11/14/07

I'M NOT A DOG LOVER!!! I just love my dog...

I’m not a “dog lover” by any means, ask anybody that knows me and they will agree. My wife is quite the opposite (as with most subject matters) in fact she is the epitome of dog lovers. I do admit that I “like” Ginger very much and would probably cry if anything were to happen to her; which is far more loving towards any animal then I was just a few years ago.

I noticed a “Featured Headline” on the Yahoo home page: “Foods that harm pets… Giving table scraps to your pet can cause health and behavioral problems.” And: “Safe Thanksgiving for dogs”. I have to say I was most intrigued by these titles. This would explain Ginger’s heaviness and her abnormal behavior! So I began an exhausting 10 minutes of research about dogs and table scraps and learned a few things.

Ginger was a very “cute” puppy. I remember when she was very small; we decided when we bought her that we were not going to feed her “people” food. Well only a couple of cute looks and whimpers broke us of that idea. Now she isn’t so small. I told Deanna that we should take her back and get our money back because they said she was a miniature. Anyways I learned that feeding your dog table scraps leads to many problems.

By giving your dog table scraps you are setting yourself up for years of begging at the table.
When you decide enough is enough, the begging and cute tender looks in your direction become crying, whimpering, barking and other attention grabbers.
Very unhealthy; many human foods are not good for dogs and can harm them. Dogs will eat almost anything, but that doesn’t mean it is good for them.

Dogs are naturally pack animals. Dogs view you and your family as a pack. Packs have a hierarchy and it only has one leader (The Alpha). If you allow your dog to eat when you do or with you the dog feels as though it is moving up in rank. If this continues you dog will take on threatening behaviors such as growling and snapping. Dogs should always be fed last and not given any table scraps.

Toxic foods to avoid giving your dog…

Chocolate: Small amounts causes gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea; large amounts causes coma and death.

Grapes/Raisins: Even a small amount can severely damage the kidneys.

Garlic or Onions: Fresh, powdered or cooked lead to damage of red blood cells causing anemia.

Macadamia Nuts: More gastrointestinal upsets, lethargy, vomiting and muscle tumors.

Mushrooms: Can cause shock and death.

Tomatoes: Tomatoes of all kinds in the smallest portions can cause severe gastrointestinal upsets.

Raw Potatoes, Nutmeg, Turkey Skin and Caffeine are the remaining foods that are dangerous, they cause coma and death.

Hope this was a little helpful…

8 comments:

PJ said...

...thanks to you, Shawna has begun forcing me to eat last...

That said: the other good thing about Ginger is that you have an animal that you can hook the plow up to and get the fields plowed, in the event the tractor breaks down.

Seriously: she is the BIGGEST dacshund I've EVER seen!

Anonymous said...

Ohhh!!! That is so not right. Taking a pic of me when I'm asleep, snuggling with my dog. WRONG!!!
Love ya!

Anonymous said...

PJ - That’s funny! Now that you mention it; I not only eat last but I have to cook my own food too! lol

Deanna says, “Especially after you put that picture of me on the Blog!”

Katie Booker said...

Shane,
Thank you so much for that list of toxic foods...I'm going out to the store as I type to purchase all of those and put them on my dogs plate...LOL.
Actually no, I do love our dog, but she was MUCH cuter and MUCH more loveable when she was a baby!
Now she is a nasty outside dog..poor Daisy!

Anonymous said...

Deanna -
I can see it now, you are like your grandpa was with Sugar! :-)

Kellee

Anonymous said...

Kellee- Hey good to hear from you. Yes, I admit I do love dogs BUT only ones with GOOD Breath! lol!

Anonymous said...

Kellee

Ginger is nothing like sugar. She really loved you, so much that she would sleep on the floor by you in Mom And Dads Room and greet you in the morning with a SURPRISE under her tail. HAHA. No Really Ginger is really cute just big cute Good to hear from you.
Becky

Anonymous said...

Shane

I love the picture of my Baby and her Baby dog. Thanks for the picture and all the food info. If I ever get another dog I will know what to feed and not to feed.
Love MOM