We went to our favorite doggy store to buy him a new harness and got into a conversation about our challenges with his picky palate. As it turns out, their super sniffers also make them super aware of food becoming the slightest bit stale. We have been keeping the dog food in a plastic food container with a top - we thought that was the best way to keep it fresh. The food being kept in the container is getting exposed to air and becoming slightly stale which Shakespeare picks up immediately. We've been masking it the best we can with mushy food but that doesn't work all that well.
As we learned from the woman that owns Scratch 'n Sniff, the best container for the dog food is the bag it came in. Dog food companies make really good, freshness bags for the food. So we'll keep the food in the bag and make sure to squeeze the air out before we seal it.
It's crazy this is why it's been so hard to convince him to eat but I am so glad we have gotten to the bottom of his recent food issues.
If there is a better treat nearby, Shakespeare will reject the lesser treat.
Shakespeare's Treat Hierarchy:
Whole Foods (WF) dog treat < carrot
carrot < broccoli
broccoli < turkey hotdog
turkey hotdog < beef hotdog (as seen on the left)
beef hotdog < juicy steak
And don't even get Shakespeare started about his meals:
Royal Canin dry food < dry + WF turkey and rice can
dry + WF turkey and rice can < WF turkey and rice can a la carte
WF turkey and rice a la carte < WF lamb and rice a la carte
And that is my dilemma. I was thisclose to taking said picky dog to the vet because he has been refusing his meals since my BFF fed him WF lamb and rice a la carte last weekend. Ugh. Turns out my little man is just making a point. I don't want to give him lamb and rice because it is going to be fattier than turkey and rice. I want to stick with the healthier choices for my beloved pooch.
Not quite sure what to do at this point because I love him like crazy but he's making me nuts. I just really want him to finish a whole bowl of food instead of pushing the bowl around with his nose. Maybe a trip to Whole Foods is in my future?
Here's Shakespeare listening to a bluegrass band. While it wasn't necessarily his cup of tea, he did think they did a great job of getting the modestly sized crowd into the music. He also enjoyed when they went off track and played some latin-inspired tunes.
Being such a warm, sunny fall day, Shakespeare wanted to make sure he stayed hydrated. We brought along a bottle of water and a cup for Shakes to drink from. Here he is posing with his commemorative Oaktoberfest cup, wearing his new Yelp bandana and hoping for festival snacks.
Overall, he felt this was a great way to spend Puppymill Awareness Day.
As the sun got hotter, Shakes found his bandana also doubled as a cover from the sun so that he could continue to listen to the bands closer to the stage. This worked for a little while and then it was time to look for a shadier spot to hang out.
Walking around always provides ample opportunity to meet other doggies and interface with his local fan base. Shakes is especially popular with the grade school demographic (especially female!). They appreciate the poodle-flag tail, soft fur, and occasional kisses. Shakespeare couldn't be happier with such an active social life.
Shakespeare, "Don't I look super cool in my oversized shades? I think this is a good look for me."
Trying successfully to taste the local food, Shakespeare begs his dad for some lunch. The lamb tacos, lamb kofta kebab, and veggie biryani were all delicious. While there was the normal fair food of funnel cakes, pizza, nachos, etc. that wasn't all there was.
After a nap and dinner at home, we return with Shakespeare to Oaktoberfest to enjoy the last band of the night . . .
Definitely a nice way to end the evening, listening to music under the stars with beautiful weather, people dancing, and dessert (the gelato was delicious!).
