Sausages???

[IcyMist]

Okay I know this may sound stupid, but I really want to know. I purchased a packages of those minature sausages that people use for appetizers as treats for Penny when I am trying to teach her something special. She loves the things but even though they are only about 2 inches long, I cut them into 4 pieces because I don't want to fill her up on the things. She is sooo cute when she sees the sausage pieces. She immediately starts sitting, then laying down, then sitting, then laying down, then barking because she is becoming frustraited because I haven't said a word yet. I will typically tell her to do the opposite of what she is presently doing, if I can get it out before she changes to her other skill.

Now to my question. How long do those things last in the frig? I mean how long can you safely give them to a dog? I guess I could put them in smaller packages and then in the freezer but still would like to know if anyone knows how long it is safe to give as treats when they have been in frig.

[BratBoxers]

The package has an ex date or it should iw ould not feed after that date unless you freeze them, i would say 1 week after its open. Im not to sure but i dont think sausages should be feed to a dog they can cause bloat i guess it might just be certain kinds of sausage

[IcyMist]

Hmmm Penny seems to be able to handle the sausages. They really are weenies and not sausages. I think I am going to take your advice and vacuum pack them in small packages so that I can take out a few at a time. If anyone else thinks that these are bad for Penny, please let me know. I don't want to give her anything that could cause her problems. I know how bad it can be for humans who get gas, so would hate to be the cause of her suffering. (I guess you can put gas and bloat in same category?)

[Deb's Tiny Dogs]

I think if you use them sparingly, you're o.k. If they work for training, that's good. I'm sure they're very high in fat (just like regular hot dogs) so cut them up very small. If you find you're using a lot of them, cut them even smaller or switch to a commercial dog training treat - maybe one that is low in fat.

There are a lot of dogs that have been trained on weiners!

[Meisti]

I think you're okay feeding them to her - in moderation, of course. The experation date should be on the package but if you freeze them, they will last a lot longer. If in doubt, smell them and touch them. Spoiled sausage will reek quite a bit and will have a soapy, oily feel when you hold them.

I also think that cutting them up is a good idea. I used to feed max Hot Dogs - whole - and he would simply swallow them without chewing. Once, he threw up because he was too ravenous and the sausage came out without even a scratch - that taught me!

[barnjess]

First fead whats in them, if you are happy with the ingredents then feed them as treats only and always treat any foods that you give you dog the same way as you would treat foods that you are going to eat

[IcyMist]

I was concerned about Penny's weight because she is on the thin side but today when I took her to the vet he told me that even though she is a little thin, she is healthy and he would rather see her a little thin than fat. He also said that he doubts a few of them (I typically only use 2-3 cut in fourths in a day) will make her fat.

[barnjess]

Originally Posted by IcyMist

I was concerned about Penny's weight because she is on the thin side but today when I took her to the vet he told me that even though she is a little thin, she is healthy and he would rather see her a little thin than fat. He also said that he doubts a few of them (I typically only use 2-3 cut in fourths in a day) will make her fat.

Sure you want her just under or just right not over, it has so mant more health risks

[Moo]

Tolerance will vary from dog to dog. Certain sausages have a lot of spices and sugars in them, and will plainly not agree wuth your dog.

But given that yoy haven't seen any digestion problems thus far, and that you take a respectable amount from her meal to compensate for hte extra calories, it should be fine.

Don't your cocktail weiners have an expiry date printed on them somewhere?