[nagdu] Finicky eaters

[Gary]

Hi tracy:

Now that is funny! I didn't know the solution could be so simple. <chuckle>
A bit of an update on Bogart and his eating. I am off  for a vets visit
today so we will see if he has gained any weight from when I returned from
class(it looks like he has) . I had the opportunity to weigh him on the vets
scale when I was buying his flea meds so he was 48.5 pounds. Should weigh
about 53 or so I've been told. The food thing is still an issue but I have
learned a couple o things. First, bogart is not a morning person and doesn't
eat much kibble in the morning. We have started adding things to his food.
We have made a bunch of lean ground beef up and frozen it in containers that
I can use to add to his food for a couple of days.  This weekend he really
loved when I rolled his left over kibble in a left over cream sauce so we
are thinking about trying other creamy things. We have at times, added pork
chops, chicken and a bit of steak. None of these meats are in a great amount
but I'm just using them to get his appetite to open and then he'll eat most
of his meal. He also likes to eat after our night walk and  often easts the
rest of his food during the night. Yes, I do leave his food down since it
seems to be the best solution. I wonder if he is better able to eat later on
since he knows we are all relaxed, no more work, so he can relax too.

We are doing good in our guiding as well accept when I put him in places
that I don't know well enough myself.  Last week I tried a new route to walk
part way to my band practice and that didn't go so well because I hadn't
walked this route, on bike paths under our elevated train system, since I
had more sight. I didn't realize there are several places where there are y
intersections of paths. If I don't know this bogart will make what he thinks
is the best decision. Often not the right way though. :) then, in the park
that this path goes through there is a kids play area which is all concrete
so the ease of following the path disappears. We needed help out of that
section but once back on the path he did great. Found the entrance to the
train, the escalator and even seats at the other end of the platform so I
could use the garbage I knew was there to get rid of his gift he had given
me on our walk. :)

He is a poodle which means he is easily distracted but I find he guides
pretty well. On Wednesday my band was playing at a bar that night so I took
bogart with me to set everything up. He did a great job at hanging out in
the pub while we set   up. It was neat to walk to a place I don't know how
to get to very easily first with the dog and then with the cane to see
where/how we both had challenges.

Anyway, all and all, I'm enjoying my dog. It makes life a bit more
complicated and it would be a chaleenge if I didn't have a partner who
enjoys bogart as well to help look after him when I have to be away at
places that aren't good for a dog.

Hope everyone is enjoying your long weekend.

Gary




-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Thursday, July 01, 2010 6:04 AM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] Finicky eaters

On the old finicky eaters thread, there are high-quality canned foods that
my dogs think are the greatest.
My old gal Echo seems to be having some trouble eating kibble.  Maybe her
teeth have gotten worn down.  Anyway, she doesn't attack her food with her
old enthusiasm.  So I have started cutting back on the kibble and putting
in half a can of Cannidae canned food, and she snarfs it up.
It's kinda expensive to feed the canned food, about $2 a can and a can a
day, but hey, nothing but the best for the old lady.
I suspect that, if she was only a bit finicky, I could put less and
stretch a can for a couple days.

And shouldn't Gary from Canada feed canned food from Canidae?  It seems so
fitting! :.)
Tracy




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