Class Warfare Going to the Dogs

Class Warfare Going to the Dogs

Watching my dogs eat.

I have three dogs of very diverse breed and temperament.  There is Bear, a huge dog who can’t make up his mind whether he is a Golden Retriever or German Shepherd, or perhaps, a lap dog.  Then there is Frankie, a blue-eyed mid-size Border Collie/Aussie, shy, not in any way demanding her own way as long as she knows someone cares for her.  Lastly, Tessa, a small Terrier/Dachshund cross, who thinks that because she is small she can still get by with acting like an exuberant puppy.  Feeding these dogs each according to its needs could be a challenge, but I am nothing if not fair, not to mention lazy.  No pampering here.  They all eat the same, except that Bear eats twice as much as each of the others.  Not to get into brands here, they get a basic dry food, in the morning one scoop each (Bear gets another scoop in the evening), and topped off with a forkful of savory canned food.   Neither complains about what the others get.  All are satisfied with their equal treatment.

But then along comes another dog, when my daughter moves in with her little Pekinese, Ming.  Ming has a finicky appetite and a delicate digestive system, so he gets a special diet, veterinarian approved.  His dry food is available through a local vet, and his canned food has to be special ordered through a local grocery store.  And of course, all of this is more expensive than what my dogs get.   My dogs are interested, and will check out his food dish if he wanders away.  But Ming is interested in what the others are eating, and becomes convinced that they are the ones getting special treatment, that he is the one being deprived.  Class Warfare indeed.  But still, Ming doesn’t demand that the other dogs be denied their special food; he doesn’t demand that they give up their food and eat the same as he does.  He does not want to bring them down, he just wants some of what they get.  And so, it is done.  Every morning and evening to top off his dish of special dry dog food and special canned dog food, he gets a sprinkle of the big dogs' dry dog food and a dab of their canned dog food.  And is content.  No one loses.  Seems just so simple.