(VICT) Diet is Everything
- From: metnme2 <metnme2@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Vi-Clicker <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:00:16 -0800 (PST)
As Met has gotten older obviously aging problems have
surfaced. We made some changes in diet a few months
back and things seemed on the surface at first to be
great but deep down things really were not going well.
I have kept pretty silent from most my Service/ Guide
lists I am a part of because what was happening before
my eyes was just heartbreaking. I was watching my dog
turn from a typical older dog to geriatric overnight.
This post is not about why these changes in diet were
made, but a sharing of our experience in case you ever
find yourself in the same place.
At Christmas reality hit me like a ton of bricks and I
just wanted to go help my dog up on the bed and to
snuggle with him all day and all night long for
eternity. About 5 days ago, my mom asked me if I was
sure this was just aging or even deterioration of the
latest issues we are facing (which should not have
progressed like this in any way shape or form yet) or
if something else could be causing that. Somehow we
got on the subject of his new grain free diet and how
I felt like he was getting leaner and it just did not
seem OK because when Met begins that trend he does not
stop losing... it becomes a vicious cycle. Anyway we
got to talking about how a dog like Met needs some
bulk- then I recalled a previous experience when I
changed the protein source as well. He became cautious
then and just not himself but he still had energy that
time. When I put him back on the beef he became my
bold fella again- proudly taking me from store to
store...
Well I can't deal with getting him new food until the
3rd but I knew something had to change. I had to see
if we were perhaps on the right track- sure enough as
soon as I gave him one meal of beef, oats, and
veggies, Met had light in his eyes, the caution was
replaced with boldness, he was spunky and even wanted
a longer than normal walk that morning. For the last 4
days I have been giving him that breakfast and then
the kibble for other meals. He continues to bounce
back before my very eyes. The energy, zest for work,
even bounding off the bed when I ask if he wants to
help me... it is phenomenol...
So if you ever see your dogs going into a downward
spiral- especially if you just changed their diet or
the manufacturer made a recipe change- remember this
story about how Met was like geriatric as a result of
a food change and is now clinging to my side waiting
for the next task we are going to do!
Hugs and Happy new year to all
Karyn and Met
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