I Love My Dog, but…..
Woman in the Middle | January 13, 2012I love my dog, I do. I love her in spite of the fact that she got me up yesterday morning at 6:40 a.m., even though I am unemployed and don’t have to get up that early. I love that she likes to lay on the floor right next to me when ever I am on the computer, keeping me company. She is there right now. What I don’t love is that she, well, to be polite about it, passes gas.
She didn’t used to. Up until about a year ago she was a pretty gas-free dog. In the last year we have had to change her diet a bit. We didn’t have to due to health or any thing. We had to due to her being the pickiest dog we have EVER encountered IN OUR LIVES. Basically, if we don’t keep changing it up on a regular basis she stops eating. Then we find ourselves with either a bowl full of ants by the back door or we are picking the bowl up and putting it down over and over again. If we are lucky she “buries” her food by knocking the bowl over on the cement. I finally decided to take a stand and bought one of those bowls guaranteed not to ever be knocked over by a dog. It really worked! The dog did not knock it over. She just nudged it over to the dirt and really buried it! But it never got knocked over!
After the dirt incident I threw up my hands in defeat and started putting various lovely things on her food. The latest is low sodium beef broth. She seems to really like that and its doesn’t take much of it to make her happy. A little splash on the dry food and she gobbles it down in a flash. It was on sale this week and I bought four cans. That is pushing my luck as that is almost a month’s supply, but I can use it for soup if her palate changes.
In any case, the added items to her diet may be giving her gas, or it could be the extra rawhide she has been getting. With me here every morning now I spoil her with something to chew on. It helps keep down the doggie boredom and anxiety as well, especially since the walks have stopped after the kennel cough infection. The problem could be related to old age. Heavens knows, people get gassy as they get older. Not that I know this myself. I have just heard stories….
So my loyal dog keeps me company in the smallest room in the house, perfuming the air untill I almost can’t stand it. Yesterday she actually couldn’t stand it any more herself and left to go get on her bed. I was happy, but worried as this was so unlike her, but happy, but worried…..Then it dawned on me that she was probably just trying to escape the stench. I almost set up a fan myself, so I can certainly understand her feelings on the matter. She probably thinks it is me, but it’s not, really!
What we will not do for our pets. Beautiful dog.
There is a series of children’s books called Walter the Farting Dog. I think you and Honey may be able to relate. The illustrations and stories are hysterical.
I am sure the dog’s perfume is delightful. However, have you considered that the dog’s issue may be obesity and over eating. If you want to eliminate the odor, you should consider taking the dog on long walks and feeding her about half as much as you currently are. Once she gets to a healthy weight and eats less, her gas issues should subside.
I am happy to report that, in spite of my cat being over weight, the dog is actually at a really good weight and would go for walks except that she is still recovering from the kennal cough incident. We tried to walk her today but the cold air really set her off. We also do not feed her anything but her meal and one snack a day, plus chew toys. I am very careful about how much she gets, which is why she isn’t over weight. Thanks, though, for the suggestions.
I used to work at a place where the owner brought in her dog — an aging German shephard that had the worst gas ever. He always laid next to me while I gagged and coughed. Somehow it’s more tolerable when it’s your own but other than that, he was a good dog.