A tale of two dogs and their diets . . .

Well, here's the latest in the feeding of Tashi saga. She seems to want to eat only once a day. Today, she finally dug in about 4:30 pm. She is on her third bowl of food, so in the end she gets enough to eat. My test is feeling her ribs, don't even want to bother with weighing her. I get so depressed if she has dropped even a few ounces. Her ribs feel fine, nothing like the xylophone she was at the worst of her illness.

As for Fred, he is getting so fat he can barely jump on the bed. He is getting a third of a cup of kibble twice a day. And that's it! I won't even let him lick the bowl when Tashi is finally finished. He is not wild about these meals. I sometimes have to put a bit of broth on his kibble, but then it disappears in less than a minute. He's been pacing in the kitchen beside me while I write, looking in his bowl with optimism, then walking away. LOL

When I am having trouble feeding Tashi, Fred goes in his cage any time her food is on the floor. No more stolen meals. I know that is his weight problem - I walk away from Tashi's dish to get something from the garage or basement, and the next thing I know he is up to his neck in her dog food. He is quick!

Well, they are both satisfied now. Tashi has cleaned up all of her precooked food. Chicken gizzards and hearts are cooking on the stove for tomorrow, or maybe a late night snack. A huge package of thighs and some old stew meat I found when cleaning freezers are thawing out for her next big batch.

She is a good old dog. Nearly totally deaf (but her head stills comes up when I shout, "Want to go for a walk?"), cataracts, arthritis. Hard to see these things getting worse when we have finally conquered the eating issues (sort of), but she has given me 12 beautiful years, and who knows, maybe a couple more are to come. I heart Tashi and Fred.