I need some help with my grandma and uncle's dog????

Question

My uncle and aunt live with my grandma. They all share two dogs. They are both pure bred Toy Fox Terriers. One of them, whose name is Sissy, eats better than I do. They give her everything under the sun, including some of the most unhealthiest food EVER including hot dogs, hamburgers, lasagna, or anything like that. The there dog, Spencer, eats only Beggin' Strips (a treat for dogs, heres the link for them if you dont know what they are: http://www.begginstrips.com/GetPage.aspx?ContentId=422&menuitemid=247 ) Thats all they feed him. They're convinced he'd rather starve than eat dog food, he won't eat anything unless its the Beggin Strips, they've even taken him to the vets to see why he was so skinny and skiddish all the time. She said that the reason he is so skinny is because he isn't getting the right nutrients from dog food, and is getting to many bad things from human food. The vet said that Spencer could even die soon if he doesn't start eating dog food. I need some good proof of how bad human food is for dogs now-a-days. My grandma told me that back when she lived on her family farm, they fed their dogs only human food, that was back in the 1930s. They are feeding animals soooooo many bad things to make them fatter quicker, that its not even funny. And plus, dog's systems can't digest some foods like chocolate. They also think that you need to spol dogs as much as possible. Dogs can't be happy and healthy being head honcho of the house. They need to follow you to be truly happy. I read that in Cesar Millan's book: Cesar's Way. That book is the best book I've every read. I need some good solid proof of how bad human food can be for dogs, I would REALLY like some websites. Or a book, or something to say that dogs need to follow you and be healthy to be happy.

Answer 1

Well, for the "Beggin Strips" I would say just read the ingredients and help them figure out how they're not good food.

Then I would try to help them find a high quality dog food that they would feel like spoils him and sounds edible to humans.  My parents were more than pleased when I started getting more quality dog food that had ingredients that sounded more like what they would eat.

You could also see about finding them a book on Home-Cooking for Dogs.  That can help them make him home cooked food that would more meet his nutritional requirements.

I'd avoid Millan.  Many of the things he says makes the dog "head honcho" have been proven completely false.  I'll include links for you to read if you like (the last three links), but only after the dog nutrition links so you can skip it if you want.  

The third link is about AAFCO definitions so that you can help them see how disgusting Beggin' Strips are.  

As for dogs needing to follow you to be happy... again, from a behaviorist's view, dogs need clear parents to be happy.  Parents control where you sleep, what you eat, when you eat, the contact you get, the toys and games, and whether you can breed while you're there.  If they're experienced parents, help them to draw comparisons between their dog and the kids they've raised.  "You didn't let your kid sleep on the table without permission or when guests were over.  You didn't let your kid eat cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you made them eat their veggies right?  You didn't let them punch you or grab the phone or controls from you right?  You controlled the toys that way.  You didn't let them do adult things that could result in a baby in the front room right?"  It's the same with dogs.  Dogs have to sleep where you tell them to, eat when you tell them to and what you tell them to, you don't let them jump up on you or where you don't want them, you don't let them steal toys, you don't let them breed.  When you control these things, then you show that you're good parents that the dog can trust to be there for him no matter what.

On the other hand, if you say "come on up" and the dog jumps on the couch and snuggles, and you say "get down" and the dog jumps down, there's nothing wrong with that.  There's nothing wrong with a dog being fed from the hand, in fact it's good for them.  There's nothing wrong with a dog who goes out in front of you or walks in front of you (that's a myth).  The point is to control these things, not that the dog can't ever.

Humans are some of the hardest to retrain.  From having to deal with my elderly parents, I can tell you that the easiest way isn't so much to say "don't feed them off your plate" but to assume it's going to happen and help them make sure that when it does it's not anything dangerous (baked bones, chocolate, etc).  I hope this helps.

Edit:  Oh, another tip.  When dealing with trying to change human behaviors, go SLOWLY.  I know you want to go in and fix everything all at once, but if you do that then they won't stay in that habit.  Pick what is most important and start fixing that.  For instance... I'd pick the nutritious/balanced meals for the dog first, then go to getting rid of beggin' strips except once a day or something, then go to getting rid of them except every other day, to none at all.  Or else find a treat he likes that is better for him than beggin' strips and replace it.

Answer 2

Tell her this,

That if she really loves her dog she will feed them properly.

It is alright to give them treats once and a while but no all the time.

And back then they did not have the technology to figer out what was that bad for dogs etc.

I hope she gives them dog food!

Good luck!

Answer 3

If they don't take the advice of the vet, they sure won't take yours. I'm betting I am a lot older than you, but I know how my Grandparents were. I would go buy a good brand of dog food and take it to them. Explain to them that they need to do what the vet advised them to do, and feed proper nutrition. The older folks are sort of a strange breed in that they lived through the depression, and things were a lot different than they are now. Things like dog food were a bit hard to come by, and they just can't seem to get with today's standards. Hope this helps

Answer 4

1. You could purchase headstones with the dogs name on them and place them in the yard.  When they ask why, just hand them Cesar's book.

2. You could just let things be, why meddle?  The vet informed them (I am sure) that they are not giving their dogs proper nutrition.

3. You could turn them in for animal cruelty.

Answer 5

The dog is going to die.

The dog needs a well balanced meal.The only reason he won't eat dog food is because he knows they will give him the treats! if they love their dog at all they will start finding food that he will enjoy.

It could be that he disliked the brand they were feeding him.

Tell them to ONLY offer dog food.Nothing else.If he is hungry, he will eat it. otherwise they are responsible for their dogs death.

Times have changed since the old days.Does she still believe cigarettes are good for you? come on.She cannot use old fashioned excuses any more.Scientific proof is available.Dogs live happier healthier lives when they do not eat a bunch of c**p.People live longer and healthier without a bunch of c**p.

They don't need it!

Sorry to say but if Granny is too stuburn to listen to the vet, then poor Spencer will live a shorter life.