Thursday, February 21, 2008

Projecting With Pets

I noticed that my Cavalier King Charles spaniel Lexie’s dry dog food was low yesterday. I’m in the middle of a couple of deadlines for my Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter mysteries, and my husband was already running some errands, so I gave him detailed information on what to pick up for our pup. Unfortunately, a clerk at the chain store where we usually go said they don’t carry that particular flavor any longer. I’d been at another one of the same chain’s stores a few days ago, and they didn’t have it, either, although they said they’d be getting some in soon.

Rather than send my husband back out to look for that food at a different pet store, I took time out to go myself. Lo and behold, the same stuff appeared to be on the shelves there, but the packaging had changed.

I nearly bought a small bag, but I read the label anew. It said that the food inside was for active dogs. Now, Lexie isn’t completely sedentary. She loves to go for romps in our large backyard, and she races around our living room with toy bones in her mouth. On the other hand, she doesn’t spend a lot of time doing either, so I can’t say she gets enough exercise. Plus, she has gained a little weight since we had her spayed. (We’d considered asking her for Cavalier puppies but decided Lexie was enough of a baby herself.)

So, deadlines or not, I spent some time reading dog food labels. I considered a new brand that I trusted, especially after the imported gluten fiasco last year, but the flavors didn’t sound good. I decided to go with another flavor of the same brand I’d bought before--one with healthier-sounding ingredients, low salt, and made especially for overweight dogs.

I’ve started mixing it in at meals with what was left of her old food, and will gradually replace the old with the new.

Now, do I do the same kind of thing for myself--buy food that sounds especially healthy? Sometimes, sure. Unfortunately, I’m not as good to myself as my fellow blogger Kathryn Lilley is to herself. I exercise some and watch my weight well at times when I’m not under stress--although this isn’t one of them. I can and will do better... someday.

But for my beloved pup? She doesn’t have much choice, since I select her food. Of course she’s hard to resist, so she gets more treats than she should, but we’ve also cut back on that. I may have no willpower for myself, but I’ll try to ensure that Lexie eats healthy! If only she’d stop looking so cute when she begs...

Do the rest of you who have pets treat them better than you treat yourselves?

--Linda

4 comments:

Monica Ferris said...

Do I feed my pets better than I feed myself? Yes, most of the time. I buy the better grades of cat food -- though I noticed when that Chinese tainted-cat-food mess broke how most of the many brands of cat food seem to be made by the same two or three manufacturers. Now we've moved into an apartment, they don't have a front yard to play in anymore, I buy a variety for indoor cats that has more vegetable matter in it, according to the label, and I hope they don't mean roadside weeds.

Kathryn Lilley said...

Well, my hubbie sometimes complains that the cat gets more attention than he does, lol. So then I go give him a big scratch behind the neck and a pat, lol.

Anonymous said...

I without question treat my pets better than myself. I read cat food labels religiously for them, not so much for me. They get regular check-ups, I go to a Dr only when I absolutely have to LOL. But they're my babies and I wouldn't have it any other way =)

Linda O. Johnston said...

I'm delighted to hear that I'm not the only one! And glad you've found a way to appease your husband, Kathryn. Mine gives lip service to all the attention I'm giving Lexie... then does the same thing himself.
--Linda