I learned the hard way with my last dog that you will be doing it a kindness not to ever feed it table scraps. Bungee was a medium sized dog, but she was SO cute when she begged at the table, nobody could resist sharing part of their meal with her. Problem is, not everybody knows what foods can make a dog really sick, even the most benign foods can really throw a dog's digestion out of balance, and OUR behaviour was turning her into a pest at mealtime. As she became a senior dog, she really started having trouble with the scraps. She had days when she would not be interested in doing much of anything and was completely grumpy.
The last straw was when I tried to pet her tummy (her favorite spot for petting) and she snapped at me. FINALLY it sunk in that she was having bellyaches. I immediately banned all the table feeding and she was strictly fed on premium dog food and treats from the vet from then on. I was not popular in the household for a couple of months -- and it was difficult to enforce the ban at first. But when everybody realized how much happier Bungee was in general and she went for a few weeks without one of her grumpy days, the whole family accepted the change, including Bungee.
You may feel like a Scrooge not sharing bits and pieces at the table with your baby, but believe me, you will be doing him or her a kindness to stick to the dog's diet. You will find it much easier to maintain the dog's weight and they will be happier and healthier with a properly balanced diet.
Sorry -- it took me a long, long time to accept this concept myself, and I tend to get on my soapbox when the topic comes up. But I do think it's very important. And probably more so the smaller the tummy you're feeding.
Sermon over -- and I hope your baby is feeling much better now! |