and pull the tags off it. I've got a 4 year old shredding machine! By the way, I also run an in home day care and as weird as it sounds, he knows which toys are his and which ones are for the kids. He has never touched any of the day-care stuffed animals - but we even pick those up, just in case. You can never be to protective of the little ones. Better safe than sorry!

[oceangirls]

Hi Molly's mommy - I responded to your question in the Bobo thread too... my girls have eaten a lot of stuffing with no problems, but I certainly don't encourage it and like people said, it (and especially the squeakers) can cause problems if ingested. I don't leave stuffed toys in the crate when we aren't home - I have left big Nylabones (the Durable ones) but they rarely chew them when we are gone (they mostly sleep).

Kongs are great; I do use the Kong stuffing - just a small amount to hold the biscuits in there and give them something to lick - but natural peanut butter would be as good or better. The Kong stuffing is just easy because it comes in a squirt can :)

[Patt]

Lots of good advice given! Trixie doesn't care for toys so she gets a stuffed Kong when we go out for errands. You can find recipes under "Tips and Advice" in the link Lisa posted. I use Kong Trail Mix & Kong PB. Just remember if you put kibble etc you must deduct from her daily ration so she doesn't gain extra weight. :) :goodluck: and keep us posted.

[Mama S.]

Another thing you might look into - Nylabone puppy teething keys. THey look like a giant set of plastic keys red, yellow, blue but are Nylabone. I buy the giant sized ones as I have VERY agressive chewers. They ADORE their keys!! Takes forever for them to wear them down!!
SAndi