Food and Cooking Tips

I was dodging raindrops and puddles as I walked the short distance to my office. As I was passing a local house, I saw an elderly woman standing near the entrance holding an umbrella over her little white puppy. Unfortunately, the umbrella wasn’t large enough to cover both her and the dog, so she was getting soaked.

Unable to withhold comment, I said, “Do you think he’ll mind if he gets wet?” She responded, “Well the truth is, that if I don’t hold the umbrella for him he gets angry and pouts and won’t eat his lunch.” And, by dinnertime he’s absolutely unbearable!

Welcome to the world of the spoiled dog.

Although man’s best friend has always been his dog, the degree to which man has rewarded that friendship has quite possibly gotten out of hand. Evidence to support that statement can be found in the food we give our dog, the brand name “designer dog clothes” we put on their backs, the jewelry and special diets.

We send “Rover” to counseling sessions with dog psychologists, clip/wash/curl their hair and make sure their nails are done so as not to embarrass them in front of their doggy friends.

How many of us have spent a restless night because “Missy”, our pug faced Pekinese, can’t seem to get comfortable in our bed or “Bull”, our six ounce Chihuahua, growls and snaps at us when we roll over on him.

Yes, for those of you that are disbelievers, many people do share their beds with their doggies. In fact, I’ve heard of many cases where couples sleep apart rather than crowd the dog. Have you ever tried to argue with a sleepy Doberman Pincher? Forget about it!

A thriving and lucrative industry has grown up around the pampered pet. Pet owners spend multi-millions each year on their little four-legged friends. Occasionally the news media will offer a blurb about the pet owner who spent thousands of dollars on a diamond studded dog collar.

Now let’s get down to diet – what can we feed “Prince”, the proud Rottweiler? To be honest, Prince isn’t all that fond of dry dog food. He’ll eat some of it, but only if mixed with some of that delicious home made lamb gravy he likes. And, just like most of us, he prefers light fare in the mornings; perhaps a few scrambled eggs and just a slice or two of crispy bacon.

No need to make a big fuss about dinner though, he’ll usually eat most of what you’re having, maybe before you get to it!

This scenario might involve a slight stretch, but it is certainly not too far fetched. We worry more about what our pets will eat, or if they’re “off their feed”, than we worry about what our kids eat. I wonder how it is we know that our kids will eat when they get hungry, but we can’t accept that this might apply to our dogs too.

We feel compelled to continue to offer our dogs a full menu from which to select and if all else fails, it’s time to schedule a trip to the Vet.

Speaking of Veterinarians - most of them now offer direct deposit so your entire paycheck can be directed right into their accounts. Veterinary expenses have gone through the roof and there’s no end to the elaborate medical procedures now being provided routinely.

A friend who complained for months about the cost of dental appliances (braces) for his kid willingly shelled out $2500 to fix his dog’s overbite because “Tiger” appeared to be in discomfort when chewing on his rawhide bone.

Now that we’ve clearly established that we spoil our dogs, let’s offer a word or two in our own defense. Dogs love us without reservation. Scold them, treat then meanly, tease them, and they’ll still love you unconditionally.

In history, dogs have given their lives for their masters. “Police” dogs will face an armed attacker to protect their handler and “Seeing Eye” dogs will risk death or injury to steer their Charge away from a speeding car. A dog’s love for its master is pure and unquestioning. In my opinion, they deserve all the pampering they can get.

Pets, especially dogs, make us feel good. They comfort us, allow us to be ourselves and give those of us that need it, a reason for living. After all, there is always a warm welcome when you arrive home, and so deserve to be served, spoiled and looked after like a member of the family.

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Paul Easton is a self confessed dog lover who sells Dog clothing online - The Non Glamour Clothes for real dogs- wet or dry, indoor or out. Free gifts for first time visitors Dog Clothes