We took her to the vet because she seemed to be losing interest in food and losing weight. Turns out she had lost 4 and a 1/2 pounds since June. May not seem like much but she's never been a chubber and has always been just the right sizs so we were concerned. She got the standard pat down, a big blood panel and a poo vial. Many moneys and no answers.
Off we went to the pet food store in search of new food ans some healthy treats. We tried new grain free kibble made with salmon and trout and some raw food medallions. The raw food is frozen and looks a little like ginormous hamster pellets. It was an instant hit. The kibble seemed like a hit at first but it turns out it was just the egg mixed in. Within two days she had figured out how to suck the egg off and spit out the kibble. Next I tried mixing in some soft catfood a dog delicacy akin to molten chocolate cake or finest cheese and crusty baguette you ever did try. Again, a big hit for a couple feedings and then *patouie* out come the kibble. I'm giving up on kibble.
The raw food was a much bigger hit! She loves it and generally tends to wolf it down. Of course, there were a couple of days where she picked at it and left a bunch in the bowl. Just as I was about to tear my hair out - I decided to try feeding her on the porch and she started gobbling it down. Go figure. She's gained 2 pounds and her energy level has gone through the roof since she started this diet. For those of you who have met her, you know this wasn't necessary nor desired but it is what we got.
It seems that her new found energy has led to some new successes with hunting. On Election Day she hung out at her friend Gulliver's house and caught a squirrel. Later that weekend she stuck her head in a tuft of grass and came out with a mouse. Another mouse the next week. Last week she almost caught a duck as we walked in the park so I decided to move to safer ground away from the pond. Not 5 minutes later she jumped in a bush, flushed a bunch of birds and then jumped in the air and caught one in her mouth. Creepy but impressive. I screamed, jerked her lead and she opened her mouth. The bird flew away but I'm not sure how far it got. We heard a pretty loud crunch.
The morning before that little experience, I had to go lasso her in the yard with a towel because she had treed two sqiurrels in the back yard. One squirrel in each of our trees. There was NO WAY she was coming inside until she caught one of those squirrels. Thankfully, I got her after just a couple of attempts. Dan thinks she may just want us to hang a deer carcass in the tree and let her pick at that until she's done. Our neighbors would love us. It will never happen but she loves us any way and has a pretty darn good life.
Here she is all tuckered out after a long day of playing with Gulliver and all the wonderful squirrels in his backyard.
1 comment:
Glad Havers is better.
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