Insanity!!

[msvette2u]

OK some of you noticed my thread about Copper gorging himself on dog food the other day.
Well yesterday my daughter's candy came in (fundraiser for school) we went in a store and came out and lo and behold, Copper had gotten into one of the packages of Chocolate, I think it's pecan caramel clusters, and ate ALL but one. 6 oz. of chocolate, GONE, along with the $5.00 we'll have to give the school to get a replacement box of candy.
Today, Copper looks like a bloated up sausage. His legs stick out to the sides as he waddles. Not really but it seems that way. Won't be long at this rates, before he DOES walk like that! He could barely jump up on the couch today!
What do I do? I am not jazzed on the idea of raw at all.
We feed him just under 1/2 cup, split up in 2 meals, am and pm, and he's eating Maxximum nutrition for adult dogs, we could not find Sr. this last time (it's walmart's brand). We may switch him to Authority, which is Petsmarts brand. A 10lb. bag lasts forever.
Last time we had him weighed he was 18lbs. and would look much better at around 12-15.

[Jesseca]

I don't know. I feed Peanut a 1/3 c in the AM and a 1/3 c in the PM and he's still pretty fit. Of course he's only a year old.

[msvette2u]

Yes, Copper will be 8 next weekend and he likes to lay around all day. I mean, we have to pry his fat behind off the couch and out the door then he barely goes potty and runs back up and barks at the door to be let in. Exercise would help but how do you get a lazybutt like him to do it?? Anyone got an extra treadmill I could tie him to??? LOL

[Malli]

he doesn't like walks at all ? You'd think with their background and all those animals smells outside, a dachsy would be scratching at the door...

I'm not sure switching him to raw would be any better, you'd still have to limit what he ate, right? Some dogs are just like this. My own dog won't even help himself to his dogfood if I leave a plastic bag of it in the car with him People food, however, is another matter.

I imagine by the time you found him it was too late to induce vomiting?

Malli

[msvette2u]

Yes as usual and we were "out and about" and couldn't stop for a puke break

He doesn't like walks, no. He's a real lazybutt.

Oh a few weeks ago we were bringing a few bags of dog food to the big shelter in Pasco, they ALWAYS need it, and while Jeff and I were in somewhere doing something, left Copper in the car for a few minutes, and he tore into THAT while we were in there. Came back to a hole in the bag and food all over the floor. And that was Western Family, some sorta generic food, storebrand crap!!!

The dog would literally eat until he burst. Plus we cut him back on his portion and he thinks we're horrid people who are trying to starve him to death!

[Malli]

A of mine has a dog like that, she had to bring him in to work because he broke into their dog food and ate so much. Has he always been this way?

Malli

[msvette2u]

Yes and no. He's always been a real opportunist about food, if he sees it or thinks its there, he acts on it.
Lately we've been lazy or something, we didn't think to move the candy into the back of the truck, and my daughter left the dog food tote bin with the lid only partially on and I didn't notice it.
He's been chunky since we adopted him though, and we've only had him about 18mos.

[Hoyden]

Sounds like our friend's dachy named Emily.

My 4 year old daugher discovered a way to get the lazy toosh to move.

She had a racoon tail on her belt loop and Emily wanted it badly.

So we tied it to a stick with a leather boot lace and made a "Emmy Flirty"

Emily's mom uses it to excercize her.

[msvette2u]

Hm...I will have to try to think of something that would motivate Copper...
I may have his thyroid tested again, it was a "low normal" when we did last, in the fall.
Thing is...I felt like, if he had all those symptoms then, a "rat tail", chubby, cold all the time and sleeps all the time, and his thyroid was a "low normal" then how would I know if it got below normal??? I mean...he showed all the symptoms THEN and it was fine!

[Malli]

I have no thyroid issues and sleep a ton, am not easily motivated, have trouble regulating my temperature etc. Maybe it could be something else?

I've had diet based anemia, wich also causes those symptoms

Malli

[msvette2u]

Yeah but he's chubbier than you LOL

[Malli]

oh poor copper, the shame....

um, well, more tests at the Doc??

Malli

[msvette2u]

I may do that. He'll be 8 this Friday (Happy Birthday Copper!)

I think that his "issues" are more mental, though, he snapped at one of the cats last night. He got his butt chewed on, too. He's upset because of Lambie, but he's finally whipped her into shape I think...he's just a moody little guy!

[dogcrazyjen]

I have an idea. Take his food, and put two or three pieces of kibble on the floor, then while he is eating, run to another room. Call him, and when he gets to you, feed him two or three more pieces and run to another room. Dole out his kibble for working.

Also, take walks with his kibble in a bowl he can see, and dole it out along the way.

He should not be getting any free food, he should have to move to get fed.

I wish I had a lazy dog sometimes, mine don't like to NOT work.

[call2arms]

Or, if you can make sure your other dogs won't have access to some rooms, sprinkle the food in weird places that the doxie has to make an effort to get to... He'll have to work for his food, sniff around, run around, push stuff to get to it...

Just make sur eyou pick up any leftovers so not to have a fight if the other dogs get to little bits of food.

I don't know what you're feeding, but high quality food (Wellness, Timberwolf) allow you to feed less and still satisfy your dog.

[Malli]

I think the issue here is Copper isn't satisfied by almost anything! (and, he needs to loose weight)

I like the "work for food" idea.

If you have a fenced yard, you could scatter his kibble all around and have him "treasure hunt" for it too! Or what about one of those toys where the dog has to roll it around or do something to it in order to dispense food

Malli

[dogcrazyjen]

That is a good idea too. I put Tess's dinner in her crate in a few kongs sealed with peanut butter when I know we will be gone a while. It keeps her busy. But those balls make it so the dog really has to push it around a lot, that would be a great for a lazy hungry dog.

Maybe it will be like a runners high, when you get him started, he will LIKE exercise?

OK, stranger things have happened

[msvette2u]

I think the issue here is Copper isn't satisfied by almost anything! (and, he needs to loose weight)

I like the "work for food" idea.

If you have a fenced yard, you could scatter his kibble all around and have him "treasure hunt" for it too! Or what about one of those toys where the dog has to roll it around or do something to it in order to dispense food

Malli

He actually likes those. I could put all of it in there for the day and let him play with it while I'm at work. We gave him a "kong" yesterday filled with two biscuits and I came home to it CHEWED in half!! He's a power chewer!!

[Romanwild]

Come on Yvette! You're babying this dog!

I would start walking him twice a day. Morning and night. Exercise is definatley the missing ingrediant here. You have small dog syndrome. Who cares if he doesn't like exercise! Make him do it. I guarantee he will fall in love with his walks and he will feel better and behave better. Not mention he will lose a few pounds.

[cheekymunkee]

If he still acts hungry after you feed him throw some green beans in his bowl or add them to his kibble. He will feel full without adding calories. Just makes sure you rinse them good if using canned. You can do the same with carrots or peas if he prefers them.