Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Life with Sadie

Sadie is fitting into our lives quite snugly.  She's recovered from kennel cough, and has had a huge appetite lately:  picture a 22-pound dog eating three cups of dry dog food a day!  She does have champagne tastes, I'm afraid.  Wayside Waifs send a five-pound bag of Science Diet dog food home with us, and since I had just bought a huge bag of Purina Kibbles and Chunks for Mandy just before she died, I figured I'd switch Sadie gradually to that.  I set a separate bowl of it beside her doggie dish, so she could taste it.

She'd smell it, then go back to the Science Diet stuff in her dish.

So, I mixed a little of it in with her fancy-smancy fare. 

She quite carefully ate every piece of her preferred food, leaving the Purina at the bottom of her dish.

Yesterday we ran out of Science Diet, and yes, she is eating the other stuff.  Not as enthusiastically, though.  She'd been getting up a couple times in the night to eat, before; I don't think she did that last night.

I just can't force myself to pay over a dollar a pound for dog food.  I might compromise somewhat and buy Iams, or some other premium kind, if Sadie doesn't start eating Purina with a little more gusto.

Meanwhile, she has made herself a part of the family.  She loves our daily walks in the pasture, and gets quite excited when she sees Cliff and me putting on our walking shoes and coats.  She loves the granddaughters and is so happy to see them when they arrive in the morning, and when they get off the bus, afternoons.  She's doing better at coming when I call, although she does have lapses from time to time.

She made the choice, her first night here, to sleep beside my bed; so I take her bed in with me when I turn in.  She stays there all night, and if I wake up, I can reach down easily and pet her.

She's not had a single accident in the house.

She's a wonderful dog.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

She is so cute!  I bet she feels some warmth coming from under the fridge...looks like a good place to nap if you ask me.

Princess is very picky about dog food too. She will pick out all the dark brown colored pieces and set them aside her bowl and eat the light colored ones she likes. What a nut!

That fancy dog food can be expensive and not easily found.  We had to go to the pet store to get it...couldn't find it in the grocery store.  But we are with Purina now too...hate having to make a special trip for stuff. I like it all in one spot.

Anonymous said...

truely a match made in heaven :) I am sooooo glad for all of you.

Anonymous said...

Sadie is fitting right in, while no one can replace Mandy, Sadie is a wondeful cute dog.

Anonymous said...

You lucked up getting her, she is a gem.  I bet she has went hungry the reason she keeps eating so much..poor thing..i am glad you have her.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad your having such good luck with Sadie.]
Missie

Anonymous said...

Sadie sounds like a wonderful girl! So happy for you both!
Did you send a pic of her? I love all the pics you post, she's very photogenic!
Come summertime you & I are gonna have to meet for lunch one day!
Blessings,
SUGAR

Anonymous said...

i had a cat that became diabetic.. so i had to feed her food with little "ash" content which meant getting it from a vet... made science diet seem cheap! lol..   the science diet for older dogs and for dogs needing a diet are good .. just in case Sadie gains too much weight lol..

Anonymous said...

Isn't it so neat how dogs just adapt for the most part to their new surroundings? So glad Sadie is doing well....

betty

Anonymous said...

I love the pictures of Sadie. Her eyes look at you with such thanks and love already. Yes, she probably likes the heat coming from the fan on the fridge.
Have a great day with her. Helen

Anonymous said...

Hee...her expressions are so cute...

My dogs really like Nutro (and I like it because the first ingredient isn't corn, and cuz I can find it at the grocery store).  Gordo has taken to sticking his whole head in the bag for a little snack...LOL

~Amy

Anonymous said...

My kind of dog, no accidents in the house. Paula

Anonymous said...

Shoot, Just give her a Nathans and she'll down that! haaaaaa I am so glad that she is adjusting to a good place and good people. Anne

Anonymous said...

Glad everyone is adjusting to each other.  Sadie sounds like a good dog!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that Sadie is fitting right in!  No accidents in the house at all?  Now that is a GOOD dog in my book!  
Hopefully, when she sees that all she has is Purina to eat.. she'll eat it and get used to it, I'm sure.

Jackie

Anonymous said...

Sadie the wonder dog!!! http://journals.aol.com/shayshaydc/Golfaholic
Sharon:)

Anonymous said...

Hey there.  Love the pics of Sadie....maybe she just needs a bigger bed!  WEll, we buy Science Diet for Tugie, but then again....she's NOT 22 lbs.
She still would rather have bologna or turkey or chicken.  She has such a spoiled life.  
Take care.
Sonya

Anonymous said...

My Morgan is just the opposite. While we were traveling, I would always stop at a Petsmart for her food and treats (and the cat's too, of course). Since I wanted her to have the best (yes, she is VERY spoiled), I was buying her the more expensive Science diet or Iams.... until I discovered the Petsmart baked food, which I liked because it was baked and VERY balanced..... Well, once when I couldn't find anyplace else to get her food in a strange city and she was almost out, I bought a bag of the Beneful..... Now, she will eat other stuff, but she let's you know she wants the Beneful. Well, it's less expensive than the premium brands, and my vet said as long as I had her on the reduced calorie one it would be fine... So, my pup has BEER tastes <lol>

Anonymous said...

That Kibble and Chunks, Kibbles and Bits is FULL of salt and sugar.  It can cause health problems later on down the road.  My MILs dog got diabetes from it, and later died, they couldnt regulate it.  Its worth the extra money, believe me.  I personally don't feed Iams anymore due to the publicity of them having horrible testing practices on dogs.  I use Diamond Lamb and Rice, it has no by products and it has no corn.  You can get it for about 23 dollars for a huge bag at any feed store.  (50 pound bag?) might be 25, cant remember.

Anonymous said...

That Kibble and Chunks, Kibbles and Bits is FULL of salt and sugar.  It can cause health problems later on down the road.  My MILs dog got diabetes from it, and later died, they couldnt regulate it.  Its worth the extra money, believe me.  I personally don't feed Iams anymore due to the publicity of them having horrible testing practices on dogs.  I use Diamond Lamb and Rice, it has no by products and it has no corn.  You can get it for about 23 dollars for a huge bag at any feed store.  (50 pound bag?) might be 25, cant remember.

Anonymous said...

I like the way they think any rug on the floor is just for them!
Lori