Bones / first few days with pup

[Mollywobbles]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

Hey

Our puppy has arrived!

She's 14 weeks and has been used to chewing beef bones alongside her meals of puppy biscuits. I have raw food from Bella and Duke arriving on Thursday to start switching her onto.
I have a bone in the fridge, from the butchers, but (daft question alert!) I don't know when to give it to her?! At night? Not at night? In her crate? In the garden?

Any other top tips for the first few days?

Thanks

 

[excuseme]

Mine always have their bones at bedtime, that's if they are a hard recreational type, and they keep them all night.
Softer bones such as chicken, are very edible and given as a feed, this can be given at any mealtime that you can be around and observe how she is managing.
Tips;
She will probably eat better anyway, if you sit with her at her meal times until she has learnt to eat confidently by herself. Use a flat dish and one that does not make a lot of noise, (something plastic.)
Your puppy will have to learn to eat by herself as she will have no siblings to compete with. It sometimes helps if you use a fork to move the food around on her plate to keep her interested. Stay in the same room with her untill she has finished and has become a confident feeder, if you walk away she may want to follow you.
Raw meat is easy to change over to, my last puppy that we bought took only two days and no tummy problems.
Enjoy your puppy

 

[JudyN]

She will probably eat better anyway, if you sit with her at her meal times until she has learnt to eat confidently by herself.

Do be on the lookout for any signs of anxiety, though, in case she's a guarder. Some dogs are more comfortable eating if they are left in peace, even at that age.

 

[JudyN]

And I nearly forgot to say - congratulations!

 

[pongo111]

i didn't think you were supposed to give bones to puppies, or was i misinformed? something to do with splintering of the bone?

is she a chewer? milk cartons/plastic bottles work a treat.

enjoy your puppy

 

[excuseme]

Misinformed!
All raw bones are fine and good to introduce as young as you like, but NEVER cooked!. Some puppies will start investigating raw bones as early as 4 weeks if they are offered, and by the time they are ready to leave home at 8 weeks they are very capable and able to manage most chicken bones and enjoy the challenges that other bones provide too.
Raw bones are very nutritious, supplying good quality calcium, good for dental health and oral hygene for all ages.

 

[pongo111]

Thanks exscuseme! my puppy would love a real bone i'm sure.

 

[excuseme]

Happy days!