Woof, guide dog Fletcher here blogging about my favourite subject – food! It even starts with the letter “f” like my name.
But first, a moment’s pause in respect of the fallen in Paris. What happened in France was so awful that it put me off blogging last week. The human tragedy. Also the subsequent death of police dog, Diesel. So it was great to find out that the Russian government donated puppy, Dobrynya, to train with the French police and carry on in Diesel’s paw prints.
Returning to the topic of food. I love my food in all its forms including treats or “noms” as some folk say. Just the smell of food gets me excited. My nose starts sniffing as soon as there’s even a hint of food.
So what do I eat? I eat kibble – which is dried cereal-based dog food – mixed in with water. I have it twice a day for breakfast and dinner (my human hasn’t heard of second breakfast, elevenses, tea, supper. I’m still trying to educate them). The photo below doesn’t do it justice.
And the smell is heavenly. Ah, the aroma of rotting meat. Tongue out good.
So imagine my delight when an extra bag of dog food arrived. Guide Dogs help out with my food costs by providing most of my food. They’re changing dog food suppliers. So out with the Eukanuba and in with the Royal Canin. But it’s not as simple as that at my end.
My change in diet has to be introduced gradually. The amount of food I’m allowed to eat is strictly controlled at 5.5 oz per meal on Eukanuba switching to 307g per day of Royal Canin based on Guide Dogs’ recommendations.
I’m starting with 75% Eukanuba and 25% Royal Canin, then 50:50, then 25% and 75% and so on until my original food is used up. And, if I’m given any extra treats during the day (they’re even more yummy) then they have to be deducted from my daily food allowance (reckon I’ll leave my human to do the maths and I’ll stick with quality control and taste testing. So far so good).
At the moment, I’ve got to be weighed every two weeks at the vets too for a minimum of six weeks. I don’t mind and, yesterday, I even felt like posing for a photo.
The diet control and weight management are to make sure I’ve the best chance of staying healthy and not overloading my joints with excess weight. Or going the other way and being all skin and bone (shudder). It’s about keeping my weight stable. It’s also about consistency of what comes out the other end. I’m not great with other food and don’t like having tummy upsets or diarrhoea.
So if you meet me or a fellow guide dog, please don’t give us guide dogs food or treats. It’s not good for us. And whilst we may look at you with big pleading eyes, we’re well looked after in the food department. Really.
Must dash. I’m sure I can hear my human rustling something. It must be time for dinner…
Woof and paw, Fletcher.
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(c) pawsatthekerb™, November 2015.
paws at the kerb 