Problems Feeding "People Food?"

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

After being on DK constantly & reading all the wonderful people food everyone is feeding their doodles (carrots, ground beef, broiled chicken, rice, pumpkin, yogurt, fruit of all types - even in BED, green beans, sweet potatoes...) I have a question.  I have never fed Bexter anything but his dry kibble (with the exception of a carrot after reading on DK about it).  It never occurred to me to feed him anything else.  I was always worried about that.  Do any of you have the following problems with this?:

1.  What if they like the other food so well they stop eating their kibble?

2.  Doesn't this teach them to beg at the table?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

And here is where being honest with your friends and not worrying about being offensive could help keep a child from getting bitten. If you see a child acting that way, you must tell the parent that he or she needs to deal with the child's fear of dogs, whether they want to hear it or not, or get offended, or think it's none of your business, or whatever. Someone who likes you or loves you will not stop liking or loving you because you expressed concern for the welfare of their child, and if they do, maybe that wasn't a relationship worth having in the first place. Because it's simply a fact that children who shriek, scream, run, jump, wave their arms in the air, or show any kind of overt fear toward dogs are statistically much more likely to be bitten.

[Melissa & Porter]

I'm having people over this weekend in fact, and I've been debating writing something about ignoring Porter in our menu-planning emails.  Will do. 

(Between the teenage boys, who ping Porter's intruder-man radar, the fluttering fearfuls, and the taunting niece--I'll also be buying Porter a huge bully stick Saturday morning.)

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Well this is a whole other discussion and not food-related and I could go on and on and on. College roomie came in town a few weeks back and Peri L.O.V.E.D. her toddler.  He was grumpy and she kept all 4 paws on the ground, but could not stand to stay away. She would sneak up and lick his face. I am not about to tell Peri NO to this behavior she was loving on the baby.  I would get her away, she would go back, etc..

roomie ended up asking me to put Peri up. I hated doing this. How do I say no? I guess I don't like confrontation and would rather not say "no, this is my house".  Then T. snarled at the baby when he popped up out of nowhere. It was a bad day.

But I have no trouble putting the dogs in their room when I have lots of people over (10+ is what I am talkign about).

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

My dogs have their own bedroom in the house with bedding, toys and a dog door to a blocked in run. Being sent to their room for a few hours of private dog time is hardly a punishment. Sadly many kids don't have as much private space.

[Melissa & Porter]

Ugh, that sounds like no fun.  Poor Peri with her face-licking.  I guess giving her a luscious bone would only keep her away for a little bit, and then she'd be off to love-on the baby with bone breath, further freaking out your friend.  If T. hadn't snarled, you could have been all "Hey, your baby is learning about animals.  Isn't that so nice."  But I can see if T is not used to those stealth toddlers, he'd be scared at one.  At least you can confine them together.

This is what I'll have this weekend:

3 teenage boys

3 girls under ten

My 3 kids who don't count.

12 adults

 

Most of the time, the boys will be in the basement and the girls in my daughter's room.

If it weren't for the freakin' heat wave we'd be even more spread out, but I suspect we'll all be inside. 

It's only the arrivals that get Porter worked up, so I sent the email about telling the kids to ignore Porter when they arrive.  After that, he tends to just follow me around.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Melissa & Porter]

In case anyone was wondering how our party went and whether Porter jumped on our guests, stole food and scared the kids...the answer is

 

 

 

 

 

 

only a little :-)

He mostly only jumped on my brother in law, who is known to pat his chest and asks him to.  I gave him a kong stuffed with peanut butter when the teenage boys arrived--so that helped that.

He stole the bun off of only one hamburger that was left unattended in the sun room and he licked the cake a kid smeared on a pillow in the basement.  That was a favor to me.

He didn't scare anyone, and the child who is particularly scared of dogs did a fantastic job ignoring him. 

I still have work to do.  He approached a couple dog-lovers at the table, but I snapped my fingers and directed him away. 

He also almost fainted with heavenly pleasure at the scent of the "bacon explosion" dish one family brought.  But apart from flapping his upper lips as the AC blew its scent all over the house, he didn't do anything untoward.

What a relief!  I can have a big party even with an excitable, food-obsessed dog.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Good job, Porter!

He really cannot be blamed for jumping up on someone who pats his chest and invites him. It's very confusing for a dog when sometimes you're being told to do something and other times, you're corrected for it. There has to be consistency. Either he's allowed to jump on people or he's not. Maybe it could work with being allowed to jump on just one person...kind of like a dog who's allowed on one chair in the house, but none of the other furniture.

I am not going to comment on the child who smeared cake on a pillow, except to say I hope he never comes to my house!

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Yeah!!! Sounds like success - and with wafting bacon too!!!!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I am laughing out loud!!!!

[Jane Smith]

Ethel could care less what we are eating, but Lucy, while she isn't begging, won't take her eye off you.  God forbid you might drop something, then it's free for the taking.

[Gayle Miller]

Lucy and Ethel!!  That's a riot!!  I LOVE the names!!!

[Camilla and Darwin]

The only time we give Darwin people food (cheese, chicken, hot dogs) is for training treats. Stuff he has to work for. :-)