Sorry Katniss fans. Not that Hunger Games. Fear not though. Please scroll down – I’ve included a special treat for you at the completion of this post.
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Do you see that look in her eyes?
It’s hunger.
It’s a silent plea for more food.
For those of you who have never met her, this is Poppy, our three-year old border collie cross. She joined our family as a puppy after she was rescued by the Burnaby SPCA and has brightened our lives in so many different ways ever since.
This morning I did a dreadful thing to her. Instead of the usual one cup of dog food kibbles and water for breakfast (no worries, she gets another cup at around 6:00 PM; the amount is on the advice from her vet) I offered her 1/4 cup of food with 1/8 cup of ground almonds. Nope, not a typo.
I’d made an assumption the night before that there was more dog food in the storage container downstairs. There wasn’t. The reason this is important (beyond the fact that poor Pops would have very little to eat in the morning) is that I am now the only one in charge of her dog food. I can’t keep track of the fact that we’re now running on empty? Yikes. Bad dog owner. Bad.
My penance? To write this blog post and tell the world. Ok here we go. Exhibit A. After sprinkling the extraordinarily skimpy breakfast combo into her bowl this is what was left in both food containers.The chewed corners of the larger, blue one are courtesy of her much-loved and much-missed predecessor, Oscar the golden retriever.
“So just go to the store and get her some more.”
Wise but impossible. The pet store doesn’t open until ten AM. It was now just past 6:30 AM.
“Feed her something else either from home or another store.”
Yes, but then I’d be dealing with the after effects. She has a delicate tummy and experience has taught me to “introduce new foods slowly.” Also, only the pet store carries her brand of food.
“Why crushed almonds?”
No idea except I had some on the counter left over from my Hallowe’en dessert party. They seemed so little yet so filling, I thought they might just tide her over.
How to kill the next three and a half hours? After a painful hour (the above “hunger” picture was taken then) an unexpected phone call from my friend Bonnie solved that question. She mercifully invited us on a walk with her and her lovely Belgian Malinois “Indie”.
Yes, do observe perfect Indie calmly sitting beside her mistress as Poppy forages madly for food further down on the leaf strewn trail. Sticks, mud and soggy leaves make for a delicious snack, do they not?
“Speaking of Indie…” The starving Poppy assumes the “stalking” position and crouches low on the bank as Indie innocently bounds about in the marshy slough below.
Ok. Not to worry. 10:00 arrived. Indie was spared and the proper food was bought.
Exhibit B. Here’s our girl enjoying her well deserved, decidedly late breakfast. Please note this is not a “before” photo as evidenced by the newly purchased and still full dog food bag so ostentatiously placed behind her.
I’m sorry Pop. It won’t happen again. I hope. But, just in case, I’ll keep a bag of almonds on hand, ready to crush.
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And now, as promised a little something special for the true Hunger Games Fans.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Exclusive Final Trailer
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Ok, people. Over to you. Have you ever been a horrid pet owner and run out of food or are you always on top of the food supply?
21 Responses
Oh yes, I have run out of food before. Luckily I had some random samples of dog food from who knows when and I gave Nellie that. She looked at me weirdly, but ate it anyway. Now when I empty the bag into the plastic container, I write dog food on my shopping list. Because if I don’t remember, no one will. Loved the pic of Poppy foraging for food in the woods – too funny!
You see this is what I need. Advice from a list person. Thank you. I am going to do just that – put “dog food” on the shopping list when we run out. I just need to make that shopping list and post it where I will remember… Great idea. Thanks Dana.
Yes too funny indeed! I like how you made a little trail mix breakfast of it for Poppy. Our new puppy, Ruby, is the oddest dog I’ve known for the simple fact that she is quite unimpressed with food! Instead of gobbling down breakfast like I image Poppy would, I’ll get her up in the morning and there will still be kibbles on her dog bed from the day before. Crazy. Maybe her appetite will grow later…love the pictures!
Ruby sounds adorable. Yes, Pops is a gobbler. Keep me posted as to whether Ruby stays a “take it or leave it” pup or morphs into a gobbler. It’ll be fun to see.
Oh I’ve forgotten to feed milo altogether! At like 2:00pm I look over and wonder why he’s licking his empty bowl and it dawns on me…OMG…I never fed you this morning!!!! I get so distracted and he doesn’t always stand there and ask for it! I forget more often than I like to admit…..
Milo is a gem. Licking his bowl in mute beseechment …Poppy will not let me forget. She positively wriggles, licks, and then moves onto whining when she’s hungry. She leads me over to her bowl and stares at it. This continues until she’s fed.
Oh my, so glad you had the walk for a distraction ! Our dogs just sit there and give you that ” you must be kidding, no breakfast ?? ” look !
Twice the reprimand! Yes, the walk was the best thing ever. Otherwise it would have been full on “Feeeeed Meeeeee!”
Oops! Oh yes, I have made the same mistake with my cat, Callie, and her kibble. I thought I had an extra bag, but I didn’t. She had to go without kibble for a day until I had a chance to run to the store. Don’t feel too sorry for her though. I gave her a can of tuna to make up for it. Oh yeah, she was fine.
Tuna – the best answer! Poppy would have gone for that and then gone …. well everywhere if you know what I mean … the rest of the day.
Since my husband stopped drinking milk, and I don’t drink it either, my daughter often comes to me with the empty carton as she is trying to fill her cereal bowl. She needs to work on timing and I need to be a little more proactive as well! Neither one of us ever touches the milk, so we are left to her last minute warnings.
Looking forward to seeing Katniss again, although always with a bit of guilt for liking such morbid things.
Oh Amy you made me smile. My daughter abhors milk – always has. My son loves, loves, loves it. So. We always have two types of milk in our fridge when they are home. Regular skim for him and Vanilla Soy for her. We tend to run out of Meredith’s soy more often as it only comes in smallish containers.
I, too am looking forward to seeing Katniss again. Have to say I liked the books better … however maybe this second one will be excellent.
Hahahahahaha. Oh, boy!! I am TERRIBLE about making sure that I have enough dog food for the next day. I feel like every month I am seeing that look and just WAITING for 10am when the pet store opens. Your dog is ADORABLE!! I like your quick thinking to have a playdate/walk as distraction! Well played! –Lisa
Yes. I’m not the only horrid dog owner. Too bad you’re weren’t next door = we could use each other’s stash as a food source whilst awaiting the 10:00 opening.
A cheese sandwich is always a good option when you have run out of dog food. I still have to clamp the dog food bins closed so that Izzie and Hunter don’t hurl their bodies at it trying to crack the lid!
Of course – the cheese sandwich. I should have thought of this Wendy. Poppy loves cheese and it sits well with her. Next time. Love the image of Hunter and Izzie hurling themselves at the bin. Oscar used to hurl himself at the fridge to knock the bread off the top.
So Poppy wasn’t keen on the idea of a lovely 10 am brunch? Perhaps if you had included a Mimosa … for you of course, I’d never suggest distracting a pet with alcohol!
Hahahaha! Brilliant. Now why didn’t I think of that?
You are definitely not alone in running out of food 🙂
Phewf! Good to hear Michele.
Kelly,
I live 30 minutes from any store so I have learned by experience to keep doubles of anything I use most often on hand for just such a case. As I use up the first of the two it will always go on my list to purchase another before opening the second one. You may want to buy two bags next time. LOL