My parents only feed my dogs gourmet meals. Help!?

Question

Like okay...
At dinner time.. My mom might cook chicken, pasta, and green beans. She serves everyone in our family, and then gets out two bowls [the ones WE eat out of!] and fills them up to the top with the EXACT same thing that we eat!! She will put the bowls on the ground and let our two dogs chow down!

[One of our dogs is 4, and the other is only 9 months old.]

My mom is spoiling our dogs. They won't even eat their dog food anymore, because they are addicted to human food!
Oh and everynight, my dad gives them about a spoonfull of peanut butter.

It is getting out of control. Our four year old dog is getting really fat. They get exercise, but this food is completley unhealthy for dogs, and im sure can kill them down the road.

I've tried telling my parents. My dad is kind of on my side, but he isn't really in charge of what my mom feeds them, so it doesnt matter. But how can I stop my mom from feeding them OUR food!? And how can I get our dogs to eat THEIR food?!
Thanks in advance

wow thankyou guys SO much.
heres another detail though..
we have their own dog bowls and dry dog food. we leave out full bowls ALL the time. I occasionally see them eating it, but they arent into it. usually dogs go nuts over their dog food, but our dogs just kind of nibble at it.

Answer 1

Food is food.

As long as they get sufficient protein, fat and a smattering of good carbohydrates along with enough variety to get their nutrients, dogs can eat food even if it is human food

Fresh food is good, even for dogs.

Feeding them too much food or food that is full of sugar, highly processed food, too much indigestible corn, wheat and problem foods like onions can be a problem. Feeding them fresh food, freshly prepared is a good thing.

Try and get your mom to go down on the rations and make sure nothing is heavily spiced or full of anything toxic to dogs. They would be better off if she divided their portion before she adds any spices meant for human consumption. I would leave out most or all of things like pasta and bread (plus the peanut butter) and leave in the meat and vegetables.

In the 'wild' dogs would be scavengers and would be eating everything from road kill to cat poop. Each meal does not have to be 'nutritionally balanced' just as each of our meals does not have to be. It is the balance over time and the results that matter.

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Consider kibble. You take meat, grains and vegetables (or rough approximations of these) of unknown quality and freshness and then chop, mix, cook at high temperatures, add chemicals like preservatives, add food coloring and nutrients, extrude, cut and spray with oil for palatability. Without food coloring kibble would be grey and without oil on the outside kibble would not be appealing to dogs.

Consider home cooked meals. You take meat, grains and vegetables of known freshness and quality and then you chop them, cook them and serve.

What is the difference? You can always add a doggy vitamin if you are worried about nutritional inadequacy. You should definitely be worried about the portions but not about the freshness.

Answer 2

I give my dog meals because it works out easier. He isn't a dog that will just eat and eat, so free feeding would be okay, but he knows when it's meal times so it suits him. He gets biscuits (kibble) in the morning which he munches on during the day anyway, and at night he gets meat which he usually eats in one go. I could potentially free feed him, as he only eats if he's hungry and will quite often eat none or very little of his dinner if he isn't hungry at the time. However, many dogs aren't like this, which is why I'll stick with meals so I can control how much and when my dog now, and dogs in the future, have to eat. Meals means I know how much he is eating, and can compare that with any weight gain/loss so I can adjust meal sizes to suit. It really is the easiest, safest, and most responsible option for an owner, unless there is a good reason a dog is free fed.

Answer 3

I do not think it is spoiling a dog to feed it real food as opposed to kibble. However, I have a few concerns:

* I'm not in favour of free feeding (leaving full bowls down all the time), especially in a multi-dog household. What if the dogs need to be fed different diets (for allergies, weight control or other health issues)? What if one of the dogs needs to be given medication with his food? If he is free-fed, it is very difficult to control dosage and timing.

* While high quality, human grade ingredients are a great idea, not all food that is safe for humans is also safe for dogs. Then there are the highly processed foods that are not healthy for humans, either. (See http://www.hcfrgroup.com/toxic-foods.html )

* It's a very serious health risk for any dog to be overweight. It's particularly unhealthy for a growing puppy to be overweight.

* If your parents really want to feed home-prepared food to your dogs, they should become more educated on what a healthy canine diet involves. There are lots of resources available to help in this area.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I'd be more worried about the balance of food. Dogs have different needs with portions, needing more meat and then they need something to exercise their teeth, which you didn't mention but which they might be getting.
Does she feed the dogs the same portions as you? Green beans and chicken are great for dogs. Peanut Butter is common in treats. Sounds like they may be eating too much.
If I had a choice between commercial dog food and home cooking the homecooking would win hands down because a lot of GARBAGE goes in dog food. Literal trash meat and mystery meat, cooked to death, read up on "rendering" and "digest" for starters. I think your dogs may need a few supplements and take the dog food out of the equation as long as the balance is right.
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Answer 5

Your parents are the problem, not the dogs, but I think you know that. If I were you, I'd physically not allow your parents to feed the dogs like that (like pick up the bowls and put them in the sink, or throw the food away, no violence lol). If they won't eat dog food at all, cut up a tiny bit of garlic, and put it in the dog food, because the smell is strong, and the dogs will be curious, and when you feed it to them, get down on the ground and pretend you're eating some. It sounds wierd, but it should work unless your dogs are agressive when it comes to food. :) Good luck!

Answer 6

Oh my I know what you're going thru...my mom basically killed her very own two fancy German poodles by doing the same thing. First they got fat, then got wheezy, then they got horrible bowel problems...message here? You need to get your mom AND the dogs to a vet and describe this scenario to the vet...in front of mom and the dogs...and let the vet, a paid professional medical person, give your mom the real truthful story of just what she's doing to the dogs. Make the appointment, push mom & dogs into car and get down there. The vet will give you tips on how to wean the dogs off people-food [may take a couple of days of no food, just water & maybe doggie-biscuit treats...it won't kill them]. If your mom gets Professional Advisories from a professional advisor, so to speak, maybe she'll stop being so silly.

People food is NOT good for dogs....there are two poodle-size graves in my mom's back yard as proof of this. Good luck!

Answer 7

That is what happened at my house once and then when we took our dogs to the vet once the vet said that he could have severe heart problems if we do not stop. If your parents really love their dog they would stop.

To help your dogs eat dog food follow these steps...

1.Get a dogs food bowl
2.Buy some low fat food or low calorie food. (preferably dry)
3.Your mom can continue to make meals but slowly add more and more dog food to it and take away some human food. (first 3days have 3/4 human 1/4 dog, next 3 days get 1/2 human 1/2 dogs, etc.)

Good Luck and Keep Trying!

Answer 8

Give them 1/2 people food and 1/2 dog food until they solely eat the dog food.

Give your mom articles about feeding the dogs people food. Maybe it will change her mind. Have a sit down chat with her and let her know that you don't want to hurt her feelings.

You are only doing what's best for the dog anyway.

Answer 9

I'd have your mom talk to their vet about their diet, it's true that sometimes home cooked meals are better for dogs than canned or dry dog food. But that's only if the nutritional needs of the animal are being carefully managed.

If you have trouble getting the dogs back to eating their dog food I'd suggest warming and adding a clove of garlic into their food. It adds flavor and an irresistable smell. (to dogs at least.)

CJkip, if she calls the ASPCA I wouldn't be surprised if they laughed in her face. They have much bigger problems than a couple of dogs who are getting fat. They may be willing to send you a pamplet on animal dietary health though...

Answer 10

NOT GOOD NOT GOOD oh i feel so sorry for your dogs and you well definitely you have to get your mom to stop feeding them that tell her that even though you know how much your mom loves your dogs spoiling them like that is just going to make them die A LOT LOT sooner make sure to repeat that again and again in her FACE and about getting you dogs to eat their other foods again well you could try (this is what our friend does with their dog) is for their morning feeding take their dog food put the amount that they eat in a plastic bag put in a bit of chicken or liver (liver is better for them) and put in a little bit of water close the bag and mix it up by squeezing the bag and then let that sit for like five minutes and then give it to them then it should taste like what they usually get and that should work and then just gradually reduce the amount of liver or chicken that you use and soon enough they should be eating just plain dog food GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!