So my dog is a slight diva. Okay, extreme understatement. Luna Lovegood is a high maintenance gal with bum hips, skin allergies and a sensitive tummy, but she makes up for her doggy issues with good cuddles, mad bubble catching skillz and by being my training buddy and watch-dog extraordinaire.
Here's the other thing about Luna that I bet you wish you didn't know: She inhales her food. She could gobble up a bowl of her kibble in less than a minute. She will then proceed to throw it all up and, get ready for it, eat it again. I know.
But guess what? Labrador Retrievers are known for quickly eating a meal, puking it up and eating it again. I'm sure there are other dog breeds that do the same thing.
In the process of dealing with the diva guzzler, I've had to come up with a strategy to make sure she eats her food slowly. Some folks have recommended buying a wacky dog bowl that forces mutts to slow down when they eat by basically making a maze of their food. The next thing you know I'll be buying the Dogjorn carrier.
It sounds ridiculous, but sometimes dogs need to snack throughout the day...just like kids.
Not on kibble and dog bones, because this will make them gordita (chunky). Luckily, pet owners have lots of super healthy treat items to choose from...and some may surprise you. These five eats are Luna-tested and approved. Just keep in mind that she also loves crayons and tissue..
- Carrots. Low-calorie treats that also keep dogs busy, especially if you serve the carrots frozen. I just buy a bag and toss it in the freezer. Five to eight baby carrots a day is a good amount for a 70-lb. dog. Just make sure the dog is chewing the carrots...you don't want to cause any obstructions in your pup's tummy.
- Apples. Just don't feed the dog any apple seeds because the seeds can be toxic to some dogs. Luna usually gets the leftovers from the boys' lunches.
- Blueberries. I love using blueberries as a training treat. She'll devour a whole basket if she could (and then yes, throw it up and eat it again...yummers.) Just a handful.
- Strawberries. Just a few.
- A large Kong filled with peanut butter. Luna gets one every morning after our workout. Heather Amstrong recommends freezing them beforehand to give your dog an extra long food session.
You'll want to make sure your dog isn't sensitive to these treats (sign? puke). Mix it up throughout the week. Total dog love.
