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When I’m at the dog park or when I meet another dog anywhere, I make sure not to feed it treats without asking the owner first.
There are reasons I don’t feed other people’s dogs unless I know it’s OK. Feeding a dog will only encourage the dog to beg for human food or more dog treats. Plus, dogs have problems related to food, just like humans. Dogs can have diabetes, thyroid issues, food allergies or obesity.
I know a black lab named Emma who was extremely overweight. Emma had to go on a diet and cut back on all people food and dog treats. She was used to getting fed extra, because people thought she was cute.
It’s a common mistake for us to confuse giving a dog food with giving affection. A friend of mine stayed with me last fall and fed Ace pieces of food off her plate because he “looked so sad” and “wanted some chips so bad.”
My mutt can eat whatever he wants and not gain any fat. But he has a problem with begging. Every time people feed him, pay attention to him while eating or even look at him while holding food, he is encouraged to beg more. Ace will beg for anything, not just a meat and potatoes dinner. He is interested in raw asparagus, banana peels, pizza boxes, whatever happens to be in the catbox, used Kleenexes, you name it. Anything that has a smell, he wants.
I keep Ace in mind when I’m around other dogs. I don’t want anyone to feed my dog, so I respect other people and their dogs enough to do the same for them.
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