Food, glorious food!!

Janice · Old Hand

Food, glorious food!!

scoobcleecook · Master

Hi there!

No help to offer, I'm afraid, but be assured you're not alone!! Our Cookie (nearly 1 1/2) is a professional thief! His best to date was when my 95 year old auntie was visiting. I put him in the garden while we had a cup of tea (best china, you know the scenario!!). Unfortunately, someone who will not be named (my son, Grant - though I'm not one to clipe!) opened the door, Cookie came diving in at full pelt and ended up with all four feet on the dining table standing over the plate!!!! I swear he doesn't actually pick the food up, just sucks like a vacuum cleaner and in it goes! All my aunt could say was, "Hmm, perhaps you should have put the plate a bit higher up!" I'd really been looking forward to a bit of that shortbread too.....!

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear how the Arden Grange goes...! Good luck! Keep us posted - it could be worth a try!

Cheers!

Jean

bluesmumanddad · Master

You have my every sympathy. Blue is a real foody. He will eat everything. He soon learnt how to open his food cupboard and scoff all his treats. We have had to put his food in a cupboard that I have to use a stool to reach even then I have come in to find the door or the cupboard open but he just hadn't quite managed to get the food...yet!

My 2 year old keeps him in check when he goes near the dinning table she has been known to get hold of his collar and lead him back to his bed!!

For some strange reason, on more than 1 occassion, he has taken the fluff that has been removed from the tumble dryer out of the bin and tried to eat that. Not quite sure why just figued he is a bit odd

Can't offer any advice but look forwards to hearing how you get on with the new food.

Carol · Master

My hound Eilidh goes literally bonkers for food. She will steal anything and has even tried to take the food out of my mouth. On one occasion, she managed to scoop up my bowlful of sherry trifle in the time it took me to lift my spoon to my mouth. One millisecond she was lying at my feet. The next, no pudding left for me. She enjoyed it thoroughly though, but was in a bit of a sherry stupor for the rest of the night! Her major strength is her quietness - you really don't hear her coming.

If you're out walking and she sees a chip or a roll etc lying on the pavement, she works herself into a frenzy trying to get it, hops up and down on the end of her lead and tries to drag you towards it. Eilidh can smell food at fifty paces. Even the tiniest of morsel and quite often, she's dragged you over and gobbled it down before you have even managed to see what she's after. I'm sure my neighbours think I don't feed her... and I feed her Arden Grange.

She has got a wee bit better since she's started on it but I think that with Eilidh it's more of a built in GET IT WHILE I CAN emotional thing, than actually being hungry. Anyway, the only thing that we can do is to keep our eyes peeled and try to steer her away from mouldy bread or chips that have been squished into the pavemant (yes, she does try to scrape those up with her teeth), but it is hard when she smells it before you see it.

Still maybe it's something she'll grow out of as she's only 15 months old. We'll see.

Carol

Calatria · Master

I know we're not supposed to laugh at the terrible behaviour described above, but I couldn't help it. Especially at Carol losing her sherry trifle in the blink of an eye.

Is it a greyhound thing? I've had to put a lock on the pedal bin in the kitchen - the one I bought specially cos I thought it would keep Belle out. How naive I was.

Even when Belle was eating "bulky" food, she still gave the impression of being permanently hungry, and that impression hasn't changed now that she's on Burns. I muzzle her on every walk, not because of her attitude to cats but because she'll eat anything she sees lying on the ground.

I've been hoping this is yet another wee quirk she'll grow out of. But she's now nearly 18 months, and shows no sign of it yet. We've just got into the habit of putting everything edible out of her reach (not easy when she's so lanky). It's embarrassing when you go to someone else's house, and they wonder why you're carrying your biscuit around with you - then you remember you've left the greyhound at home, and the biscuit would be safe enough on the coffee table

Carol · Master

I agree. It might be bad behaviour, but I've never laughed so much in my life as I have since I got Eilidh. She's one in a million!

Carol

-- Edited by Carol at 20:45, 2005-02-22

Janice · Old Hand

Oh no please don't say that Arden Grange will not be the answer to our prayers! The food arrived today and Mandy is currently sleeping a few feet away from this 15kg bag of doggy heaven (of course it's behind a baby gate!). The gentleman who delivered the food said if she's still behaving so badly at the end of the bag then it's just a bad habit she's got into. We are planning to go on the walk round Strathclyde Park on Sun 6th March. Mandy will be the fawn greyhound with a red harness either walking contentedly at my side or running off with everyones sandwiches. I know what I'd put my money on!

Carol · Master

Hi Janice,

I hope the food does work for you. Personally, I've found the Arden Grange to be a very good food and my dogs are doing really well on it. I hope these tales haven't worried you!!!

Like I say, I think that it's probably emotional with Eilidh that she sees food and thinks she must eat it. I guess that, like everyone, she has her little quirk and I'll live with it.

We too will be at the walk in March. If Mandy's the dog stealing sandwiches, Eilidh will be the wee black one in the red coat trying to take them off her! See you there.

Carol.

Scotty · Graduate

Fergus and Trini are no different, we've nicknamed them Bonnie and Clyde for their sneakyness around food! When we eat they show absolutely no interest at all but you can guarantee that if I go to stand up, they're up first to see what's left. It's actually very funny, we've started taking bets to see who'll get up first.

Scott & Nancy

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Hi Scotty

Vegas does this too! He pretends he's not looking at you at all, but he's actually got an eye coming out of his ear watching us. When we move with our plates, he's right behind us to see if there's anything on them for him. Of course we always leave him a bite - we can't resist the hopeful look in his eyes. I suppose he's trained us well!!

Christine

Steve · Master

Our Pearly doesn't sound as food mad as others but most of her behaviour revolves around getting a nibble. She knows to lie quietly in here crate when food is about to be served so everytime we walk into the kitchen she follows and darts into her crate and lies there watching us - hoping that something will be served.

She'll sniff and lick things and take a bit of leftovers when we are not there and forget to take dishes away from the coffee table. We've caught her licking sherry and wine before - but it was out of a glass so she has manners.

When we eat she usually walks around sniffs then hides behind the sofa and has now started to get vocal as she gets frustrated that her food isn't ready. As soon as we get up to take the dishes through to the kitchen she's up and through and lying in her crate.

When I was a teenager I used to have a GSP (Germ,an Shorthaired pointer) - hyper clever - too clever - got into cupboards and all sorts and it ate my mum's bran cake - made with nearly a bucket full of Kellogs ALL Bran - poor dog had the skits the next day something bad!!

I imagine some greys are food mad due to their upbringing in racing kennels - others are just typical dogs - food dustbins on legs.

skinnydugs · Master

Grissom, (foster dog of 1 week) will take a flying leap as my bread comes out of the wrapping and into the toaster. Most of the time Im too slow to do anything about it.

My excuse is he's young and just needs to learn a few manners. He's a good boy really

Esther

Janice · Old Hand

Hi All

Just an update on Mandy's food obsession - we're finally getting somewhere! She's now been on Arden Grange for 2 weeks and for the past week she's been getting slightly more than the recommended amount and it's making a real difference. We feed her about an hour before we eat and she leaves us in peace. When our wee girl is eating in the same room as her Mandy doesn't pounce on her anymore - a miracle?? No - a water-pistol, the best deterrent ever. We don't even have to put water in it now, just the sight of it sends her offski at top speed into her bed!! Along with some back-to-basic training about who's the boss we've turned a great big corner. She's now curled up like Bambi, sound asleep and totally whacked after a great day at Strathclyde Park.

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Hi Janice

Glad that Mandy's food obsession is now on the retreat and that you can enjoy eating in the same room as her without being pestered. It's amazing what a change of diet and using a water pistol can do!

Great to see you today at the walk in Strathclyde Park although we must have missed you on the way round. I must have been too busy blethering as usual.

Christine