Please don't feed the dogs!

photo of an overweight dog courtesy of ESPCA


Our vet informed us that our dogs are both 5 lbs. overweight. They get plenty of exercise, they eat the recommended portion of their low fat dog food and we give only low fat treats sparingly. So what gives? Why are our fur babies so chubby?



We did a little investigating and here's what we found.

Case 1 - the floor guys : we recently had hardwood floors installed in our home. We found out that the floor guys bought 2 boxes of treats (low quality, high fat) and fed them the dogs in one or two days. It would take us a month to get through two boxes that size. We also remember seeing the pool guy, the heating guy...you get the idea. Every worker that comes here seems to have a stash of doggie treats with them.





Case 2 - UPS & FED EX delivery guys: not only do the delivery guys feed the dogs treats when they deliver packages to us (almost daily) but they also stop by even when they don't have deliveries. We've seen it. I was shocked to see that they fed our dogs 5-6 large biscuits each which would be the equivalent of half their daily food allowance.


Case 3 - The Postal Carrier: feeds dogs treats daily (except on Sunday!) She throws them from her vehicle out on to our lawn as she passes by just to be nice.




Case 4 - The Neighbors : we've seen our neighbors treating the dogs to a snack every now and again on their daily walk.




Case 5 - The Stranger : recently someone asked permission to buy treats for our dogs so that they could visit with the dogs on their lunch break from work. The answer was no, but at least the person asked.


This is only what we have been able to find out with a little investigating. I can only imagine what goes on that we don't know about. Keep in mind that the dogs are contained in our yard. They are not roaming the streets looking for people with food. Are they hypnotists? Are they magical? How do they get people to give up all this food for them?



Overweight dogs run the risk of many different health issues including diabetes, respiratory problems, heart trouble, hip dysplasia and more. We are going out of our way to make sure they don't over eat to keep them healthy but I'm not sure it's working. We're going to have to come up with a plan to gingerly tell people that they cannot feed the dogs.

What's your policy on treating a dog without permission from the owner? Do you want someone giving your dog treats without your knowledge? Does your dog have a food allergy or are they overweight? Let us know your thoughts.

I'm sure that the people who are treating our dogs do so because they love animals and they are trying to be kind. I personally have a new outlook on treating other people's pets. I won't do it without permission. I hadn't considered the unintended consequences and the potential of literally killing a dog with kindness.

Personalized Dog Collars from Orvis

Orivs has quite a selection of dog items. This distinctive collar and leash of full-grain leather is permanently personalized using laser engraving. Both items can be engraved with your dog's name and phone number. In brown. USA. Collar even sizes: 10"-24". Priced from $29-$39
The reflective material is0 3M's Scotchlite™ ensures that your dog is visible at night up to a half-mile away. Durable side-release buckles. Not recommended for tying out your dog. In silver/blue, silver/black, silver/red. Personalize small and medium collars with up to 17 characters; large and x-large collars with up to 21 characters; lead with up to 21 characters. All personalization includes spaces. USA. Personalized for free. $29

This effective, safe, and humane collar gives you added control over your dog. Safer to use than a choke chain, Martingale collars are favored by professional dog show handlers because they offer much more control than standard buckle collars. Worn loosely, they tighten only up to a certain point to get the dog's attention and then stop—never choking. Not recommended for tying out your dog. In black, blaze orange, green, red, blue, light blue. Personalize small with up to 15 characters; medium and and large with up to 24 characters. All personalization includes spaces. USA $29

Pampered Dog Gifts for the new First Dog "Bo"

In case you haven't heard, the Obama family was given a Portuguese Water Dog by Senator Ted Kennedy over the weekend. While the Obama girls are elated, some Obama watchers are not. Seems that controversy is brewing over the fact that the President promised to adopt a dog from a shelter. In the grand scheme of things (pirates, war, failing economy etc.) , this might seem like a pretty small detail. While I'm sure his intention was to adopt a shelter dog, this is not always possible when you have a child with allergies. The president has agreed to donate money to the DC humane society. We're not getting in the middle of this debate, but we did do a little poking around the Internet to see what "Bo" the new First Dog might be receiving as a "welcome to the White House" gift. Here's what we found...

Maybe Bo will get his very own version of Air Force One, check out this plush airplane bed

that retails for $250. President Obama might like this one!

Looking for a bed that is super stylish but won't set you back $250, then the Royal Plush Slipper Dog Bed might just be the thing to send the First Family, and the girls are sure to love it and it retails for $62

If a dog bed isn't your idea of a welcome gift, then try this New Dog Gift Basket which retails for $89.95 and includes 3-Tiers of puppy training super-asorbent pads and puppy care necessities. With 70 training pads and enough treats to last you over 3 months, it's the perfect gift for the new puppy parent. A helpful gift for the adult doggie parent who has trained their dog to use pads to go indoors. I personally don't want to think about a dog going wee wee in the Whitehouse!

All of these great gifts are available at Pampered Dog Gifts

Red Dingo Dog Tag Contest Winners

Here are the three winners of the the Red Dingo Dog Tag contest!

Mable Cakes
Pickles on Pizza
Post Smith



Click on their links and stop by their blogs, they are all a great read!


Thank you all and we'll be announcing a new giveaway soon!

Doody Calls

Far from Fertilizer
Woof-woof waste does not a good fertilizer make. It is actually toxic to your lawn, causing burns and unsightly discoloring

Leave the Poop-Scooping to the Pros, DoodyCalls is the nation's trusted leader in pet waste removal services for homeowners and communities. Doody is their duty, and they take our job seriously—with all their services 100% guaranteed. Their friendly, professional technicians pick up where your dog left off, so you don't have to.

My neighbor and I often laugh about how many bags we pick up after a week of our dogs running around free, leaving presents for us all over the lawn. Last Saturday was a 3 bag day. That's a lot of puppy poop. I wish Doodycalls was available in our neighborhood. I could really use the help!