Am I strange?

CH Astarte's- Apache River

learning the- ropes
Barked: Fri Apr 6, '07 7:26pm PST 
Momma says I'm a strange little guy just because I don't like to eat. Tonight I wouldn't eat until she spoon fed me.

I don't like cheese or peanut butter or rice or pasta or liverwurst. I won't eat my vitamins or my heartworm pills unless she breaks them into tiny little pieces and puts them in raw beef. I get tired of eating the same ole thing and sometimes I just don't want to eat period. She's tried kibble, canned, raw and now home cooked.

She says every feeding is a chore because first she has to get me up and into the kitchen, then she has to sit over me and watch. When I do eat, I wait until Marlowe and Chey are done and come looking for mine. Sometimes I'll eat then and sometimes Mom just has to chase them away from my bowl because I really don't care.
When I get a treat..except for BaaBaa's, I spit it out and wait until I see Chey and Marlowe eat it..just incase she's trying to poison us.

She said if I wasn't showing and didn't need to put on weight she would just let me starve.

SO....Am I strange???

Talk of the- Town!
Barked: Fri Apr 6, '07 8:50pm PST 
Dr. Talker here. First of all, are you a basenji??? Sorry...just checking.

You know I saw an episode on Dog Whisperer about this Newfoundland who wouldn't eat. The owner had tried everything and the dog just wouldn't eat. It's like it lost its desire to eat and would only eat his bone treats. The owner would cook hamburger and chicken and it acted like it wasn't even interested and would eat every few days or so.

Sounds like you? Anyway, Cesar said that Dog Newfoundlander forgot how to be a dog and instead he was like a customer at a take out food place. So...Cesar took him to his facility to teach him how to be a dog. First he really worked him out and really got him into a challenging exercise routine so he could have a more challenging work day.

Do you think you need a more challenging exercise routine?

After all that he got Newfoundlander into reaching up for his food. (This is probably hard for mom to explain) but he made him sniff out the food and lured him up to the food. Newfoundlander was so use to being catered to that Cesar felt that he didn't know how to work for his food and was just taking it for granted. Also, because Newfoundlander had a more strenous daily routine, he was tired and he was hungry.

Later in the show he got Newfoundlander into the pack waiting for the food to be tossed to him. Newfoundlander had to work for his food or else he wasn't going to get fed.

Do you think perhaps your food is coming to you too easily and maybe you need to work at your food more--to make it more challenging for you?

These are just a few thoughts. Think about it and let me know.

Dr. Talker
CH Astarte's- Apache River

learning the- ropes
Barked: Sat Apr 7, '07 5:47am PST 
Mom and Dads saw that one...Mom said she thinks I'd eat if I could catch my own food but that's kind of gross.........

Edited by author Sat Apr 7, '07 5:47am PST


Hey you - give me a belly- rub.
Barked: Sat Apr 7, '07 9:40am PST 
I take my time eating, and sometimes I leave everything in my bowl until I've had a good walk. Then I come home and eat. Or if Patan is close by, I will eat my food. Maybe you can eat in your kennel with Marlowe or Chey nearby.

I spit treats out too if I feel they are too big to chew. They aren't too big, of course, because if someone in the park gives me an even bigger treat, I gobble it down. I like Mom to break my treats into little pieces for me. This one is definitely a behavioral thing since we know I eat the same or larger treats from other people with no problem.

Maybe from all of your show training, you are kind of used to being hand fed your bites of food and think that is the way dogs are supposed to eat. I bet if you go a few meals without, you'll be hungry and eat out of your bowl again.

Hey you - give me a belly- rub.
Barked: Sat Apr 7, '07 9:43am PST 
I just remembered one of my trainers used to say "no free meals." She thought dogs should always work for their food. You give commands like "sit," "stay," etc. and then leave a small serving of kibble. Mom used to do this until it got to be too hard with two dogs. Anyhow, maybe you will eat in this manner. The good thing about it is you get to practice your training too.
CH Astarte's- Apache River

learning the- ropes
Barked: Sat Apr 7, '07 5:30pm PST 
Mom says she'll have to try the command thing. She's trying to teach me sit, but since I've never learned it and stand for everything, I'm not getting it.
She tried putting me in my crate...I screamed and knocked my food bowl over and screamed some more.
You may have a point about the dog showing and always being handed the food. I ate my whole meal again tonight right away when mom spoon fed me. I have a bunch of shows coming up and she needs to get the weight on me so it looks like eveything else will have to wait...and she says she's sure she's making things worse but that's show biz.....

Oooops! I ate my- motto....*burp!*
Barked: Sun Apr 8, '07 5:57am PST 
Psssst, Apache!
Maybe you can sneak all the food you're not eating my way? Hide it under a rug or something - you're Momma will think you've eaten all your meal - she'll be proud of you and we both reap the benefits! Whaddya say??? wink laugh out loud wink

Hey you - give me a belly- rub.
Barked: Sun Apr 8, '07 8:01am PST 
Maybe Patan can come over and give you some tips on eating. He's a pig!

Don't tell him I said that! shh
CH Astarte's- Apache River

learning the- ropes
Barked: Sun Apr 8, '07 8:34am PST 

Keyah...Chey is a little piglet...scoffs her food down like there's no tomorrow... shh I won't tell if you don't