# I Hate My Dog - A Rant



## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

I've had him for just over ten years and he's always been almost impossible to feed. No way for plain kibble... not a chance. Mixed with good stuff, ya... he'll eat that... for a while, 'til he gets used to it. 

Then he gets fussy again and refuses it. Then I pick something better to mix with the kibble. Then he eats again... for a while.
It's ALWAYS got to be something better, not back to something he* used *to like.

Lately he's been eating Beneful (of all kibbles! :O) mixed with half a can of bacon and cheese bits in stew. But one vet (that I accidentally saw last week) was ragging on my for the Beneful so I picked up a small bag of Acana Puppy Food... for the extra protein. 

Added water to a cup of the Acana, and 1/4 pound of browned hamburger and he refused it. It's been sitting behind me for three days... it stinks... and he's still not eating it. 

I will not replace it. He'll eat it or starve.


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## 3MiniPoodles (Jul 14, 2020)

Eventually I suppose he will have to eat it...? But make sure it does not rot. Try a homemade dog food instead. Any other questions? Happy to help for the sake of your poodle´s health.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I'm guessing you're kidding or trolling with the stinky old food part? Lol.

I can totally relate to this, as Peggy seems to sense when we've invested in a big bag of food she LOVES.

And suddenly it's "loved." Past tense.

Instead of using wet food as a topper, I've switched to serving the topper on the side, in a separate bowl, so it doesn't contaminate the kibble. Then I can safely leave the kibble out during the day for grazing, with no worries about food safety, and only feed the wet stuff at meal times.


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## 3MiniPoodles (Jul 14, 2020)

Well if I were your dog, I wouldn´t want to eat stinky old food either. (Lol)


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Tonka's 15... 16 in January. He had a good life but he's at times made mine a hell. Stubbourn, won't approach me to get leashed, I have to walk to him. And sometimes, he does his best to get away from me when I try. Unless he's bothered or afraid of something, generally wants nothing to do with me. He will ALWAYS duck when I reach out to pat him. 
He's simply a hateful dog... gives me no joy at all... just a PITA that I have to cater to. 
So I've decided to draw a line, and this time make it stick. Eat or starve, dog...


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## 3MiniPoodles (Jul 14, 2020)

He is very old. I would talk to your vet. Maybe he´s not eating for a reason...


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## Jdsmiles (Jun 25, 2020)

Maybe he can sense your attitude and feelings about him, which dont seem too positive. I find dogs to be very able to read people.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Haha, Tonka's got you trained after 15 years! Just feed him your food - it's what he wants 

Seriously, though ... Mia's never excited to eat unless it's raw meat. She looks at me with disgust when I offer kibble. Commercial raw is ok, but boy does she salivate over country cut pork.


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Countryboy, are you doing ok? In all honesty, your last couple of posts have made me worried for you. I've never seen you describe Tonka as hateful before.

If you are going to try the "Eat or starve" trick - maybe at least put down some dry kibble and throw out the rotten stuff? Better for your nostrils, certainly better for Tonka's.

If you need a break - I can't do it these next two weeks (moving) but I don't live too far, and I could probably look after him for a week or two if that would help.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

Oh Countryboy, now you're fighting with your dog. If any of us make it to Tonka's age in dog years, I'm sure we'll cuss out our caretakers at the nursing home if they try to push food down our throats that we don't want. Ignore the vet and please feed Tonka any darn thing he wants.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Ummmm... no. In a nutshell, I've not been all right. Been dealing with bladder cancer since last Summer and quit smoking this Summer. Quit smoking is the biggie... I'm now technically cancer free. 

Tonka cost me $884 last Fall and was to go back to see the vet again after a groom. Then COVID hit... no groomers open. Then three months later they opened. When I phoned for a date it was a wait for two more months. OK... whatever...

THEN I dropped him off at the groomer... a new one. Got a call within an hour that she had started grooming him but refused to finish him. Demanded I go to the vet to finish the groom. 

So now I've got a dog that's half groomed. Figuring, oh well, I'll carefully take the scissors to him. So I did.

First, I cut him in the right ear... secondly, I cut his left ear. AAAAACK!!! I threw the scissors somewhere. lol

A couple of days later I was up for another crack at it. Got quite a bit done but then cut the skin at his throat. The skin that's not attached to the body so will rip like a piece of paper. That kind'a skin...

So now I have a dog with a 4 inch vertical slash in his throat.

I packed him into the car and fled to Cantope. Diane fixed me up, but I wonder really do I wanna put up with all this nonsense.

I think I need a whambulance...


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

Oh boy. That's a lot to handle. Would Diane be willing to help you with further grooming and perhaps boarding him for a bit to give you a break?


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## Teddy’s mom (May 20, 2020)

Wow! Seems like u have a lot of your plate! Could u find someone to take your dogs?


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## For Want of Poodle (Feb 25, 2019)

Aww... poor Tonka. And poor you. I'm lucky that I groom mine myself, because what I've heard is it's about the same here in terms of waitlist. Lots of groomers are short staffed because they can't get childcare, too. 

Cancer sucks, covid sucks, and everything else sucks too. 

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help - maybe Tonka can teach Annie a few more poodle manners.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Ya... Diane's my go-to lady. She's gonna look after his groom as soon as I see his neck heal. It's coming along fairly well. 

I still have his old food here so we'll get back to that.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Countryboy - I didn't like your post because I liked it, but to offer support to you and Tonka. As FWOP said, everything sucks right now. And I'm so sorry to hear about your cancer. Where are you in treatment? Congrats on quitting smoking -- that'll make a grouch out of anyone!


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

Countryboy said:


> Ummmm... no. In a nutshell, I've not been all right. Been dealing with bladder cancer since last Summer and quit smoking this Summer. Quit smoking is the biggie... I'm now technically cancer free...


Aww, you've been through a lot with the bladder problem, and giving up your cigarettes was hard and I'll guess still a major struggle.

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All this sheltering in place has also caused a lot of folks to feel isolated. Recovering from a health problem during this time period is a horror when hanging out with others or getting a simple hug from a friend or relative isn't possible for many. And you've been so sick and irritable that even Tonka doesn't want a hug lately. Now that sucks. But dogs are very forgiving, so that can change.

I don't know if you've talked to your doc about this, but many people find relief taking a mild anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medicine *for awhile* to get them through the rough patches in life, and it doesn't mean it's forever. And there's lots on google about non-medical ways to relieve stress, maybe you'll find one that works for you.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I’m sorry you have so much on your plate CB. I’m happy you’re now cancer free. Quitting smoking is really hard, and I know it’s the nicotine withdrawal that’s making you more impatient with Tonka. You love your big guy !

As for food, have you tried all-prepared raw ? It comes in frozen portion, you just thaw and serve. You could do a mix of raw and a little kibble if you find it too expensive. We have great brands in Canada : Big Country Raw, Bold Raw (made in Ontario I think) and others.

Both my finicky toys really love it ! Merlin, the anxiety king who has never eaten in front of anyone in 6 years, will eat it less than two feet from me. Today I had forgotten to thaw part of Beckie’s portion and I gave her some direct from the freezer and she ate it in a few seconds...

I hope everything gets better soon. Take food care of yourself and Tonka. xxx


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## Starvt (Nov 5, 2019)

No real solutions here... just some sympathy for stuff that's been piling one thing on top of another...
I never realized Tonka was so old, he looks great for his age! And at this point, I say let him eat any darn thing he wants (and I'm even a vet tech lol!)


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

Countryboy, you've surely had your share and then some of huge donkey b's to suck lately. Good for you tho for beating the devils! 
Now, hide the scissors and give your poor dog some food!

This just makes me wish again that more of us lived nearer.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Poor Tonka and poor you - sounds like the irresistible force meeting the immovable object, with a huge amount of pain and frustration and guilt and all made worse by nicotine withdrawal. But you and Tonka have been friends for so many years, and the human half of the partnership has to be the one to say sorry and find a way out of the impasse. It usually means backing up a bit, I've found, and making space for the other party to have their say. No doubt Tonka is stiff and sore, with diminishing eyesight and hearing, all of which make cuddles etc worrisome. And I rather agree with those who say feed him what he wants as long as it is affordable - the benefits of a healthier food are pretty marginal at his age. But I wish I was close enough to pour you a stiff whisky, stay for a conversation long enough to leave you laughing, and take Tonka for a few days to give you a breather. Are you sleeping enough? And don't ignore the suggestion of antidepressants - a short course can strengthen that wobbly bridge across the dark places.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Countryboy, your rant made my day! Misery surely does love company. Sailor is 14.5 years old and he, too likes to turn his nose up at his food. The dogs get fed twice a day, and (now this is really cheap of me) what Sailor does not eat becomes the Jack Russell's next meal. If he leaves a lot, then Wilson gets some, too. Neither of those boys are picky. Sailor did however, wander around in my bedroom and find a sealed bag of minnows which he devoured after chewing through the heavy plastic bag. Sailor did not become a "break in" artist until after he turned 10, and yes, I had medical tests done on him. Nothing physical wrong with the boy. He, also likes to stand outside contemplating life until the other dogs are done pottying , and when I open the door to let them in... Sailor runs as far as he can and begins his walking poop. I swear he drops a plopper every five feet for thirty feet. Then, he has to find the right spot to stand like a horse and whiz... followed by a ten minute drink of water. Argh, he just emptied his tank, why is he filling it up again?? Good thing I love that rotten dog.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Haha, Charmed... staring into infinity and then a 30 yard poop. That's Tonka too.

He's never been cuddly, can't stand people touching him. I'm sure his mental world includes nobody but him. The first time I met him he paid noooo attention to Peter and I in the compound. Didn't even look at us. But went exploring for grass to eat along the fence. Completely oblivious to humans.

COMPLETELY unreliable offleash. He'll take off at the slightest oppourtunity. Even after ten years together, this dog is an annoying, headstrong jerk.

As far as the cancer goes, we discovered a T1 High Grade tumour in the bladder. It came with a yellow, glistening 'stone', the size and shape of a short pencil. It looked like something from Space Odyssey. Quite interesting, actually.

But I've got a good, young, oncological urologist who took that out with a Green Light Laser Reduction around about Xmas. THEN!... a blood clot let go and blocked me up for two days. That was not fun! 

But once we got that fixed a Cystoscopy a couple of weeks ago. shows me clear of the tumour.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Gracie's last year was a parade of floor nuggets. I could handle it just fine. My husband's patience, on the other hand, was quicker to wear thin. I spent as much energy protecting him from the poop as I spent cleaning up the poop, and these stories of commiseration sure take me back to those hard, bittersweet days. I'd repeat them again in a second.

Countryboy, I'm so sorry about this awful luck you've had. Thanks for being so honest about it and giving your poodle pals the chance to support you and Tonka.


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## Liz (Oct 2, 2010)

Glad to hear the good news, CB!


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## Fenris-wolf (Apr 17, 2018)

@Countryboy I'm sorry to hear that you you're going through such a hard time. I'm very happy to hear that you are cancer free and that you have quit smoking. Were you able to get a break from Tonka? Are you going to teach Tonka how to drive since he's 16?


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## katmcg86 (Apr 23, 2019)

Countryboy, I lost my old dude last month and for the last two years, he was much like Tonka and Gracie and Sailor in this thread. I would get frustrated with his demand barking for me to help him up, his refusal to eat anything but peanut butter sandwiches, then his refusal to eat peanut butter sandwiches because SURPRISE, “my favorite food is chicken and homemade bread now, didn’t you know?” He consumed a pharmacy’s worth of medicine that cost an arm and a leg. I shipped him Chinese herbs FROM CHINA regularly. At the time it was all so much, so exhausting, but I promise you that when Tonka is gone you will laugh about the horrible haircut and smile about the fact that it’s Tonka’s world and you’re just living in it. It might sound trite, but try to stop and think about what you’re doing for Tonka - the best you can.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Countryboy said:


> It came with a yellow, glistening 'stone', the size and shape of a short pencil. It looked like something from Space Odyssey.


Now that set off an interesting train of thought. Not an explanation for the monolith that had previously occurred to me, I have to say, and set me wondering, with slightly horrified fascination, what kind of civilisation might grow up with CB's bladder stone at the centre of its creation myth!

Dr McConnell recently blogged on feeling we don't much like our dogs at the moment: Love, but not Like? Like, but not Love? Feelings are Messy. - The Other End of the Leash Their may be comfort in knowing you are not alone.


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## rock55 (Aug 31, 2019)

Countryboy said:


> I've had him for just over ten years and he's always been almost impossible to feed. No way for plain kibble... not a chance. Mixed with good stuff, ya... he'll eat that... for a while, 'til he gets used to it.
> 
> Then he gets fussy again and refuses it. Then I pick something better to mix with the kibble. Then he eats again... for a while.
> It's ALWAYS got to be something better, not back to something he* used *to like.
> ...


I would try raw or homemade cooked food and alternate proteins every 3 mos or so. Raw and homemade tend to be quite palatable for dogs and protein rotation is just pure wisdom. Extruded kibble was created in late 1950’s. What did people do before then? They fed them real food and dogs lived longer and were healthier. You could also try raw goats milk and homemade bone broth. Ultra oil on top of food makes it quite tasty and it’s good for their skin.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

rock55 said:


> Extruded kibble was created in late 1950’s. What did people do before then? They fed them real food and dogs lived longer and were healthier.


I've always wondered about this, and _finally_ looked it up: "Dog life expectancy has doubled in the past 4 decades."

From a very interesting article: 









Feature: A dog that lives 300 years? Solving the mysteries of aging in our pets


Cats and dogs are revealing some surprising insights into animal life spans




www.sciencemag.org





At 16 years old, I believe Tonka has earned whatever supper makes him (and Countryboy!) happy.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Countryboy! Where are you? It says Ontario, but not where. That is a very big area. I live in Marquette in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, so depending on where you are I may be within 3 1/2 hours. With Covid I am stir crazy and might be willing to travel and take Tonka for a vacation to give you a break. Let me know! 
My Spoo basically loves everyone, and it could be fun for all of us


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Aha, Kontiki... a Yooper!  ....hope you enjoyed our rain just now....
Compared to you I'm in The Great White South. Fourty miles North of Toronto. But further South than the UP.
Tonka's pretty chill at the moment. Calmness reigns for now...


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

Countryboy said:


> Aha, Kontiki... a Yooper!  ....hope you enjoyed our rain just now....
> Compared to you I'm in The Great White South. Fourty miles North of Toronto. But further South than the UP.
> Tonka's pretty chill at the moment. Calmness reigns for now...


That's my old stomping grounds, Countryboy. If ever you get a chance, please give Georgian Bay a big ol' kiss from me. Missing it like crazy these days.

Happy to hear you and Tonka are getting along again.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Countryboy, .... Yes, a Yooper! But not born here, 'only' here since 1987, so not sure I can totally claim it I am going absolutely stir crazy with COVID, and am thinking about camping in my SUV. I used to camp in tents, but at 74 I am having a hard time getting up off of the ground, so I am measuring my SUV for a bed!

Shall I head that way?


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

...don't aSk me aboUt my typing Style, my keyboard connectionS mUSt be wrecked...

i've got friendS in a rented cottage in tobermory right now. a bUnch of girlS from the toronto bombardier plant taking their holidayS together. i'd love to be on the bay right now bUt that woUld be a Scary place to be. lol

yoU croSSing the border woUld be qUite a feat theSe dayS. it SUrely iS a great time for viSiting bUt 'merkinS are being tUrned away from canada... not allowed to croSS the border.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

Oh groan... yes, and I don't blame Canada for not letting USians in. Here in the UP we have little COVID and really don't even want people from downstate, or other states coming here and bringing it with them.


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Cancer free, smoke free, Covid free AND Canadian! Take the wins! Vary the toppers and pitch after a day.


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## kontiki (Apr 6, 2013)

I wonder if we met at the border if they would let your dog walk across???


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## rock55 (Aug 31, 2019)

PeggyTheParti said:


> I've always wondered about this, and _finally_ looked it up: "Dog life expectancy has doubled in the past 4 decades."
> 
> From a very interesting article:
> 
> ...


I’d be interested in seeing an actual research study on dog life expectancy these days. Science magazine is not very convincing.


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## SMSP (Apr 5, 2018)

@Countryboy I'm so relieved that you are cancer-free. Thank you for sharing your frustrations and rant. You keep things real -nother people can learn from your experiences. Tonka is a like a relative you love to hate....I mean, he is a relative you love to hate. Tonka is very fortunate to have you

@Vita Your pic and the caption is priceless 😂


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