Fruits And Veggies

[goldens]

Just wondering how many of you have dogs that LOVE fruits and veggies? I had an Irish Setter, Boots, that seemed tp prefer them to meat. He would eat all the tomatoes, yellow squash, and green peppers right off the vines in my garden. When he would see me cutting a watermelon or cataloup he would just be dancing around drooling.

We always had a house full of ou boys griends over. Always seemed to have at least 2 or 3 "spare kids" for supper every night. One night there were 4 extra teens there and Ihad made spaghetti with meat sauce----lots of meat for those boys--, green beans, garlic bread, and garden salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded carrots and purple cabage. Had just put it all on table and 17 year old soon took garbage out, came running back in and said there was a HUGE rat at the trash can. We all dashed out to see it. It was gone and I suspect it was a possem, not a rat.

went back in and Boots was up at the table eating-----not spaghetti/meat sauce, not bread, but the garden salad! Those boys almost rolled in the floor at a dog eating salad instead of meat or bread.

AQbout 3 months after he turned 12, Boots was diagnosed a very, very agressive bone cancer in his left rear leg at the knee. He was limping on Friday and I thought it was his arthritis. By Monday when we got him to the vet he was dragging his leg. Once test, x-rays were done and diagnosis made, we had to decide what to do. AMPUTATE THAT DAYm give him a few days and then let him go because in a week he most likely would not be eating nor able to get up. ...or do nothing, just let him go when it happened. Thay was out of the question. I would not let him suffer for days. Our hearts said AMPUTATE. But our common sense said he had already passed his 12th birthday, he had arthritis in his shoulders and hips. As much as it hurt, we decided to give him a couple of special days then send him to the bridge.

Well, those few days tyrned into exactly 10 weeks. I took him fishing every day and he would get after crabs in shallow water, swim, try to catch shore birds. He developed a "bummy hop" and did not drag that leg. Since we knew he was terminal and it made no difference, we let him eat every thing he loved, even some chocolate. What we had for dessert, so did he.....strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, apple pie with ice cream, banana split, chocolate cake, cookies, dish of ice cream. He had all the melon, fruit, veggies, garden salad he wanted every day.

I took him in twice a week and he would be weighed--he gained, not lost. Mt vet could not understand how Boots was doig so well, why he had not gone down hill. But iit could not last forever.

on July 8, 1997 we went fishing as always and he was less active. The next day he3 fell trying to get onto the sofa and I found the fardness in his right shoulder and knrew it was there. I gave him a big dish of his favotite ice cream, buttered pecan, and let my vet send him to the bridge that day. I could have hung onto him a few more days, but this way he was able to enjoy life to the end. How he had enjoyed vthose 10 weeks of all the fruits and veggies and sweet stuff he so loved

This is a picutre taken of Sir Lancelots Irish Pride, simply called Boots because of the huge feet he had when I got him as a 9 week oldpuppy. He was about 4 when this nwas taken. He had found tha he could get into the chair, turn around and sit on the table and see what I was working on on the kitchen counter top. HGe knew he was not suppose to do this and when I would start toward him, he would get down. But my son managed to get this snap of him one day. I just love it...

[persephone]

That's a lovely tribute to your boy, boots ;)

he was a character. and perhaps all that fresh food and fish helped his lastdays be a lot more pleasant

[Quirkyhound]

I just love the old fashioned Irish Setter. One actually followed me home when I was about 12 years old----yes it did, don't ask me Mum cause she will say I probably pinched it from someone that was not looking after it and that might be closer to the truth No one actually came forward to claim the dog. I spent weeks grooming it, loving it, feeding it, until one day someone answered an ad in the paper to adopt the dog. I was so happy my parents let me keep her in hopes of finding the owner, instead of taking her to the local pound where she would have been put down if not claimed within 2 weeks. How good was that, now they give them 24 hours if not micro-chipped. I still get warm inside when I think back to the days when I dreamed of showing a 'Red Setter!' That could still happen, lol.

Back in the early 60's this dog didn't like the new Dog Chow on the market, she preferred our leftovers. She had a full mouth (adult teeth) when I found her and I kept in touch with the people who adopted her, she lived for another 16 years. They often brought her over to visit me, and my parents became card playing friends with them, so I grew up knowing what this dog, as well as our own dogs ate. Back then, it was basically the same as what we ate. I didn't live to be 100, give or take, by eating a diet of rice crispies, no matter what the cereal company tells you about how good they are for you.

[Garden Girl]

Lovely story

My current dogs love fruit - not vegies so much - they love apples, passionfruit and frozen berries too.

My old dog, a Shih Tzu who lived to be 16, ate what we ate as well - her fave was spaghetti bolognese - she's chow done them come up with her lovely white face all red from the sauce. Plus we gave her chocolate and cooked bones and cooked meat - raw food was unheard of (the bones were bigger than her and she never chewed them, just let them rot and get maggots - gross) - all the stuff I now dont do with my two.

[goldens]

WheBoots was less than a year old, our oldest son was dating a girl whosse Mom showed dogs. She put Boots thru the paces and said he was a natural in the ring with the way he held his head so high. that beautiful arched neck, and the strutand stride. But I said no. He was just my pal. I have goldens now, but

I think the IriagSetters are the most elegant and regal of any breed.

Oh, my first Irish Setter showed up in our yard back in '77, thin, lots of fleas some ticks, a gash in his hip, no tags or collar. He was so well mannered, new so many commands and words, so well behaved, loved everyone and everything including sons hamsters and gerbils that I knew he had been well loved, well cared for, well trained. I have no idea how he came to be out on the street. There was never an ad or fliers out. I just called him Red. He was red where Boots was mahognay. I had him 8 years til he developed a spinal infection that did not respond to any of the antobiotics my vet tried,. I fianally had to let him go which vshattered me. Today I think it was something more than spinal infection and wias I had had my present day vet back then----only thing, he was just a kid then.