Leave the Gobbling to the Turkeys

Mom says the sound of a dog vomiting gets a human out of bed faster than any other sound.   One night last week Mom and Dad didn’t get any sleep at all.  I didn’t know my tummy was so full until I was sick four times.

Since I had just had my annual physical and I didn’t have any other signs of being sick, Mom though it was because I had been eating my food too fast. 

She checked with my Vet and sure enough, eating too fast can make air go into your tummy and cause all kinds of problems.

Eating too fast can also make it easier to choke on a piece of kibble or cause bloating which can make you died!

We had to find a way to make it so I didn’t eat so fast.  How could I not eat fast when I am starving all the time.  I suggested extra cookies between meals but Mom wasn't buying it.

Mom looked for other ways.  The best way was to make it harder for me to get so much food in one bite.  She started by putting a toy ball in my bowl.   It was annoying because I had to move it around and couldn’t eat fast.  Dad also forgot to put it in the bowl when he fed me so we needed something else.

If you use the ball in the bowl trick, you want to make sure the ball is big enough so you can’t swallow it!

Some peoples use muffin tins.  They put a little food in each part so you’d have to stop when you went from one little part to the next.

They also make all kinds of “slow feeder” bowls.  Mom bought one kind but the design made the spaces so small, I couldn’t get my muzzle in easily.  DixieLee got one too and she got so frustrated that she tried to paw it over.

When that bowl didn’t work, Mom got a different kind.  This one worked better.  I could get my mouth around the food but had to move from one place to another, which did slow me down about the same as putting putting a ball in my regular dish.

As far as DixieLee was concerned, it was still a stupid bowl and she easily managed to flip this one over.  She said eating off of the floor was much better.

If you are a fast eater, what does your human do to slow you down?

Bon Appetite,

Zeva

P.S  For the bestest pet gift baskets in the universe, check out pawpalsboutique.com

What's for Lunch?

Graphic copyright Priya Nagarajan

Zeva: I have been working for hours and I'm starving!

Mom: Zeva, you had breakfast fifteen minutes ago.

I know but I am part Lab so part of me is always hungry. Just because I know when it's time to eat doesn't mean I won't try to get a snack before it's time. Just like I know when it's time for Mom to leave to go to the gym doesn't mean I will get off of the big bed and go to my crate without her coming to get me.

Dogs are much better time tellers than people are. People have to look at the round thing on the wall to know when it's time to eat or go for our nightly walk. Dogs know time differently than peoples.

Mostly we know how to tell time because our humans give us clues. We know we are going to get breakfast minutes after Dad wakes up. Some times I need to remind him he has to get up and feed us but most of the time he gets up at the right time, just before the music plays. We know it's time to go for our walk because our friend Scout and her Mom start to walk up the street.

Dad is the food giver in our house so some times if he is not home we need to remind Mom that it's time to eat. I know it's time because my tummy is empty. I tell Mom that it's time by making little barks and looking at the round thing on the wall. Mostly she says we have to wait another big minute but at least I know she won't forget to feed us.

Our Mom works at home so she gets to be with us all the time. Lots of humans have to leave their houses and their dogs for long times and they feel bad about it. As long as they give good treats, they don't have to feel very guilty. They might also want to leave good toys to play with because although we like to nap, if too many hours go by, we need other things to do or we find good things to play with like their shoes or favorite book.

A regular work day for a human can be a long time for a dog, especially a young dog. We are social animals. That's one of the reasons we are a two dog household. Even when our humans are gone we have each other to talk to. When Mom and Dad have to go away for the day they have one of our friends come in to feed us and let us into our pen to play for a time which makes the time go by better.

Okay, now my tummy is really empty. I think I need to tell Mom to look at the round thing on the wall because it is time for lunch.

Bone appetite,

Zeva

P.S.   Just to remind you we put lots of yummy treats in our pet gift baskets.  You can see them at www.pawpalsboutique.com  The Holidays are coming.  Make sure you don't forget your favorite pet this year.

Be A Picky Eater

It seems like every day there is another recall of pet food or treats but did you know that it is okay to sell pet food with stuff in it that is not all that good for you.  My friend Eric, The Amazing Dog Training Man, showed me what to look for and what to look out for when choosing food.

Here are the ingredients on two different bags of dry dog food.  Which one would you choose?

Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine.

Or:

Whitefish, Herring Meal, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Canola oil (preserved with Mixed Tocapherols) Pea fiber, Tomato Pomace, Natural Fish Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries,

Vitamins (E supplement, Beta Carotene, Nicacin, d-Calcium. Pantothenate, A supplement, Riboflavin, D3 supplement Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrae, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, Folic Acid)

Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfte, Iron Proteinate, Ferrou Sulfate, copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Maganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate)

Choline Cloride, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation product, Rosemary extract.

I know, the second one has lots of weird sounding stuff in it, but the weird stuff is mostly vitamins, minerals and probiotics which are good for you.  The second one also has many more good for you foods like different fish and lots of veggies.  Corn, rice, soy, sugar and animal by-products will fill you up but they aren’t all that nutritious.  Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Blue 2 are actually pretty bad for you.

I think the best food to eat is raw but making raw food takes time and you need to make sure you are getting the right mix of good for you stuff.  Me, I’d love a whole chicken (raw) or a nice chunk of beef (raw) with a side of mashed sweet potato and carrots.  And for desert, I would love a big Frosty Paws!

Now I’ve done, it.  I am starving.  Think Dixie and I will see if Mom will give us a cookie.

Bone Appetite,

Your friend,

Zeva

P.S.  Blatant Self-promotion. My Own Cookie Tin Gift Basket.