Body language says it all. You can keep your fancy low fat, high fibre pellets. I want real food!
The challenge is on, the word is out! My ten-year-old Maltese poodle x Scottish Terrier, Megan is on diet. Recently I took her to be clipped because the heat seemed to be affecting her more than usual. I spoke to my vet, Dr Anne about my concern that Megan could be overweight. (Megan gets clipped at the vet) Dr Anne said if I need my dog to lose weight, I had to get the full commitment of the whole family.
Then she recommended specially formulated pellets which help overweight dogs lose weight. On the reverse of the packet I noted that it is a low fat, high fibre food with high levels of L-carnitine and lysine to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass. I also realise that it's no use showing my dog a picture of a slim dog on the packet and encouraging her to go for that image! The food has to satisfy her hunger, that is the bottom line and apparently this particular brand of pellets does exactly that.
Megan tried one or two pellets and turned her nose up!
The vet was so convincing that I bought a packet, loaded Megan and the food into the car and came home. Now all I have to do is convince Megan. She cannot understand why she cannot lick the cats' left-overs, why she isn’t getting cheese off cuts and slices of biltong? (biltong = spicy, air dried meat – similar to jerky) “and whatever happened to the delicious bread, milk and meat breakfast I used to get?”
Ooh-ee, just a little further and I'll reach that yummy beef!
Today has been a real battle of wills between me and Megan. I left her bowl of pellets on the patio where she always eats her food. She ate a couple of pellets and then turned her back on it! Later on I saw Pudding, my elderly cat nibbling at the pellets. Then looking out into the garden, I spied Megan leaning over the pond and it looked as if she was gulping up water. When I went closer, I saw she was trying to lap up the pieces of ground beef I’d dropped in there earlier for the barbel (fish) to eat! Am I living with crazy animals or WHAT!
I've noted the date that I started Megan on this diet and will keep you posted as to her progress!
Dear Megan, we are 2 Maltese dogs from Texas and this is one of the more terrible things we have read on the world wide web. That you are having to go get dinner from the fish was so upsetting we passed out momentarily. Fortunately we can provide some outstanding advice here! Megan, all you have to do is lie about your weight! This is what LoLLy does! She is almost 9 pounds -- but claims she weighs 8! Sometimes even 7! Megan, please use this tactic immediately. Love, Your Concerned PaLs, LuLu and LolLy!
ReplyDeleteDear Lulu and Lolly, I've snuck into the office and am using HER laptop while she's in the shower! I am SO envious of Lolly's weight. My weight is 9 kilograms; double your weight, Lolly. However, it is very cruel that SHE has put me on diet. I've been quite happy with my figure, why should it bother HER? I've been used to eating the cats' leftovers and even table scraps from the human dinners. Now I see it all going onto the birdfeeder, which is too high for me to reach. Oh, *sigh* I cannot lie to her; previously she used to run a weight loss club from home so she knows all the wiles and excuses of a dieter. Thanks for your concern. It helps while I faint from hunger. Yaps (or should I say, *yelps*) from Megan, South Africa.
ReplyDeletePoor Megan!
ReplyDeleteThree of my four dogs have developed a weight problem in the last year and a half, too. Prior to that, we lived on 40 acres of heavily wooded land and the dogs all ran and hunted day after day. They were all quite fit and happy. Then, a year and a half ago, we moved. We wound up living IN town and the poor dogs suddenly found themselves stuck in a fenced backyard. Nothing to do but eat and sleep. Now all the adult dogs are quite fat. (Our German Shepherd pup never has time to eat and is constantly sprouting upward, so she is skinny as can be.)
It is much harder to limit the dog's intake when there are four of them all eating from the same bowl. I fear one would stay fat and the other three would surely starve to death! Survival of the fittest!
Oh how funny!!! I just now paused to read the first two comments on this post!!!
ReplyDelete